Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Tuesday, March 9
Mar 9, 2010
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Florida Cabinet Approves Changes In Insurance-Discount Forms
Consumers now will have to use a longer, more thorough form to get discounts on property insurance for strengthening their homes against hurricane winds.
Blog: State insurance regulators under fire as hurricane season approaches
Florida CFO Alex Sink called on insurance regulators to explain why several domestic property insurers are financially unstable, especially since hurricane season is around the corner.
New Florida Property Insurers in Trouble
Several more small startup property insurers in Florida are headed for insolvency, leaving tens of thousands of homeowners looking for a new company as hurricane season approaches June 1.
Property insurance discounts will now require longer forms
Consumers now will have to use a longer, more thorough form to get discounts on property insurance for strengthening their homes against hurricane winds.
Letter: Florida insurance risks
Regarding Paige St. John’s special report “Weak insurers put Floridians at risk”: Thank you for the recent exposé on homeowner insurance companies. We were recently dropped after years of being with The Hartford. In searching for a new company, most of the policies we were offered were with these small, clearly underfunded companies.
Letter: Market Rates Not The Answer To Insurance Woes
State Rep. Bill Proctor’s letter to the editor promoted allowing insurers to charge “market rates” for insurance. Rep. Proctor has filed such a bill in the Legislature. I take exception to his proposed solution.
Florida Insurance Consumer Advocate Actuary Named NAIC Consumer Liaison
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners recently named 18 funded and 10 unfunded consumer liaison representatives for 2010.
County plan for post-disaster redevelopment focuses on rebuilding Alachua ‘from scratch’
Using $70,000 from the Homeland Security Grant Program, Alachua County continues preparation for a post-disaster redevelopment plan intended to guide local governments, businesses and residents through reconstruction efforts should a natural disaster strike the area.
More pain clinics open despite crackdown
Broward now has at least 122, Palm Beach 108
At least 45 pain clinics opened in Broward and Palm Beach counties in the past year, even after state legislators, police and federal agents turned up the heat on suspected pill mills.
Attorney General, Senate President Unveil Legislation Targeting Medicaid Fraud
Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum today joined Senator Joe Negron to unveil legislation targeting Medicaid fraud, specifically in the managed care area.
THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA: Hospital Funding Remains in Red Light Bill
Hospitals, particularly trauma centers, would continue to get some of the proceeds from tickets written under a statewide red light camera system following a House committee vote Tuesday.
Lawmakers Look at Savings Possible By Slashing Florida State Worker Pension and Insurance Benefits
Florida taxpayers could save hundreds of millions by severely cutting pension and insurance benefits for state employees, the head of the Legislature’s fiscal watchdog agency told House and Senate members Monday.
Dozens See License Renewal Effort Stall Over New Federal Documentation Guidelines
Confusion over new federal guidelines on documentation spawns frustration.
After standing in line for nearly 45 minutes Friday, Diane Vierra finally presented her documents to the state examiner to renew her driver license.
Florida’s Horizon Bank under pressure to raise capital or sell
Federal banking regulators have ordered Horizon Bank to raise more capital or sell itself.
In Tallahassee today, state’s economic forecast gets clearer
Many eyes in the Capitol will be focused Tuesday on an obscure team of economists who meet periodically to update Florida’s fiscal outlook.
‘Super region’ study progress report due
A community presentation is scheduled to provide details of a 13-county effort being conducted to demonstrate the potential advantages of coast-to-coast connectivity and to develop a “Super Regional Strategy” for transportation and land use, economic and work force development, environmental sustainability and quality of life issues.
Sends Letters to Governor and SBA Requesting Immediate Action
State Senator Ted Deutch (D-Boca Raton) is introducing new vital legislation and stepping up pressure on the State of Florida to restrict taxpayer funding for corporations doing business with Iran.
Florida fails to get its fair share of census aid
2.5 Million Floridians on Food Stamps
More than one out of every eight residents, 13.6% of the population, rely on the program to help put food on the table. And that number has been growing steadily for almost three years.
Gov. Charlie Crist fired back Monday at critics who pummeled him for a $536 million Everglades land deal that they describe as a giveaway to U.S. Sugar Corp.
Getting public records could be easier under bill developed by Crist panel
Open government advocates and a state senator who’s had her own problems obtaining public records are backing a sweeping bill making it easier for people to get government records.
Florida office that handles jobless benefits below federal standards
The state office charged with ensuring that jobless Floridians get their benefits in a timely way is failing to meet federal performance standards in at least three key areas.
Not all crime victims pleased with Florida House speaker’s bill to keep 911 calls off the air
Peggy Lee and her husband, Mark, cried last week for two days straight.
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson Pushes Renewables
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson on Monday said he wanted to double the economic impact of the state’s agriculture industries through wider use of alternative fuels based on crops and livestock wastes.
Supreme Court to Rule If Vaccine Makers Are Immune from Lawsuits
The Supreme Court said Monday that it would decide whether a federal law protects vaccine manufacturers from lawsuits in state court seeking damages for alleged design defects.
Marsh & McLennan Puts Kroll Consulting Up for Sale for $1.3 Billion
Marsh & McLennan Cos Inc., the No 2. global insurance broker, has put up its security consulting business Kroll up for sale for $1.3 billion and received offers from several major private equity firms in the first round of bidding, the Financial Times reported on its website on Monday.
BestWeek: Elected Commissioners Defend Electoral Role in Insurance Regulation
Critics of elected insurance commissioners say the office can become too concerned with electoral politics instead of the regulatory process. To supporters, that’s a good thing, according to a story in this week’s BestWeek U.S/Canada.
Maybe he thought their slogan changed from the company you keep to the company you cheat.
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