Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Wednesday, February 10
Feb 10, 2010
To view a complete story, click on a headline below:
Blog: House Speaker limits claims bills this session
In a memo signed Tuesday, House Speaker Larry Cretul set guidelines to limit the number of claims bills this session given the state’s budget crunch.
State Senator Mike Fasano: Historic insurance crisis taught us that regulation counts
Former Insurance Commissioner Bill Gunter’s article makes the case that Floridians are suffering because of what Gunter calls ‘political rate suppression.’ He supports legislation that would allow insurance companies to charge an excessive rate that will ‘bolster the voluntary marketplace, creating competition and ultimately driving the cost of insurance premiums down.’
Push is on for Florida texting-while-driving ban
Steve Augello’s daughter died in a 2008 car accident shortly after sending a text message from her cellphone.
Florida to provide benefits for gay man’s adopted son
Florida’s embattled ban on adoption by gay people suffered another setback Tuesday, when state child welfare administrators agreed to provide health insurance, college tuition and other benefits to the adopted son of a gay Key West man.
Florida House panel passes unemployment tax fix
A bill holding down increases in unemployment tax rates for businesses sailed through a House panel Tuesday, setting the stage for early action on what lawmakers say is a job-saving measure when the legislative session begins in March.
Sink takes on state’s top financial regulator at contentious Cabinet meeting
Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink lambasted the state’s top financial regulator at the Cabinet meeting Tuesday for not aggressively pursing litigation against Bank of America – her former employer – for its deal with Merrill Lynch.
Florida Senator Aronberg, other lawmakers fire back at bank-backed foreclosure proposal
The bank-backed move to speed up foreclosures has agitated Democrats fighting back in the Legislature.
Blog: McCollum asks prosecutor and FDLE to review claims against utility
Attorney General Bill McCollum’s office has asked the statewide prosecutor and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to review claims that certain executives at Florida Power & Light may have committed fraud and broken state and federal securities laws by forcing employees to provide inaccurate and incomplete information to regulators and shareholders.
Blog: House panel OKs former Florida House Speaker’s list of 35 witnesses
At a brief hearing Wednesday morning, the Select Committee on Standards of Official Conduct voted to issue subpoenas for the scheduled Feb. 22 hearing on allegations of misconduct against former House Speaker Ray Sansom.
Compromise allows major Port Everglades expansion, preserves mangroves
A breakthrough deal to preserve coastal mangroves will allow Port Everglades to move ahead with a key part of its $2 billion expansion, potentially opening the harbor to super-freighters.
Editorial: 2-cents per beer to save billions for Floridians
Liquor stores post signs with the prices of their products. Police in Volusia and Flagler counties can tell you the going rate for any illegal drug on the market.
California seeks full divestment of insurers from Iran
California’s insurance regulator plans to take steps Wednesday to pressure insurance companies into ending any financial relationship they have with Iran.
New York State Releases Final Broker Pay Rule
The New York Insurance Department released its final Producer Compensation Transparency regulation on Feb. 9, and it includes some changes suggested by insurance agent and broker groups.
New York Insurance Dept. Trumpets New Agent Disclosure Regulation
The New York Insurance Department, in advance of releasing its new disclosure rules for the state’s agents and brokers tomorrow, announced that they are fair to producers while protecting consumers.
Federal Housing Administration set to toughen rules
Local Realtors worry that if the Federal Housing Administration follows through with its plans to hike insurance premiums, the move would only hurt an already ailing local housing market. Its going to eliminate some buyers.
Senate jobs bill extends Medicare payment rates
A jobs-creation bill that could pass the Senate this week would delay a scheduled 20 percent reduction in doctor payments under the Medicare health-insurance program, according to a copy of the text obtained by Reuters.
To unsubscribe from this newsletter, please send an e-mail to jpierce@cftlaw.com.