Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Wednesday, April 1
Apr 1, 2009
To view a complete story, click on a headline below:
State House Passes Controversial Workers’ Comp Bill
A bill that would trump a Florida Supreme Court ruling and restore a cap on attorneys’ fees in workers’ compensation cases passed the Florida House today after some mild debate.
Regulators shut down Hollywood-based Coral Insurance
Hollywood-based Coral Insurance has been shut down for six months because its capital has dropped more than $2.2 million below the state’s required $4 million.
In a stark admission that its efforts to reduce property insurance rates put Florida at untenable financial risk, the Legislature is poised to retreat from the cost controls it instituted just two years ago.
Crist calls Citizens hike ‘excessive’
Gov. Charlie Crist said Tuesday that the main property insurance bill in the legislature has little chance of passing, calling the proposed 20 percent cap for increases to individual Citizens policyholders “excessive.”
S. Florida rainfall below normal; fire danger high
Rain showers have come steadily over South Florida in recent days but water managers said Tuesday there had not been enough rain in enough places to dent the dangerous drought.
Few Taking Advantage Of Low-Cost Health Care
These days, one of folks’ biggest complaints is that health care costs too much – or that they can’t get insurance to begin with.
Medicaid Ruling to Affect Florida
Federal appeals court to determine who decides what is medically needed.
Who should ultimately decide what treatment is medically necessary – a doctor or a Medicaid provider?
Lawmakers target Medicaid fraud
Calling Miami-Dade County “ground zero” for Medicaid fraud, the Legislature is cracking down on rogue home health agencies, clinics and equipment suppliers in South Florida.
Cuts could put public at risk, union leaders warn
If Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer goes ahead with deep across-the-board cuts in the city budget next year, residents who call 911 might wait longer for help to arrive, union officials warn.
Property Insurance Rates May Increase
In face of risk, state lawmakers retreat from 2007 cost controls.
In a stark admission that its efforts to reduce property insurance rates put Florida in an untenable financial risk, the Legislature is poised to retreat from some of the major cost controls it instituted just two years ago.
Florida Senate panel backs cigarette tax hike
The Senate overcame its no-tax anxiety and gave preliminary approval to a $1 hike in state cigarette tax.
A Senate committee ended a nearly 15-year stalemate on tax proposals in Florida Tuesday, unanimously voting to raise the cigarette tax $1 per pack and increase the tax on cigars and smokeless tobacco $1 per ounce.
State Senate Committee Approves Clean Energy Bill
A state Senate committee Tuesday approved a bill that would require Florida’s electric utilities to get 20 percent of their power from “clean” energy, including nuclear and coal, by 2020.
U.S. Sugar land deal cut by $800 million
The state’s new proposal for buying land from U.S. Sugar Corp. to restore the Everglades is less than half the original deal announced last summer.
Senate panel approves bill that would stop double dipping
A bill that would stop ‘double dipping” public officials from collecting a paycheck and a pension was approved Tuesday by members of the Senate Community Affairs Committee.
Florida Senate panel takes up tax loopholes
To some it may appear to be an April Fool’s Day joke but Florida Republicans are so serious about talking taxes and closing tax loopholes, the issue dominates the Senate Finance and Tax Committee agenda for a second day.
Officials Expect Decision On Stimulus Waiver Today
Florida’s education commissioner is expecting a decision from his federal counterpart today on whether the state will receive about $2.7 billion in stimulus money.
To unsubscribe from this newsletter, please send an e-mail to ccochran@cftlaw.com.