Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report – Monday, March 27, 2017
Mar 27, 2017
Florida House panel votes to abolish PIP insurance effective January 1
A House committee voted overwhelmingly Monday to do away with personal injury protection, or PIP, insurance in Florida, FloridaPolitics.com’s Michael Moline reports.
Consumer Protection Coalition launches ad on Assignment of Benefits claims
Florida’s Consumer Protection Coalition launched a radio and television ad campaign Monday to warn homeowners about the dangers of assignment of benefits, Drew Wilson reports for FloridaPolitics.com.
Miami Threatens to Sue Airbnb, Hit Residents for Code Compliance Over Short-Term Rentals
On Thursday, a group of Miami property owners renting their homes out on Airbnb showed up at Miami City Hall, begging Mayor Regalado to reject a measure declaring their businesses an illegal nuisance. Allison Nielsen reports for SunshineStateNews.com.
Florida floating-home case sails back into U.S. Supreme Court docket
Four years ago, Fane Lozman won an improbable longshot victory when the U.S. Supreme Court agreed with him that his floating home was a house, not a vessel subject to seizure by Riviera Beach. Now Lozman is asking the justices to enforce their ruling by forcing the city to pay him legal fees and reimburse him for the home’s value after it was seized and destroyed, the Associated Press reports via Crain’s Miami.
Water temperatures at the surface of the Gulf of Mexico and near South Florida are on fire. Jason Samenow reports for the Washington Post.
At Vacation-Rental Town Hall, Renner Hears Unanimity Against Impairing Local Control
“There’s really absolutely no truth in the fact that these are struggling people trying to keep their house. These are investors who are preying on us, ruining our community,” one homeowner said. FlaglerLive.com reports.
North Florida Backyard Book Burning Destroys Homes
The fire started when a man started burning books in his yard around 2 p.m. Wednesday. The fire quickly got out of control and spread, Insurance Journal reports.
House trauma center bill clears first hurdle
A limit on how many trauma centers can open in Florida would be erased under legislation that cleared its first committee, FloridaPolitics.com’s Jim Rosica reports.
Battle over trauma centers continues with new lawsuit
Another high-profile court fight over new trauma centers opening in Florida has begun in Tallahassee, even as lawmakers prepare to tinker with state law governing such facilities. FloridaPolitics.com’s Jim Rosica reports.
Florida lawmakers merge two bills to expand medical services for abused children
In an unexpected move, legislators merged two bills into one rather than unnecessarily compete against one another in a common goal to create a coordinated effort to enlist better medical services for abused children Monday. Les Neuhaus reports for SaintPetersBlog.com.
Florida Governor Rick Scott Wants Review of All State Agency Contracts With Enterprise Florida
Governor Rick Scott’s Chief of Staff is asking state agencies under the Governor to conduct a review of all legal contracts.
Governor Rick Scott and the Legislature have battled repeatedly over jobs and tourism spending for weeks, but a fight with much bigger stakes will soon take center stage. The Tampa Bay Times’ Steve Bousquet reports.
“Property assessed” financing for solar panels reveal serious problems for Realtors, lenders
As solar energy expands as Florida’s next big growth industry, with it comes a host of unforeseen consequences, FloridaPolitics.com Publisher Peter Schorsch writes.
House releases timetable for voting on its proposed state budget
The House will vote on a state budget on April 13, if all goes according to plan, FloridaPolitics.com reports.
NAACP urges governor to return case to prosecutor
The Florida NAACP conference on Saturday urged Florida’s governor to return an officer-murder case to a prosecutor who had it taken away after she said her office will no longer seek the death penalty in any cases. The Associated Press reports via the Tallahassee Democrat.
Florida leads in construction jobs added in February
Forty-three states added construction jobs year-over-year in February, Orlando Business Journal reports.
Medical marijuana doctors gain approvals, await next steps
More than 600 Florida physicians can now recommend medical marijuana to patients, but many have questions and some are holding off until state rules for the emerging industry are clarified. Mary Shanklin reports for the Orlando Sentinel.
Good News! Devastating Screwworm Eradicated in Florida
State and federal officials announced Friday that the recent screwworm infestation in South Florida has been eliminated, ending a potentially serious threat to farm livestock and warm-blooded pets, SunshineStateNews.com reports.
How a fence could derail a new Miami-Orlando train
Executives of the company building Brightline, a Miami-Orlando passenger train service, are deeply concerned about a bill wending its way through the Florida Legislature that contains rail-crossing requirements that could disrupt the project’s West Palm Beach-to-Orlando segment. The Miami Herald’s Alphonso Chardy reports.
Lawmakers table privatization of $1.6 billion Montana workers’ compensation insurance fund
Montana lawmakers on Friday put off further discussion on dismantling and privatizing the state’s massive workers compensation system, saying the task was too daunting to take up in the waning days of the legislative session. The Associated Press’ Bobby Caina Calvan reports via USA Today.
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