Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Wednesday, October 1
Oct 1, 2008
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Note: The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America has created a new, weekly feature entitled “Decision 2008,” which is designed to provide news and information about key political races that could affect the insurance industry. For your convenience, Capitol to Courthouse News will reprint the entire “Decision 2008” newsletter below.
State’s portfolio OK, officials say
The state’s top financial managers told Gov. Charlie Crist and the Cabinet on Tuesday that Florida’s diversified investment portfolio is in good shape, despite the crisis on Wall Street.
Governor Crist Names Polston to Florida Supreme Court
Praises Ricky Polston’s compassion, dedication to justice
Governor Charlie Crist today named Judge Ricky Polston to the Florida Supreme Court. Judge Polston, 52, is Governor Crist’s second appointment to the seven-member high court.
State representative dies after fight with cancer
State Rep. Stan Mayfield has died after battling cancer for more than a year. He was 52.
Fees for at-fault drivers face vote in Davie
The Davie Town Council will take its final vote Wednesday on a plan to have at-fault drivers pay fees to cover emergency responders’ costs.
Drivers who cause accidents on Davie roads may soon have to pay for the emergency response by the town’s police and fire departments.
Florida benefits from Walgreen Medicaid settlement
Walgreen Co. has paid $9.9-million to settle a lawsuit alleging the drugstore chain overbilled Medicaid programs in four states by keeping co-payments that were also covered by private insurance. One of the states was Florida, which recovered $1.5-million for its program that is bankrolled by federal and state money. The case grew out of a federal whistle-blower suit filed by two Walgreens pharmacists in Minneapolis who split $1.4-million for bringing the matter to government attention. Governments can get three times damages in such false-claims suits, suggesting the actual overbilling was about $3.3-million.
Southwest Risk Expands into Florida and Carolinas
Dallas,Texas-based Southwest Risk LP, a privately held wholesale broker, is expanding its CORE facilities to Florida, South Carolina and North Carolina.
Grants available for storm recovery efforts
Federal officials have approved a program to provide grants to businesses affected by Tropical Storm Fay last month, Lt. Gov. Jeff Kott-kamp announced here Tuesday.
Florida Attorney General Sues Merck for Misleading State Agencies Over Drug Marketing
Attorney General Bill McCollum today sued Merck and Company, Inc. on behalf of Florida state agencies damaged by the company’s allegedly deceptive marketing and promotion of one of its prescription drugs.
According to the lawsuit, the company’s repeated failure to disclose the adverse effects of prescription drug Vioxx while offering it to the state’s Medicaid program as a safe painkiller directly violates Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.
U.S. attorney touts crackdown on ‘massive’ Medicare fraud
The U.S. attorney’s office in Miami highlighted the soaring number of prosecutions of Medicare fraud offenders over the past three years.
Healthcare fraud is ”massive” in South Florida, the region’s top federal prosecutor said Tuesday.
Online Pharmacy Company Sued for “Bait and Switch” Scam
Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced that his office has sued a Central Florida internet pharmacy company, alleging the company and its owners engaged in a “bait and switch” scheme. Direct Pharmacy, Inc., a Florida corporation located in Seminole County; the company’s president, Steven McMurtrey; and his wife Rachael McMurtrey, who acted as Direct Pharmacy’s secretary and treasurer, are named in the lawsuit and were served with the complaint earlier this week.
Senator Fasano Announces New Foreclosure Fraud Law Takes Effect Today
State Senator Mike Fasano announces that the Foreclosure Fraud Protection Act takes effect today, October 1, 2008. This law, a top priority of both Senator Fasano and Attorney General Bill McCollum, brings needed protections to consumers who seek the services of foreclosure rescue entities. Senator Fasano was the sponsor of this legislation during the 2008 legislative session.
Credit crunch foils borrowing for Florida
The credit squeeze has had a minimal effect on Florida so far, but it has prevented the state from borrowing money, says a top state money manager.
