Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Monday, January 26, 2015
Jan 26, 2015
To go directly to the section of your choice, click on a hyperlink below. Other hyperlinks to meeting information, bills and news are noted in bold type.
Daily Florida Insurance-Related Events
Looking Ahead–Interim Committee Meetings
- Week of February 2, 2015
- Week of February 9, 2015
- Week of February 16, 2015
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
Keys support state insurance leader
The Monroe County Commission and the Florida Keys-based insurance watchdog group FIRM have sent letters to the governor urging him to retain state insurance commissioner Kevin McCarty. Timothy O’Hara reports for KeysNews.com.
Home repair insurance claim fraud hammering Florida
Assignment of benefits has been abused by some vendors who intentionally keep homeowners in the dark about the nature, cost and status of their claim, State Representative David Santiago explains in the Tampa Tribune.
Ormond: Owners of unsafe dogs must have $100,000 in liability insurance
Ormond commissioners voted last week to take away a loophole that permitted owners of risky dogs to keep away from acquiring liability insurance and nevertheless hold their pets, the Union Gazette reports.
After 17 years, Florida, Nebraska company lawsuit continues
Seventeen years after it started, a multimillion-dollar insurance dispute between the state of Florida and a Nebraska company continues to meander through the courts. The Associated Press’ Josh Funk reports via the Sioux City Journal.
Uber Drivers Fined More Than $44,000 in Series of South Florida Stings
Palm Beach County officials have fined the ride-hailing service Uber and six of its drivers more than $44,000. The Associated Press reports via the Lakeland Ledger.
Florida Colleges Rushing to Offer Degrees in Cybersecurity
A mad dash is on in Florida to recruit and educate students in cybersecurity. The Associated Press’ Jerome Stockfish reports via Insurance Journal.
Will Florida again prevent health insurance regulators from saving you money?
Not every piece of legislation is going to help every resident, but is it too much to ask our leaders to avoid passing laws that deliberately hurt us? Tampa Bay Times columnist John Romano asks the question.
Pill mill law expiration catches former Senator Mike Fasano by surprise
Former Senator Mike Fasano was shocked to hear that portions of Florida’s pill mill law expire in January 2016 unless the Florida Legislature passes a bill to keep them intact. Christine Jordan Sexton reports for SaintPetersBlog.com.
Baker Act outpatient provision rarely used in Florida
Some mental-health leaders hope to put the state’s law on outpatient treatment to better use – and soon. Legislators are expected to consider changes at the upcoming session, and, already, Aspire is working in Orange County with state money received last year to start a court-ordered outpatient program here. Orlando Sentinel’s Kate Santich reports.
Primary elections are Tuesday for Florida Senate, House seats
Republican voters will choose Tuesday the likely replacement for John Thrasher in the Florida Senate and also fill the two Florida House seats left vacant by two candidates competing for Thrasher’s old job. Christopher Hong reports for the Florida Times-Union.
Florida lawmaker drops in on prisons, finds problems
The chairman of a key legislative committee and an entourage of Senate staffers dropped in for an evening of surprise inspections at two of North Florida’s troubled prisons late last week, the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Florida on track for billion dollar budget windfall but will have little money for new spending
Florida’s economy will produce an extra billion dollars for state budget writers but the state’s chief economist says the windfall is just slightly ahead of growing expenses. James Call reports for SaintPetersBlog.com.
Appeals court rejects challenge to Florida teacher law
An appeals court is rejecting a challenge to a state law that required teachers to be evaluated based on test scores. The Associated Press reports via SaintPetersBlog.com.
Global Insurers, Brokers Establish Micro Insurance Consortium
A group of global insurance companies and brokers took advantage of the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos to announce that they have established a micro insurance consortium and micro insurance venture incubator, Insurance Journal reports.
Sea-level rise policy top priority for North Carolina coastal regulators
After political support eroded the first time around, North Carolina’s coastal regulators are again trying to develop a sea-level rise policy that can navigate the choppy waters between science and skepticism. The Wilmington Star-News reports via Advisen.com.
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