Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Tuesday, September 22
Sep 22, 2009
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Miami Herald Editorial: Storm warning — Prop up insurance
Most Floridians haven’t had much reason to worry about windstorm insurance lately — out of sight, out of mind.
State Representative Kevin J.G. Rader (D-Delray Beach) sent a letter today about Chinese drywall to acting U.S. surgeon general Rear Admiral Steven K. Galson regarding the expedited treatment of investigative reports of at least 549 cases of Chinese drywall in 30 Florida counties.
Fugate brings new thinking, Fla. ideas to FEMA
Craig Fugate brought three lessons with him when he took over the Federal Emergency Management Agency: Always be ready for disasters, make sure people take responsibility for themselves and get the message out creatively.
THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA: Health choices: Hire CEO by November
The board overseeing a legislatively-created health insurance venture hopes to have a top executive hired in November as it attempts to create a marketplace of options for employers who can’t afford to offer workers more traditional coverage.
Census survey: Florida near-worst in health insurance coverage
The U.S. Census for the first time has issued figures on Americans who don’t have health insurance and the news is not good for Florida.
Woman charged with buying Jackson Memorial patient records
A Miami cosmetician is set to appear in federal court Wednesday on charges of buying confidential patient records from a Jackson Memorial Hospital employee and selling them to a lawyer suspected of soliciting the patients to file personal-injury claims.
Tracks and frontons seek special session
South Florida pari-mutuels want a November special session of their own, whether or not a gambling deal with the Seminole tribe comes together.
Naples-based Orion Bank ordered to cease and desist
Federal regulators have hit another Naples-based bank with a cease-and-desist order.
Special Report: Crist Uses Shadow Panels to Vet Judges
Gov. Charlie Crist, whose push to put his stamp on Florida’s courts resulted in a scolding from the state’s highest court this summer, has quietly created shadow panels to help him vet those seeking judicial appointments across the state.
Progress Energy rate increase gets cool reception
A recession is the wrong time for Progress Energy Florida to seek a $500 million annual rate increase that would boost profits and executive pay, a state consumer advocate told utility regulators Monday.
Florida among the top ten states for dirty tap water
A recent New York Times series called “Toxic Waters” has rightly drawn attention to the issue of drinking safe – or unsafe, as the case may be – tap water.
Study scores Florida on residents’ financial stability
Despite scoring well on business and financial factors, Florida’s low education, health-care and home-ownership performance brought a “C” grade for the state in the latest assessment of families’ financial stability.
Florida Trend Report: Net Worth of Florida Politicians
While Florida’s elected officials are suffering through the economic downturn like the rest of us, some have fared better than others.
Blog: Dinallo Explains Need For Health Insurance Mandate
New York’s former insurance superintendent, Eric Dinallo-now an NYU professor, and potential candidate for state attorney general-published an op-ed in yesterday’s New York Daily News in which he explains why individuals must be required to buy health insurance to reform the system.
Credit Scoring Flaws Outlined To NAIC By Consumer Groups
Contrary to what insurers have been saying, the recession has had a nationwide negative impact on credit scores, regulators meeting here were told by a consumer advocate.
17 Georgia Counties in State of Emergency Due to Heavy Rains
After viewing storm damage in Douglas and Paulding counties from the air, Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency in 17 counties affected by heavy rain and severe weather that has passed through Georgia.
Army Engineers Recommend $1.2 Billion Coastal Restoration Plan for Mississippi
An Army Corps of Engineers’ report is recommending a $1.2 billion coastal restoration plan for Mississippi.
New York Finally Gets NAIC Accreditation
New York State Insurance Department has finally been accredited by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ after operating for decades without the NAIC imprimatur.
Report Warns Against Applying Systemic Risk Regulation to Insurers
Blame for the financial crisis and the near collapse of American International Group should reflect “the substantial evidence of fundamental failures in U.S. and foreign regulation of commercial banking, thrift lending, and investment banking,” according to a new report that analyzes the role of AIG and the insurance sector in the financial crisis of 2008-2009.
Defense Department backs captive for war-related claims
Establishing a captive to self-insure claims arising from the Defense Base Act-related injuries could provide the greatest potential savings among ideas to overhaul the workers comp system, a Department of Defense report says.
Hurricane Hugo Today Would Cause $20 Billion in Damage in South Carolina
Hurricane Hugo was the most costly hurricane ever to hit the United States when it made landfall in South Carolina in 1989, causing $4.2 billion in insured damage. Since then, the total insured property along South Carolina’s coast has grown to more than $200 billion.
California Investigates Ratings Firms
California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. began an investigation into three major U.S. credit-rating companies and their role in the financial crisis, in part to determine whether the firms violated California law.
What to Know About Red Flags, Notification Laws and the Hi Tech Act
Data breaches have hit an all time high and with that have been a dramatic increase in new data security and privacy laws and regulations. Both state and federal regulations have been in place for several years with regards to security and privacy of Personal Identifiable Information and Protected Health Information.
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