Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Tuesday, February 24
Feb 24, 2009
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THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA: Cretul Keen to Restore Lawyers Fee Limit In Workers’ Comp Cases
House Speaker Larry Cretul said Tuesday that he hopes to have the House pass a bill in the first week of the session to restore a cap on lawyers’ fees in workers compensation cases.
State Farm Exit Is Focus Of Summit
State Farm’s plan to drop 1.2 million policyholders in Florida will dominate discussions at a two-day summit on property insurance beginning Tuesday in Orlando.
Sansom Friend Resigns From Citizens Property Insurance Corporation
A key figure in a grand jury investigation of outgoing House Speaker Ray Sansom has resigned from the board of a state-created insurance company.
Federal investigators now in Florida for drywall inquiry
Investigators to determine if Chinese material poses safety risk
Federal investigators with the Consumer Product Safety Commission are now on the ground in Florida, the first step in a more intense probe into contaminated Chinese drywall.
Central Florida commuter rail: Who pays if somebody gets hurt?
A 112-ton freight car owned by CSX Corp. rolled unattended down a siding for three miles, finally crashing into a stopped commuter train just outside Boston.
Calif., Fla. governors buck GOP opposition to stimulus
After meeting with President Barack Obama at the White House on Monday, it was clear that the nation’s Republican governors are divided over the $787 billion stimulus package signed into law last week.
THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA: Barreiro to Run for State Senate
Former state Rep. Gus Barreiro, who was recently fired from the Department of Juvenile Justice after porn was found on his computer, has decided to run for the state Senate.
Jerry Hill Won’t Run for Putnam’s House Seat
State Attorney Jerry Hill announced Monday afternoon that he will not run for the 12th Congressional seat in 2010.
THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA: Sansom Complaint Targets Kottkamp
A Clearwater Democratic activist who filed an complaint with the state ethics commission about Rep. Ray Sansom’s ties to a state college he is accused of steering money to has now set his sights on Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp.
THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA: 5 Percent Pay Cut Proposed for Many Elected Officials
A bill filed Monday by Sen. Ronda Storms, R-Valrico, would cut by 5 percent the pay of elected and appointed officials in Florida who make more than $65,000.
Everglades land deal in jeopardy from competition
A historic land deal aimed at helping restore the dying Everglades, and lauded by Gov. Charlie Crist as “monumental as the creation of our nation’s first national park,” may end up dead in the water.
Florida Universities and Prepaid College program reach agreement to ensure solvency
An uncertain future for Florida higher education costs has pushed a landmark agreement between the state’s universities and the popular Prepaid College program that both sides hope will keep them fiscally afloat.
EDITORIAL: Don’t let Florida legislators delete the public record with one keystroke
Missing — surprisingly?? — are e-mails exchanged by former House Speaker Ray Sansom and officials at Northwest Florida State College
There’s a “black hole” in the state Legislature’s communication technology.
Financial Services Democrats Call on Northern Trust to Repay TARP Funds
House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank, along with 17 Democrats on the committee, sent a letter today to Frederick H. Waddell, the President and CEO of Northern Trust, in response to published media reports that, the company hosted a PGA golf tournament and several related parties.
Companies Brace for New SCHIP Laws Slated for July 1, 2009
On July 1, 2009, the Medicare, Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Extension Act will bring new electronic reporting requirements for non-group health claims, including workers’ compensation, liability, and no-fault claims.
Army Corps cracks down on flunking levees; Louisiana Ranks Sixth
More than 100 levees in 16 states flunked maintenance inspections in the last two years and are so neglected that they could fail to stem a major flood, records from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers show.
Marsh Develops $500M Insurance Program for Gulf Coast Energy Firms
Insurance broker Marsh, has created what it says is of a one-of-a-kind property insurance program that can provide up to $500 million of annual capacity, in the aggregate, for windstorm losses incurred by all participating oil and gas companies operating in the Gulf of Mexico in a given policy year.
Guy Carpenter Gets Grant For Micro-Insurance
Reinsurance broker Guy Carpenter & Company, LLC, was awarded a grant by the Micro-insurance Innovation Facility to develop a reinsurance facility for micro-insurance and micro-finance company operations (MFIs).
Chubb Offers Coverage to Upgrade Green After Home Loss
If a home is damaged or destroyed, homeowners may want to rebuild with green materials and processes, but the additional cost can be prohibitive.
Credit Scoring Ban For Conn. Being Refined, Lawmaker Says
In the wake of a public hearing, the Connecticut legislature is working on changes in a controversial bill that would ban insurer use of consumer credit scores in underwriting auto policies, a key legislator said.
EDITORIAL: Sunshine for Lawyers
Florida tries to end a trial bar racket.
The relationship between trial lawyers and state Attorneys General has been one of the more lucrative rackets of the past decade.
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