Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Monday, May 4
May 4, 2009
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Florida Governor Undecided on 10% Property Insurance Hike Measure
Customers of the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp. in Florida will be paying 10 percent more for their property insurance by Jan. 1 under a bill headed to Gov. Charlie Crist.
Key Provisions of Property Insurance Bill Passed in Florida
Key provisions of the measure, HB 1495, sent to Gov. Charlie Crist by lawmakers on May 1, as identified by the Florida Banking and Insurance Committee staff.
Property Insurance bill passed by Legislature
Customers of the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp. will be paying 10 percent more for their property insurance by Jan. 1 under a bill headed to Gov. Charlie Crist.
Lawmakers approve major changes in property insurance
But will the governor sign the bills into law?
Sweeping reform of the state’s property insurance market is on the way to Gov. Charlie Crist’s desk, where both of the bills approved easily Friday by the Legislature face dicey prospects.
Lawmakers vote to deregulate some Fla. insurance
Florida home and business owners would be able to pay however much they’d like to buy insurance to protect their property under a bill that has moved through the Legislature
Legislators approve bill to allow Citizens Insurance rates to rise gradually
Lawmakers on Friday agreed to let Citizens Insurance premiums rise by a maximum of 10 percent each year capping off an intense week of lobbying and negotiations between the House and Senate.
Florida Lawmakers Pass Surplus Lines Insurance Regulation Exemption
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist has a bill on his desk that promises to clarify the state’s regulation of the surplus lines insurance business.
Florida Restores Cap on Workers Compensation Attorneys’ Fees
The Florida Senate voted 22-16 to restore a cap on attorneys’ fees in workers’ compensation cases. The measure, backed by the state’s insurance regulator and previously passed by the House, 84-35, now goes to Gov. Charlie Crist for his signature.
Plan for cameras at intersections dies in Legislature
Disagreement over division of money from fines dooms measure
By authorizing the use of surveillance cameras at intersections to ticket red-light runners, lawmakers hoped to jointly save lives and create a lucrative revenue stream to the state.
A weekend interview with John Kirtley, founder of Florida’s corporate tax credit scholarships
In the past, we had insurance companies that wanted to participate but couldn’t, because they pay insurance premium taxes instead of corporate income taxes. So that’s why we wanted to expand the eligibility to that particular tax.
Undercover sting leads to arrests of Treasure Coast shutter installers
A hurricane shutter installer has been accused of contracting without a license in St. Lucie and Indian River counties following an undercover operation by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation and the St. Lucie County Sheriffs Office.
Florida Department of Health: Five Confirmed Swine Flu Cases in State
The DOH reported Monday that Florida has five confirmed cases: two in Lee County, one in Broward, one in Orange, and one in Pinellas.
Jeb Bush’s Medicaid legacy frets lawmakers
Florida must adopt managed-care for Medicaid statewide or could lose federal funding, lawmakers were told.
State lawmakers learned this week that former Gov. Jeb Bush’s controversial Medicaid reform plan from 2005 includes a time bomb for hospitals: A $300 million penalty.
New York-Based Insurance Broker BWD Group Expands to Florida
With the addition of Saul Landesberg as regional vice president, BWD Group LLC opened a Florida office of its insurance and risk management brokerage operation.
City of Parkland Mayor: Chinese drywall spins off ‘silent hurricane’ effects
The city of Parkland, like many other communities, has been hit by a ‘silent hurricane.’ We had no warning and never saw it coming. We had no time to move our families or protect our property.
State’s Investment Agency Hard to Pry Answers From
Questions about where public money is spent often dodged.
Front and center on its Web site, the agency that invests $118 billion for Floridians showcases its code of ethics: ‘It’s all about … Trust – Performance – Integrity.’
Get ready for more taxes, less service from $65B Florida budget deal
A few days late and a little worn out, Florida legislators finally reached an accord Monday on how to balance the proposed $65 billion state budget that touches every life in the nation’s fourth most-populous state.
Budget compromise: State workers earning more than $45,000 will get 2 percent cut
State employees earning more than $45,000 a year will have their pay cut 2 percent under a compromise worked out Sunday by House and Senate budget negotiators.
Bills that passed in the Florida Legislature
Legislation that passed in the 2009 session of the Florida Legislature, which ended regulation time Friday.
