Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Wednesday, June 6

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Dean, Franks take primary

Initial tally shows 12-percent turnout

Tuesday’s primary set up Republican Charlie Dean against Democrat Suzan Franks for a seat in the Florida Senate later this month.  Dean and Franks prevailed in a campaign as much about turnout as issues.

  

Coastal Insurance Bill Passed In S.C.

The South Carolina Senate gave final approval today to the insurer-supported Omnibus Coast Property Insurance Reform Act.

 

New NAIC Guideline Category Worries Insurers

SAN FRANCISCO —Property-casualty insurance industry representatives have expressed concerns at the National Association of Insurance Commissioners meeting here about the NAIC’s new procedure for developing model laws.

  

Katrina Lawsuit to Go to Appeal

NEW ORLEANS — In November, a judge gave hope to homeowners trying to collect insurance money for flood damage caused by Hurricane Katrina. Now, that decision is under scrutiny.

  

Health insurance may become mandatory for all college students in state

Florida’s public universities may soon have a new admissions requirement for incoming students: health insurance.

 

Putnam Endorses Fred Thompson

WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam endorsed the presidential candidacy of former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee on Tuesday and aides hinted that the Bartow Republican may take an active role in the campaign for the GOP nomination.

  

House speaker: Plan for property tax reform will be made public this week

Boca Raton· House Speaker Marco Rubio, R-West Miami, told local business leaders Thursday that numbers for the promised property tax cut would be announced by the end of the week.

  

Broward commission OK’s longer south runway

After more than 15 years of study and debate, Broward County leaders early Wednesday morning charted a course that will reduce flight delays at the main airport, setting aside concerns about noise and potential environmental damage in favor of a business- and tourist-friendly expansion.

 

NAIC Sets Hearings To Examine Cat Models

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ Property Casualty Insurance Committee scheduled hearings yesterday on the issue of catastrophe loss models for the NAIC’s September meeting.

 

Hurricanes for dummies: Be ready, or else

Charles Darwin, the father of evolutionary science, might not have been shocked by the recent poll showing that 11 percent of Floridians say they’d make no preparations for an oncoming hurricane.

   

PSC rejects coal burning power plant near Everglades

The Public Service Commission rejected a proposal to build what would have been the nation’s largest new coal-burning power plant near the Florida Everglades in a decision Tuesday that won praise from environmentalists and Gov. Charlie Crist.

 

Poll indicates Gov. Crist a popular, principled politician in Florida

TALLAHASSEE — The honeymoon may be over, but Gov. Charlie Crist is still wildly popular with Florida voters who see him as far more principled that most politicians, according to a new statewide poll

 

Florida is 35th in disciplining doctors

Florida ranks 35th in the nation in its disciplinary rates of doctors, a watchdog group reported Wednesday morning.

 

Icahn begins new talks to buy Fla.-developer WCI Communities

BONITA SPRINGS — Billionaire investor activist Carl Icahn is making another attempt to buy Florida luxury homebuilder WCI Communities Inc., the company said Wednesday.

 

Marsh: More Firms Purchase Terror Insurance

Businesses believe terrorism insurance is a valuable risk management component, so slightly more firms have purchased it and retained it despite property insurance rate increases in 2005, according to an insurance brokerage.