Category: Florida Insurance and Political Headlines

Current psychologists and law enforcement say after years of insufficient funding and short staffing, the state has “a long way to go.”  The Tampa Bay Times’ Emily L. Mahoney reports for “The Buzz” blog. Read more:  http://www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/buzz/2018/02/26/after-parkland-florida-looks-to-mental-health-programs-and-campus-officers-as-fixes-but-its-underfunded-both/

The powerful head of the Senate Appropriations Committee, state Senator Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, has refused to give it a hearing, and without his support, and with time running out, the chances of it passing this year are slim.  Lawrence Mower …

A staunch conservative who is known for sponsoring gun rights bills, Steube is likely to be a strong contender for the District 17 congressional seat, which covers a conservative part of the state and has nearly 57,000 more registered Republicans …

It would allow high school students to count credits earned in approved apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs toward their graduation.  Jeffrey Solocheck writes for the Tampa Bay Times. Read more:  http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/gradebook/2018/02/26/can-you-guess-which-education-bill-is-moving-unscathed-through-the-florida-legislature/

With a looming deadline fast approaching, Florida’s new chief data officer is working against the clock to make sense of the wealth of data the state is sitting on.  Theo Douglas reports for Government Technology Magazine. Read more:  http://www.govtech.com/data/Florida-Races-to-Catalog-Its-Data.html

Created by the Legislature in 1987, the MWUA – better known as the “wind pool” – provides windstorm and hail coverage in coastal George, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Pearl River and Stone counties to those who can’t find coverage in the …

Coalition Enlists Consumer Testimony in Support of AOB Reform A Business Group pushing the House version of Assignment of Benefits Reform is releasing Video Testimonials by Consumers who feel they were harmed by AOB Abuse.  FloridaPolitics.com reports. Insurer Not Off Hook For …

A no-fault car insurance system that was supposed to reduce lawsuits in Florida has instead produced a record mountain of more than 60,000 in 2017, a new report shows.   The Palm Beach Post’s Charles Elmore reports. http://www.mypalmbeachpost.com/news/pip-lawsuits-explode-record/Jhbp8XBsvvBsuS0yXXsMwK/

Recently besieged by steep rate increases for health insurance and homeowner’s insurance, South Florida residents are getting zonked again this year with unexpectedly high auto insurance price hikes, the Sun-Sentinel reports. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/fl-bz-auto-insurance-hikes-get-bigger-20180223-story.html

SB 150 by Thonotosassa Republican Senator Tom Lee would repeal no-fault, which requires drivers to carry $10,000 in personal-injury protection, or PIP, coverage to help pay medical expenses after an accident.  FloridaPolitics.com Publisher Peter Schorsch reports. http://floridapolitics.com/archives/257379-florida-chamber-wants-senate-put-brakes-auto-insurance-bill