Florida received $2.8 million of last year’s $47.1 million nationwide budget for the program. Of the money Florida received, $260,000 funded 16 counties in north central Florida, from Hernando up to Hamilton.  Ramsey Touchberry reports for WUFT.org. https://www.wuft.org/news/2018/03/21/194780/

This week Governor Rick Scott signed SB 568, which expands the Do Not Call list to include direct-to-voicemail sales calls.  The Palm Beach Post’s Charles Elmore reports for the “Protecting Your Pocket” blog. http://protectingyourpocket.blog.palmbeachpost.com/2018/03/21/ringless-voicemail-florida-breaks-ground-with-new-law/

According to annual reports recently filed by 15 major U.S. insurers, natural disasters in 2017 have so far cost the industry at least $14.5 billion, Kyla Mandel reports for ThinkProgress.org. https://thinkprogress.org/insurance-companies-lose-billions-hurricanes-wildfires-3d70c86782a2/

The insurance, which is backed by XL Catlin, covers expenses tied to shootings in places such as office buildings and concert halls, and is increasingly gaining traction with schools.  Reuters’ Noor Zainab Hussain and Suzanne Barlyn report via Insurance Journal. https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2018/03/21/483990.htm 

The negligence lawsuit seeks unspecified damages from the entities involved in building the bridge. They include Munilla Construction Management and FIGG Bridge Engineers.  The Associated Press report. https://apnews.com/4528e5de04c04aae9116ffac39bc2e5b/The-Latest:-1st-lawsuit-filed-after-Florida-bridge-collapse

As the interest in insuring coastal properties and wind exposed regions has increased in recent years, there is a growing demand for property insurance analytics, Artemis.bm reports. http://www.artemis.bm/blog/2018/03/19/milliman-targets-coastal-insurers-with-tampa-office-rollins-hire/

Gov. Rick Scott announced late Monday he had signed another 30 bills into law, covering everything from consumer finance and fire safety to pregnancy services and the Florida Slavery Memorial, SunshineStateNews.com reports. Florida governor signs bill to ease payday loan restrictions Florida …

Doctors in many cases would be limited to writing prescriptions for three-day supplies, though they could prescribe up to seven-day supplies of controlled substances if “medically necessary.”  THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA reports via FloridaPolitics.com. http://floridapolitics.com/archives/259262-rick-scott-signs-bill-targeting-opioid-addiction

The Florida Department of Transportation serves as a pass-through for the $13.6 million in federal cash set aside for the bridge project.  Less than $11.4 million of the money comes from a federal grant created to fix crumbling infrastructure around …

The Florida Constitution Revision Commission on Monday began deliberating nearly 40 proposals dealing with everything from loopholes to state election laws to the retirement age of judges.  Mike Vasilinda reports via WCTV.com. http://www.wctv.tv/content/news/Constitution-Revision-Commission-begins-debate-477337683.html