The  U.S. House Financial Services  Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance held a hearing yesterday, March 7, 2018, entitled “Legislative Review of H.R. 5059, the State Insurance Regulation Preservation Act.”  The bill, which was introduced last month by U.S. Representatives Keith …

Florida Leads the Nation in Home Insurance Costs According to a New Study from Insurance.com, Florida Homeowners pay an average of $3,575, which is 191 percent higher than the national average of $1,228.   National Mortgage Professional News reports. More Than $8.4M …

Millions more on life-saving drugs and treatment were likely to be spent on the opioid crisis, but that disappeared after the Parkland massacre.  The Tampa Bay Times’ Lawrence Mower reports for “The Buzz” blog. http://www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/buzz/2018/03/08/legislators-set-to-approve-massive-opioid-bill-but-lawmakers-wish-it-did-more/

The bill, which seeks to reverse a loophole created years ago to help then-Republican Governor Charlie Crist run for the U.S. Senate, requires candidates to submit a resignation no later than 10 days before the qualifying deadline to run for …

His term was supposed to end in 2018, but redistricting required him to run again in 2016, giving him an unplanned extra two years in the Senate.  Ali Schmitz reports for TCPalm.com. https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/politics/2018/03/07/senate-president-joe-negron-not-run-office-2018-may-even-resign-after-session/401051002/

Lee will finish his term, which ends November 6, and work to help find a candidate who’s “best for all of St. Lucie County,” he told TCPalm.com. https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/politics/2018/03/07/florida-school-shooting-influenced-rep-larry-lee-announce-he-not-seek-re-election/402854002/

The PGA of America, which helped establish Palm Beach County as one of the nation’s top golfing locales, is “poised” to leave Palm Beach Gardens after half a century to move to Frisco, Texas, the website Golf.com is reporting, describing “a top-secret project nearly five …

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation is in process of updating Rule 69O-137.002, F.A.C. relating to Annual Audit Financial Reports to incorporate new editions of standards developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants for use in annual audited financial statements.

Recent proposed technical changes to the Florida Building Code (“FBC”) could have a potential impact on residential and commercial property insurance rates in the State of Florida, the University of Florida’s Center for Advanced Construction Information Modeling advised in its …

Florida Lawmakers Miss Budget Deadline, Extending Legislative Session The House and Senate are fundamentally opposed on how to reimburse the State’s 200-plus Hospitals for Medicaid.  Lawrence Mower, Elizabeth Koh, Emily L. Mahoney and Steve Bousquet report for the Tampa Bay Times “The Buzz” blog. House …