Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Tuesday, January 26
Jan 26, 2010
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Florida’s Citizens to Re-Bid Part of Contract for Property Reinspections
Florida’s state-backed property insurer will seek competitive bids on part of a contract to reinspect as many as 400,000 properties that have been awarded $700 million in mitigation discounts off their insurance premiums.
Citizens adds employees as number of policies drops
Citizens Property Insurance Corp., the state-run insurer of last resort, has trimmed more than 26 percent of its customers since late 2007. But the number of employees has grown by 17 percent.
Study: Florida’s Moves To Stabilize Property Market Both Good, Bad
Stakeholders in Florida’s fractured property insurance market are working to stabilize it and improve funding with a shift to risk-based pricing at an individual policy level and insurance regulation addressing capital adequacy, according to Towers Watson.
Sean Shaw Opposes “Consumer Choice” Bill
Florida Insurance Consumer Advocate Sean Shaw has released an editorial calling on lawmakers to reject the “Consumer Choice” bill when they meet for the 2010 legislative session.
Op-Ed: Insurance customers still deserve a choice
During the 2010 legislative session, lawmakers will have an opportunity to ensure that Florida will have a stable insurance market that is competitive and offers consumers peace of mind.
Officials assess storm damage in Bradford County
State and federal assessment teams were in Bradford County Monday to assess damage caused by severe weather, including a tornado, last week.
Water regulators to discuss sinkholes, dry wells from farm pumping
State water officials are set to discuss the sinkholes Tuesday that resulted from this month’s freeze, though it’s unclear they’ll actually decide anything.
Crist signs 2nd extension of Fla. freeze order
Gov. Charlie Crist has signed a second extension of an executive order raising weight and size limits for trucks that transport Florida citrus and other crops affected by freezing weather.
Parkland drops permit fees for Chinese drywall victims
Parkland homeowners grappling with Chinese drywall are getting a bit of a break on repairs.
Florida Court: Illegal immigrants due workers’ comp benefits
Two illegal immigrants are entitled to workers compensation benefits despite flaws in tax documents they filed, a Florida appellate court has ruled in separate cases.
Editorial: Lee County officers should enforce laws, not cameras
Lee County commissioners could pass an ordinance allowing cameras to be installed at intersections to catch motorists running red lights.
Florida health agency sent to hearing on unbid contract
A Florida appeals court on Monday ordered the Agency for Health Care Administration to undergo a hearing to determine whether or not certain contracts are exempt from the competitive bidding process.
Crist allows out-of-state nurses in Fla. hospitals
Gov. Charlie Crist has signed an executive order that will temporarily allow nurses licensed in other states to practice in Florida.
Walgreens-owned Florida clinics now accepting Blue Cross and Blue Shield insurance
Floridians covered by Blue Cross and Blue Shield can now be seen at one of Walgreens’ health clinics for the cost of a co-payment or co-insurance, Walgreens said today.
Sink announces $12 million in savings from reduced claims, suits
CFO Alex Sink, who touts her private business acumen in her Democratic campaign for governor, just announced that she has helped save state taxpayers $12 million over the past year by more quickly settling lawsuits against the state, by preventing workers’ injuries, and by getting medical care more quickly to workers who are injured so that they return to the job sooner.
Democratic and Republican voters today will choose candidates to represent Florida House District 58, a diverse swath of the city’s midsection stretching from Town ‘N Country to Old Seminole Heights.
Sink, McCollum now both want to regulate rogue debt collectors
Nearly three months after pledging to better regulate rogue debt-collectors, Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink and Attorney General Bill McCollum are still finger-pointing over who should take on the task.
Florida Senate President designate Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, says if Congress isn’t going to call out banks out for allegedly reducing home equity lines of credit to homeowners simply to improve their bottom line, then the state should.
Crist says he’ll propose corporate tax cut, is optimistic about budget
He said that will ensure that small businesses, which he said create the most jobs, get a bigger proportion of the benefit of the tax cut. He said it will cost the state about $65 million a year in lost revenue.
Florida Republicans Want Voters to Reconsider Smaller Classes
Having already spent $16 billion to reduce class sizes — and facing a multibillion-dollar budget deficit — leading Republicans including Gov. Charlie Crist want voters to reconsider their 2002 vote in favor of smaller classes.
Lawmakers push for full casinos in Florida resorts
Legislators suggest bringing casinos to Florida as part of ‘destination resorts.’
Ellyn Bogdanoff has given up. Once one of the most ardent opponents of gambling expansion in the Florida House, the Fort Lauderdale legislator is now ready to open the doors to full-fledged casinos because, she says, Florida ”is losing the battle” to the Seminole Tribe.
Audit Cites Louisiana Citizens’ Issues
The Louisiana Auditor’s Office released the results of its investigation into Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corp. accounting records, internal controls, and information systems, and the examination uncovered “major inadequacies” for 2008.
U.S. Bans Texting by Drivers of Large Trucks, Buses
The U.S. government Tuesday banned hand-held “texting” by drivers of large commercial trucks and buses to avoid the danger of distracted driving.
Climate Change Could Bring More Storms To Texas, Researchers Say
Storm frequency and severity will likely increase in Texas in the coming years due to climate change, according to weather researchers.
National vehicle history database goes live
A national database that allows consumers to view the history of used vehicles went into effect this year, but federal official said Tuesday that some states are not contributing vehicle records to the system.
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