Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Tuesday, Sept. 25

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Catastrophe insurance bill poised for symbolic victory

WASHINGTON — For the first time since Hurricane Andrew battered South Florida 15 years ago, a congressional committee appears poised today to pass a bill that would involve the federal government in the homeowners’ insurance market.

 

Florida investigating Auto-Owners insurance

A third Florida insurer is included in the state’s hunt to prove a conspiracy to prevent hurricane premiums from going down.

 

House Set To Pass SCHIP Bill Feared By Cigarmakers

Despite a presidential veto threat, the U.S. House is set to approve tonight a $35 billion, five-year expansion of children’s health insurance that would increase cigar taxes to as much as $3 per cigar.

 

No-fault auto system faces legislative blip

TALLAHASSEE — Florida’s no-fault auto insurance system probably will expire for at least a couple of days before lawmakers get to it.

 

McCarty Again Urges U.S. Catastrophe Plan

A national meeting in Alabama on the affordability and availability of property insurance heard the Florida insurance commissioner continue his campaign for a national catastrophe plan yesterday.  

 

State Democrats’ decision met with silence

TALLAHASSEE — State Democrats, who defied the Democratic National Committee Sunday by sticking to the Jan. 29 presidential primary election despite the threatened loss of all their delegates, got a muted response Monday.

 

Congressional Action Needed To Smooth Primary Process

Leaders of Florida’s Democratic Party defied the national party last weekend by deciding – finally – to go forward with the Jan. 29 presidential primary that lawmakers approved earlier this year.

 

Hurricane Recovery Program Short on Cash

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A state program to help homeowners with hurricane damage will run out of money by year’s end unless Congress steps in to fill the gap, an official said Tuesday.

 

Congressional vote on flood coverage nears

The House of Representatives is expected to vote Thursday on expanding the federal flood insurance program to include coverage of wind damage — a landmark change brought on by the insurance industry response to Hurricane Katrina.

 

State quietly copes with uninsured woes

When Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger last year set out to use his political muscle to attack the problem of 7 million Californians without health insurance, his goal was simple: Cover everyone.

 

Pesky insurance coverage: How would you reinvent it?

This week, with the Legislature heading back into another special session, we want to hear what you would do if you could have your way with homeowner’s insurance. Would you drop it altogether, or keep your home fully insured? Do you wish you could just carry fire and theft coverage and drop windstorm? Tell us in the Weekly Webvote by clicking here.

 

Major Internet Disruption Would Cost $250 Billion in Economic Damages

A major disruption to the Internet disruption would not only be detrimental to businesses, public institutions and citizens, but would also cost the global economy an estimated $250 billion, according to a report released by the Business Roundtable, an association of U.S. chief executive officers.

 

Gas Emissions Rarely Figure in Investor Decisions

Corporations have become better about disclosing their greenhouse gas emissions and somewhat better about curbing them. But few investors are using that information to decide where to put their money.

 

Democratic doctor runs for Congress

A second Democrat has filed to run for Congress in the district representing southern Brevard. Stephen Blythe, a family physician, will first contest Vero Beach pilot Paul Rancatore in a Democratic primary, with the winner presumably facing incumbent Congressman Dave Weldon.

 

Crist asked to name Republican sheriff of Broward

Broward Republicans have a request for Gov. Charlie Crist: Give us one of our own as sheriff.  They made the plea official this week at the county Republican Party’s monthly gathering, voting to formally ask the Republican governor to appoint a party member as sheriff.

 

Phony ‘flu’ to hit U.S. banks in test of emergency response

Don’t be alarmed if your local bank teller is looking a bit sickly over the next three weeks. It is only a cyber-illness.

 

South Florida: Hurricane center director replacement search begins

The formal nationwide search for Bill Proenza’s replacement as director of the National Hurricane Center in Miami-Dade County was officially launched on Monday. The job pays up to $168,000.