Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Thursday, May 28
May 28, 2009
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Crist signs sweeping insurance measure
Gov. Charlie Crist has signed legislation that boosts property insurance rates by 10 percent on more than 1 million customers of the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp.
President Obama Declares Major Disaster For Florida
The head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on Wednesday announced that federal disaster aid has been made available for Florida to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area struck by severe storms, flooding, tornadoes, and straight-line winds beginning on May 17, 2009, and continuing.
Fight heats up over bill to allow property insurers to raise rates on their own
Governor urged to veto deregulation legislation
The fight is heating up against legislation that would allow large property insurers to raise rates without state approval.
Barrier island residents revolt against insurance policy price tags
As homeowners insurance on barrier islands becomes more expensive and less available, buyers who pay cash for their residences are opting increasingly to self-insure, according to local agents.
Poll: Most coastal residents unprepared for hurricanes
Hurricanes may flood entire cities, rip off roofs and level trees every year, but when it comes to overcoming public apathy, they’re stunningly powerless.
Governor Crist Leads Statewide Effort to Encourage Hurricane Preparedness
Emphasizes safety and vigilance during hurricane season that begins June 1
Governor Charlie Crist encouraged all Floridians to make the final preparations necessary to keep their families, homes, businesses and communities safe during the 2009 Hurricane Season in a video message released today.
Hurricane exercises start in Florida
State and local agencies will start their annual hurricane exercise Thursday in preparation for this year’s hurricane season.
Headaches mount in Southwest Florida over tainted drywall
As the number of new homes and condominium communities affected by tainted drywall continues to rise, fear and uncertainty among residents, owners and potential buyers in Southwest Florida are growing.
Agency head blasted for handling of Chinese drywall leaving chair position
Nancy Nord, the acting chairwoman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, will be stepping down from her leadership of the commission at the end of this week.
Alexander Calls Crist Pay-Cut Veto Unconstitutional
Senate budget chairman JD Alexander, R-Lake Wales, said Wednesday that Gov. Charlie Crist’s veto of budget language that mandated a 2 percent pay cut for state employees making more than $45,000 was unconstitutional.
Crist vetoes Alexander’s contracting bill
Gov. Charlie Crist vetoed a state contracting bill Wednesday evening, claiming the bill would inject “unnecessary uncertainty” over the process of hiring private vendors through state agencies.
Crist signs cigarette-tax hike, calls it a ‘health issue’
Gov. Charlie Crist signed into law a $1-per-pack cigarette tax hike Wednesday – the biggest of its kind in Florida history — saying he hopes to kill the habit that results in thousands of deaths every year.
Audubon lobbyist enters Fla. Ag commissioner race
Florida Audubon lobbyist Eric Draper is running for agriculture commissioner.
With no primary in sight and the election still 18 months away, the Florida AFL-CIO endorsed Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink for governor.
Huckabee to endorse Rubio for Florida Senate seat
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist has rolled out a succession of endorsements from national Republicans since announcing his entrance into the 2010 Senate race.
U.S. interior secretary tours Everglades, champions federal funding
Top White House aides acknowledged Thursday that the federal government had ”not done its job” in supporting Everglades restoration over the last decade and pledged to make the effort a priority.
South Florida Water Management District Chairman: Restoring the Everglades
Phased land buy brings huge benefits
Everglades restoration has been a priority at the South Florida Water Management District for more than a decade.
Feds Won’t Intervene in Water Battle Between Florida, Two Other States
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said Wednesday the federal government won’t try to broker a solution to a bitter three-state battle over water rights, but he urged Georgia, Alabama and Florida to seek a compromise outside of the courtroom.
A.M. Best Releases Draft Methodology on Natural Catastrophe Stress Test
A.M. Best is requesting comments from market participants in the insurance industry and other interested parties on its proposed update to its natural catastrophe stress test methodology.
Coalition Aims To Fight U.S. Cat Insurance Pool Proposal
A coalition of environmental and conservative groups, backed by a consortium of insurance interests, says it will fight legislation to create a federal catastrophe insurance pool.
AIG Selling Off Big Stake In Reinsurer TRH
American International Group, Inc. announced it will sell off a huge piece of its stake in reinsurance giant Transatlantic Holdings, worth nearly $1 billion.
Texas Senate beats windstorm bill deadline, OKs kids’ health insurance
The Senate late Wednesday rescued a bill to move 80,000 children from the ranks of the uninsured to a government-subsidized health insurance program and, acting on a must-pass issue, stopped the clock in its chamber at midnight in order to revive a bill to restore the state’s depleted windstorm insurance fund.
States, Nonprofits Jockey for ‘Weatherizing’ Funds
President Barack Obama wants to make a million houses a year more energy efficient as part of his goal to create thousands of “green” jobs and reduce U.S. carbon emissions.
Surplus Lines Brokers Report No Change in Capacity; Increase in Submissions
Catastrophic events, the economy and changes in reinsurance capacity have the greatest impact on the availability and pricing of specialty lines coverage in 2009, according to professionals in the surplus lines industry.
Administration Debating Powers of Proposed Systemic Risk Regulator
The Obama administration is weighing if a new systemic risk regulator should have the power to conduct on-site examinations of banks, broker-dealers and other market players suspected of posing a threat to the U.S. financial system, a source familiar with the Treasury Department’s thinking told Reuters on Wednesday.
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