Bills that failed in the Florida Legislature
Legislation that failed to pass during regulation time of the 2009 session of the Florida Legislature.
Property tax breaks headed for 2010 ballot in Florida
Delivering on a priority for Gov. Charlie Crist, the Legislature has voted to put a tax break for first-time home buyers on the 2010 ballot, in the hopes of providing a lift to Florida’s sagging real estate market.
Lawmakers pass anti-sprawl bill, reject revisiting class-size limits
A compromise growth management bill that modifies a sprawl-causing clause in existing law is going to Gov. Charlie Crist.
Legislature’s scorecard for 2009: 1 new tax, little reform
Despite plans to push a broad tax review, legislators chose to pass the easiest single tax, and not much more.
Florida lawmakers began the session with bold ambitions to examine Florida’s tax code, repair tax inequities and find new revenue.
Trying again for an agreement on gambling
As the $65 billion state budget is printed today for final passage on Friday, lawmakers will try again to hammer out an agreement over gambling.
Is House making a left turn? Economy alters GOP actions
After two years of Republican Gov. Charlie Crist clearing a path for his party to the political center, is the traditionally arch-conservative Florida House following suit?
Florida‘s mortgage brokers face tighter regulation
To combat rampant mortgage fraud, Florida legislators are imposing tough new laws in an attempt to keep crooked brokers out of the industry.
Trying to shake Florida’s status as a capital of mortgage fraud, Gov. Charlie Crist is expected to sign sweeping legislation that calls for annual criminal background checks for people selling loans, strict bans on felons, and a fund to help victims scammed by rogue brokers.
Foes Prepare for Crist Senate Bid
Democrats set to claim governor is abandoning state in tough times.
When lawmakers finally wrap up their work for the year, Gov. Charlie Crist is expected to end the state’s biggest political guessing game by announcing whether he wants another term in office or will seek a seat in the U.S. Senate.
Blog: Siplin named black caucus chair
Sen. Gary Siplin,D-Orlando, has been elected as the new leader of the Florida Conference of Black State Legislators. He succeeds outgoing president Rep. Joseph “Joe” Gibbons, D-Hallandale.
State senator anticipating nod for Bermuda consulate
If Sen. Tony Hill becomes ambassador, his seat and others open up.
The rumored presidential appointment of a local politician has led to early campaigning for two Jacksonville-based seats in the Legislature.
How SunRail failed: Gripes, grudges and Paula Dockery’s gift to senators
SunRail was, in the language of the state Legislature, a heavy lift.
National Hurricane Center urged to update warning system
Equipped with satellites, computers and other high-tech advancements, the National Hurricane Center has gotten better and better at plotting the path of dangerous tropical systems.
Katrina backwash stalls Fugate’s confirmation
Confirmation of Florida’s Craig Fugate is being held up over federal rules against building in coastal flood zones.
A senator from Louisiana is stalling Florida emergency management director Craig Fugate’s nomination as head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Proposed tax would limit reinsurance supply, according to report
Imposing new taxes on foreign-owned insurers and reinsurers would shrink the supply of reinsurance in the United States by about 20%, according to a report released Friday.
Guy Carpenter Honored at Reactions 2009 U.S. Broker Survey Awards
“Best Large Reinsurance Broker” Among Four Awards received
Guy Carpenter & Company, LLC, the leading global risk and reinsurance specialist, has been recognized by the readers of Reactions magazine as “Best Large Reinsurance Broker” in its annual U.S. Broker Survey Awards.
Bridging the GAAP: FASB chairman digests possible changes to accounting rules
A few weeks ago, Federal Accounting Standards Board Chairman Robert Herz spent a few days visiting Wake Forest University. While on campus, he met with students and faculty, but also gave a public lecture on the convergence of U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, or GAAP, with International Financial Reporting Standards, or IFRS.
Victims: Madoff Trustee Not Looking Out For Us
Hundreds of victims of Ponzi scamster Bernie Madoff are spitting mad at Irving Picard, the court-appointed trustee of Madoff’s estate, over what they claim is the capricious way he is moving to claw back money.
Insurance still pillar of Berkshire empire: Buffett
Being a big insurer will cost Berkshire Hathaway Inc dearly when severe catastrophes strike, but it is a good place to be in the midst of an economic downturn, Chairman Warren Buffett said.
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