Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Thursday, July 9
Jul 9, 2009
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Most customers will see 10 percent hike, But many were already paying too much and will now see rates go down.
While most property owners in Florida will see double-digit insurance increases, thousands of customers in Southwest Florida are now in line for rate reductions from the state’s largest insurer.
Focus Holdings Closes on Acquisition of Capacity Insurance in Florida
Focus Holdings, LLC in Sunrise, Florida, reports that it closed on its acquisition of Capacity Insurance Co. (CIC), a Florida domestic commercial lines insurer, effective July 1, 2009.
Some Chinese drywall may be tainted with radioactive materials
Tens of thousands of homes in Florida and as many as 100,000 across the country are believed to have been built with imported drywall.
Some Chinese-made drywall imported into the United States contained radioactive material, news reports suggest, but state and federal tests so far haven’t detected it.
Fire risk of Chinese drywall examined in Florida homes
State, federal agency working together to collect samples
The Consumer Product Safety Commission is investigating two ‘fire incidents involving Chinese drywall.’
Crist Reappoints Five to Serve as Judges of Compensation Claims
Governor Charlie Crist on Wednesday announced reappointments of judges of compensation claims.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield Florida moves into high-traffic storefronts
Buying health insurance has become such a complex decision that Blue Cross and Blue Shield Florida is trying a new sales tactic: storefronts near big malls.
Gov. Crist urges caution during lightning storms
Gov. Charlie Crist and state emergency management officials are urging residents and visitors to use caution during lightning storms after one person was killed and 27 others were injured near Lakeland on the Fourth of July.
NTSB: Disney monorail pilot who died tried to back away from oncoming train
Moments before another train traveling backward slammed into the front of his vehicle and killed him, Walt Disney World monorail pilot Austin Wuennenberg apparently attempted to avoid the collision by throwing his train into reverse, according to the federal agency investigating the crash.
South Florida’s killer pythons capture U.S. attention
Sen. Bill Nelson told a congressional panel that the Burmese python, a killer pet thriving in the Everglades, tops a long list of invasive species spreading across the country.
From Chinese mitten crabs in Chesapeake Bay to the Coqui tree frog in Hawaii, exotic creatures have overrun America from sea to shining sea.
The News Service of Florida: Appeals Court Upholds ‘Save Our Homes’ Amendment
A Florida appellate court on Wednesday upheld the popular “Save Our Homes” property tax provision in the constitution that protects full time Florida homeowners from dramatic increases in property values.
The News Service of Florida: Hometown Democracy Amendment Clears Final Judicial Hurdle
Following seven hearings and several years, the Florida Supreme Court on Thursday cleared the way for a proposal to ask voters next year to change the constitution to require a local vote before a change to an area’s comprehensive plan.
New growth management law challenged
A group of local governments sued Gov. Charlie Crist and the Legislature on Wednesday, accusing the state of violating its constitution in passing a growth-management law that opponents bash as a developer-relief act.
Water managers bow to legislature, abolish in-the-sunshine board votes on permits
Powers to permit a developer to pave over wetlands or tap the region’s water supply will pass from the South Florida Water Management District’s governing board to its top administrator, the board voted Wednesday.
Editorial: Fee hikes key to Florida’s new budget
The state of Florida is barely a week into its new fiscal year, and residents are slowly coming to understand that major tax hikes were avoided, but widespread fee increases weren’t.
Florida Legislature releases fall schedule
House Speaker Larry Cretul and Senate President Jeff Atwater announced the fall schedule for committee weeks.
Alex Sink: Probe Allen Stanford deal
Florida’s top financial officer blasted state regulators for striking a deal that allowed flamboyant banker Allen Stanford to open a Miami office to sell investments and move vast amounts of money offshore — without government oversight.
Crist sets special election for Rep. Priscilla Taylor’s West Palm Beach seat
A special election to replace Rep. Priscilla Taylor, D-West Palm Beach, in the Legislature will be held Sept. 22, Gov. Charlie Crist said today. The primary will be almost a month before, Aug. 25.
Ex-lieutenant governor Brogan wants higher education post
Former Lieutenant Governor Frank Brogan wants to come back to Tallahassee. Now president of Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Brogan said Thursday he wants to be chancellor of the Board of Governors, which oversees Florida’s public universities.
Ocala Councilman Guinn announces plans to run for state house seat
Ocala City Councilman Kent Guinn, 54, announced Tuesday night that he is running for the Florida House District Seat 22 next year, when incumbent Republican and Speaker of the House Larry Cretul leaves office due to term limits.
Trial date set for Sansom, Richburg and Odom
The trials of state Rep. Ray Sansom, former Northwest Florida State College President Bob Richburg and developer Jay Odom have been set for Sept. 29.
U.S. Rep. Frank Introduces Obama Administration’s Plan to Increase Consumer Protection
Administration’s plan has the Chairman’s full support
Wednesday, House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-MA) formally introduced President Obama’s plan to strengthen consumer protections as a part of a broader financial regulatory restructuring.
Alachua County‘s Fugate stresses teamwork at FEMA
It didn’t take Craig Fugate long to begin annoying people in his new job as administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Comp Injury Frequency Falls Again, NCCI Finds
The major data group for the workers’ compensation insurance industry said preliminary figures show claim frequency fell 4 percent in 2008 and is likely to decline again this year.
PCI: Proposed Changes to NH Insurance Scoring Regulations Could Hurt Consumers
The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) has expressed strong concern that proposed changes to New Hampshire’s credit-based insurance scoring regulation will add costs without providing any commensurate benefits to consumers.
Texas DOI to Agents: Forward Apps, Premium in Timely Manner
The Texas Department of Insurance reported recently that it received numerous inquiries and complaints after Hurricane Ike relating to the failure of agents to forward applications and premium to the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) in a timely manner.
New York Charges Clinics, Doctors, Hospital Employees with No-Fault Insurance Fraud
New York Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo announced the indictment of 12 people and 9 corporations across New York City for their roles in an alleged criminal enterprise that paid hospital employees for confidential patient information, lured patients into receiving unnecessary treatment, and then submitted more than $1 million in phony personal injury claims to insurance carriers.
North Carolina Lawmakers Consider Cap on Damages in Adultery Lawsuits
A Senate committee has backed limits to a North Carolina law that allows scorned spouses to sue and collect damages for stolen affection and adultery.
House Dems look at surtax on the wealthy
An income tax surcharge on highly paid Americans emerged as the leading option Wednesday night as House Democrats sought ways to pay for health care legislation that President Barack Obama favors, several officials said.
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