The nation’s credit crunch has frozen Florida’s ability to borrow money, but that isn’t yet causing problems for the state, a top state money manager said Tuesday.
Local governments keep eyes on public money
As Wachovia teetered toward collapse last week, Hillsborough County Tax Collector Doug Belden resorted for the second time this year to his own version of a run on the bank: He moved the county’s money.
Skip the barbecue. Bring back the bagels.
In a sea change for a Florida market long dominated by Carolina banks, New York’s giant money-center banks – largely has-beens in consumer banking here for many years – are suddenly back with a vengeance.
Fontainebleau hotel gave to Miami gambling effort
Owners of Miami Beach’s Fontainebleau hotel have put money into a new political committee formed by two developers who want to explore bringing casino gambling to Miami.
5,000 accusations bring one gouging case
Despite thousands of complaints about price gouging, Florida officials have identified only one gas station in the Panhandle that may have illegally profited from Hurricane Ike.
Outcry raised over voter ID law
With Monday’s deadline for voter registration looming, a new law has brought cries from advocacy groups about potential disenfranchisement.
Florida to test military Web voting
Secretary of State Kurt Browning met Florida voters based in Kuwait and Iraq on Tuesday and said the visit reinforces the need for a first-of-its-kind experiment to let some military personnel cast ballots electronically.
FWC hosts climate change summit
A climate change summit hosted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will begin Wednesday in Orlando.
Bloated Florida universities losing academic quality, top researchers, report says
A statewide organization that studies Florida’s higher education system issued a somber report Tuesday calling for reform in universities it says are too big, have crowded classrooms, are academically below schools nationwide, and are losing top researchers as budget cuts continue to threaten programs.
Medicare Won’t Pay for Medical Errors
If an auto mechanic accidentally breaks your windshield while trying to repair the engine, he would never get away with billing you for fixing his mistake.
On Wednesday, Medicare will start applying that logic to American medicine on a broad scale when it stops paying hospitals for the added cost of treating patients who are injured in their care.
State Regulators Move Forward with Market Analysis Proposal
Provides Uniform Method for Analyzing Key Market Performance Data
State insurance regulators have adopted a proposal which further supports their efforts to develop a uniform system for collecting insurance companies’ market-related information.
How to minimize ‘disaster amnesia’
TALKING WITH… Julie A. Rochman, 46, president and chief executive officer of the Tampa-based Institute for Business & Home Safety, an insurance-industry-backed group that researches and promotes improved construction and preparation techniques for natural disasters such as hurricanes. She spoke this week with Sentinel staff writer Anika Myers Palm.
Palin/Biden Square Off Thursday in St. Louis
Governor Sarah Palin and Senator Joe Biden participate in the only vice presidential debate of the campaign Thursday at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.
The Commission on Presidential Debates, the independent nonprofit organization that manages these quadrennial events, announced that the vice presidential debate will include foreign and domestic policy. Palin and Biden will each have 90 seconds to respond to questions, followed by a two-minute period for discussion between the candidates.
Interest in the vice presidential debate is high as the public is still getting to know Palin, who has done relatively few interviews since being named to the ticket.
Moving forward, the second presidential (town meeting format) debate Tuesday, October 7, will include any issues raised by members of that audience and online, and the third presidential debate, October 15, will focus on domestic and economic policy.
Presidential Candidates Tackle the Economy and Foreign Policy in First Debate
The drama surrounding whether the first presidential debate would be postponed was as intense as the clashes between the two candidates when they engaged each other on Friday as scheduled. While most pundits agreed that both men performed well, the debate did little to change the dynamics of the race.
The debate, originally scheduled to focus on foreign policy, rightly began with a discussion regarding the effort to stabilize financial markets and protect the economy. During the exchange, the candidates expressed their general views toward the country’s regulatory environment. [More]
Five States Will Elect Insurance Commissioners
In November, voters in Delaware, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota and Washington will elect insurance commissioners. This year’s elections feature open races in Delaware, Montana and North Carolina and incumbents in North Dakota and Washington face challenges.
