Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Tuesday, March 3

Mar 3, 2009

 

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THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA:  GROUP–CAT Fund A Paper Tiger

Florida’s $29 billion hurricane safety net couldn’t fulfill its duties without federal aid or the backing of Florida’s retirement system in the event of a monster storm and will likely see reform this session, insurers said Monday on the eve of the 2009 Legislative session.

 

AAA Insurer Sells Combined Home, Auto Policies In Florida

Some State Farm customers who are angry about the company’s recent announcement that it is leaving Florida’s property insurance market have threatened to drop automobile policies they have with the insurer in retaliation.

 

THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA:  FPL Announces Plans For 2009 Storm-Hardening

Florida Power & Light said Monday that it plans to invest more than $200 million in hurricane hardening this year.

 

South Florida-Based Insurance Company Gets Acquisition Offer

United Insurance Holdings has made an offer to acquire Hollywood-based Coral Insurance, which stopped writing new policies last week.

 

Bill Would Limit Funding For Florida’s Medicaid Pilot Program

A lawmaker has filed a bill seeking to limit the state’s authority to operate a Medicaid privatization experiment even as state officials have begun to take a stand against the troubled pilot program.

 

Obama, Florida U.S. House Members Announce Release of More Than $10.1 Million For State Health Clinics

Acting to strengthen the health care safety net for the growing number of Americans in need, President Barack Obama and U.S. Reps. Allen Boyd, Lucille Roybal-Allard and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, all of Florida, on Monday announced the release of $10,107,586 authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that will support eight health centers in Florida.

 

ITW Futura Gains Florida Certification For Foamseal Hurricane Adhesive

Foamseal Hurricane Adhesive, a product of ITW Futura Coatings, has been approved by the State of Florida for use in a High Velocity Hurricane Zone, based on wind load testing at a Miami Dade Certified Test Laboratory, which demonstrated that Foamseal has the highest design pressure uplift rating of any foam adhesive on the market.

 

Florida County May Declare Disaster Area Over Foreclosures

Just five years ago, Port St. Lucie was America’s fastest-growing large city.

 

NAIFA:  Big Companies Not Always Villains In Insurance Crisis

Many politicians, editorialists and citizens have weighed in on the recent decision by State Farm to withdraw from Florida’s property insurance market.

 

FSU Sticks By Insurance Mandate

Florida State University trustees voted recently to continue requiring health insurance of their students, even though the university’s president wanted to suspend the policy as the economy worsens.

 

South Florida’s Saunders To Be Next Florida House Democratic Leader

Rep. Ron Saunders, a Key West Democrat who also represents part of Miami-Dade County, will be the next House Democratic leader after winning a presession vote Tuesday morning by just two votes.

 

Key Players, Issues To Watch During The Florida Legislative Session

Leading Republicans in the Florida Legislature will guide this session through a minefield of money- related issues.

 

As Session Opens, Tax Messages Dominate Talks

When it comes to taxes, fees and fines, the message from Tallahassee in the run-up to today’s opening of the Legislature’s spring session appears to be more — and less.

 

Interview With Jeff Atwater, Senate President

Q. A Quinnipiac University poll shows overwhelming opposition to raising tuition by 15 percent a year. How strongly does the Senate support this?

 

South Florida Wish Lists Could Face Test In Congress

Households across the country are slicing their budgets and going without, but Congress managed to set aside tens of millions of dollars for pet projects in a massive spending bill up for debate in the Senate this week.

 

Poll Finds Florida Voters Split On Proposed U.S. Sugar Land Deal

The study, commissioned by foes of the Big Sugar land deal, found many unaware of it

Floridians are divided — at best — on Governor Charlie Crist’s bid to buy U.S. Sugar’s farms for $1.34 billion, according to a new poll commissioned by a group fighting the deal.

 

A.M. Best Affirms Ratings of State Farm Group and Its Members

A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of A++ (Superior) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “aa+” of State Farm Group (State Farm) and its property/casualty members.

 

NCOIL Delays Action On Market Conduct Model

State insurance legislators on Friday deferred action on a proposed Market Conduct Annual Statement Model Act, in hopes of working with state regulators on a joint approach leading to national uniformity for state producer licensing laws and rules.


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