Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Thursday, March 13

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Lawmakers suggest new regulations for insurance companies

Private property insurers could find their profession more tightly regulated in Florida if lawmakers adopt a series of proposals recommended Thursday by a special Senate panel investigating the industry.

 

Citizens execs face questions on rates

One month after state Senate leaders put insurance executives from Allstate and Nationwide under oath to explain why they haven’t dropped premium costs, House Rep. Don Brown said he’ll do the same to the state employees at Citizens Insurance Corp.

 

Letter to keep Citizens policyholders out of the dark

Florida homeowners eligible to switch from Citizens Property Insurance Corp. to a private insurer would not have known about it if their insurance agents rejected the move.

 

Regulators force Citizens to allow policy transfers

Citizens Property Insurance Corp. will have to notify policyholders when a private insurer wants to assume their policy, reversing a little-known rule that allowed insurance agents to block homeowners from switching to cheaper carriers, Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty said Wednesday.

 

Insurers relieve Citizens

Firms are approved to accept policies that were held by state-run company

Ten private insurers will take out more than 460,000 policies this year from the swollen coffers at the state-run Citizens Property Insurance Corp.

 

Regulators change Citizens’ rules

Insurance regulators issued an order Wednesday allowing homeowners now insured by the state-run pool to have the first choice of accepting an offer of coverage from a private carrier.

 

Preparation is essential to windstorm rate battle

There is a term so often paired with “hurricane” here in the Keys that one can hardly be uttered without the other.

 

Lawmakers look to next year’s budget cuts

Crist wants to tap reserves; House speaker, Senate president say it wouldn’t be prudent

After slashing $512 million from the existing state budget on Wednesday, lawmakers today begin the painful process of cutting as much as $3.7 billion from next year’s nearly $70 billion spending plan.

 

Video slot bill hits floor of Senate today

The Florida Senate is scheduled to vote today on a bill that would allow all parimutuels in the state to operate video slot machines, which supporters say would contribute millions of dollars to public schools.

 

Central Command announces it will cut a third of its staff

U.S. Central Command is slashing the staff of its Tampa headquarters by a third – about 1,100 personnel – even as it coordinates two wars in the Middle East, CentCom confirmed on Wednesday.

 

Editorial: Pleased to live in a state that gets a grade of B- from Pew center?

State government has been willing to innovate but has lacked vital long-term planning to keep healthy

A national report released this month on how state governments perform gave Florida a rather ho-hum grade of B-.

 

Florida House and Senate approve $512 million cut in state budget

One day after economists told lawmakers they have $3 billion less to spend next year, the House and Senate approved cutting $512 million from this year’s $70 billion budget.

 

Legislature urged to clear tracks for commuter rail

Central Florida leaders mustered the troops at the Capitol on Wednesday to voice support for the proposed 61-mile commuter rail project that would link Orlando and DeBary in its first phase.

 

Weapons-at-work bill takes a step forward

The National Rifle Association isn’t giving up.  After failing for two years to pass a law allowing employees to carry guns to work, the NRA won an early victory in the Florida House on Wednesday.

 

New challenger announces for Reagan’s seat

A third challenger has opened a campaign finance account to oppose incumbent state Rep. Ron Reagan for the District 67 seat that covers much of East Manatee, along with parts of Sarasota and Hillsborough counties.

 

Senate May Crack Down On Droopy Pants

Sen. Charlie Justice and other lawmakers couldn’t help but poke fun at the bill that bans droopy pants.
 
 

Credit score ban may hurt insurance reform

A financial ratings firm says the state’s ban on using credit scores and socio-economic factors to make auto insurance decisions could hamper the shift to a more competitive market.

 

Insurers’ profits in Texas prompt calls for lower rates

Texas insurers were virtually untouched by the slowing economy in 2007 as they recorded one of their most profitable years of the decade, prompting new calls for tougher state action on homeowner rates.

 

Frank Announces New Economic, Mortgage and Housing Rescue Proposal

House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank today announced new legislation to stem the significant rise in mortgage foreclosures by allowing the Federal Housing Administration to insure and guarantee refinanced mortgages that have been significantly written down by mortgage holders and lenders.

 

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