The Delaware contest puts Karen Weldin Stewart (D) against John Brady (R). According to Fairleigh Dickinson University’s PublicMind poll released Thursday. Stewart had a 41-33 percent lead over Brady. However, almost a quarter of those polled said they were unsure about the race. Current Delaware Insurance Commissioner Matt Denn (D)is running for the office of Lieutenant Governor.
AM Best Interview of the Candidates
The Montana race for state auditor, who serves as insurance commissioner, features Monica Lindeen (D) versus Duane Grimes (R). Incumbent Insurance Commissioner John Morrison (D) cannot run for re-election because of term limits.
AM Best Interview of the Candidates
After six terms in office, North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Jim Long (D) is stepping down. This has set up a race between Wayne Goodwin (D) and John Odom (R). Goodwin is currently assistant insurance commissioner and Odom is a business owner.
AM Best Interview of the Candidates
Incumbent Insurance Commissioner Adam Hamm (R) of North Dakota is running against Jasper Schneider (D). Hamm was appointed to the office in 2007.
AM Best Interview of the Candidates
Incumbent Insurance Commissioner Mike Kriedler (D) of Washington faces a rematch of the 2004 race against John Adams (R). Kriedler is seeking a third term.
AM Best Interview of the Candidates
Insurance Commissioners to Watch in 2010 Governor Races
With California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger unable to run in 2010 due to term limits, politicians are already jockeying for position. Last week Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner (R) announced the formation of a gubernatorial exploratory committee. Poizner’s possible challengers in the Republican primary are former congressman and state budget director Tom Campbell and Meg Whitman, former CEO of eBay. Possible Democratic candidates for governor are Attorney General and former Governor Jerry Brown, Lieutenant Governor and former Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi (who formally has announced his candidacy), U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and state Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell.
Meanwhile in Georgia, Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine has also announced plans to seek the 2010 GOP nomination for governor in his state. Oxendine is joined by Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle who has also taken initial steps in pursuing the office.
Quick Takes on the States
PCI examines the political landscape in Florida.
Floridians will elect five freshman senators and thirty-five freshman representatives this November, but the elections will not have a dramatic impact on the political environment overall. No statewide offices are up for election. In addition, most House and Senate districts are overwhelmingly partisan in party registration, which means few turnovers in control. As a result, PCI expects both chambers to remain firmly under Republican command. Democrats may pick up some seats in the House where they are currently outnumbered 76-43 (with one vacancy), but not likely in the Senate where Republicans lead 26-14, meaning Republicans will maintain substantial majorities in both chambers. A Democratic pickup in the House will help them, though, in certain parliamentary situations as some measures require a two-thirds vote. [More]
This Just In…Approval Rating of the President and Congress Likely to Call Further After Bailout Vote Fails
A USA Today/Gallup poll finds more Americans disapproving than approving of how most of the major national political players have handled the Wall Street crisis. Both candidates for president were taken surprised by Monday’s vote but issued statements from the campaign trail.
Statement by Sen. Barack Obama
“Disappointing” Vote Comes Amid Record-Low Approval
Election 2008 Tool Box
Make sure your voice is heard in 2008. Register to vote, learn how to vote early and find information on candidates seeking office across the country.
Do you need to look up the elected officials that currently represent you? Click here to access a list of your federal and state legislators, including full biographies and contact information.
Election Day 2008 features the Presidential Election, 33 U.S. Senate Elections, and 435 U.S. Congressional Elections. There are also 11 state gubernatorial elections. This year’s state legislative elections will bring inevitable change with nearly 80 percent of all legislative seats scheduled for elections. Finally, there are insurance commissioner races in Delaware, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Carolina, and Washington State. Click here to access state and federal candidate information.
Don’t miss the crucial 2008 election! With the exception of North Dakota, every state requires eligible voters to register to vote before casting a ballot. In terms of methods and deadlines, registration procedures vary greatly from state to state. Click here for state specific information and forms you need to become a registered voter.
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