Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report – Thursday, December 14, 2017
Dec 14, 2017
Florida’s Disposable Workers: Companies Profit From Undocumented Laborers, Dump Them After Injuries
A 37-year-old Father whose dominant hand remains damaged, thought he could rely on Florida’s Workers’ Compensation System, which requires Employers to cover Medical Care and Lost Wages for Injured Employees. Instead, his Employer called the Police and had him arrested. Maria Perez reports for the Naples Daily News.
Citizens Insurance: Online Portal To Report, Track Claims Planned By 2018 Hurricane Season
Deluged with phone calls from Policyholders after Hurricane Irma, State-Run Citizens Property Insurance Corp. is planning to create a Self-Service Online Portal in time for the 2018 Hurricane Season. The Sun-Sentinel’s Ron Hurtibise reports.
FPL Opens $6 Million Cat 5 Storm Center, One Of 12 Planned
Eight of the New Buildings will be in South Florida, including ones in West Palm Beach, Boynton Beach, Fort Lauderdale and South Miami-Dade County. The Sun-Sentinel’s Marcia Heroux-Pounds reports.
FEMA Investigating Fraud In Hurricane Irma Aid
The Federal Emergency Management Administration is working with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and other Federal Agencies to investigate possible Fraud in Applications for Rental Assistance or Lodging Reimbursement stemming from Hurricane Irma. The Miami Herald’s Gwen Filosa reports.
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Worried About Wildfire Risks In 2018
Florida’s Top Agriculture Official wants more funding to fight Wildfires. Firefighters worked hard to control this year’s burns, before heavy rainfall cut the season short. But Winter Weather conditions could fuel more Fires in 2018. Kate Payne reports for WFSU.org.
Florida Officials Wary of Bond Change in Federal Tax Bill
Florida could be on the verge of losing a key financial tool that helped the State reduce the amount of money it owes by $1.4 Billion last Fiscal Year. THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA’s Lloyd Dunkelberger reports via News4Jax.com.
Florida Hospitals Call for More Funding in Effort to Address Looming Doctor Shortage
In addition to gaps in the specialty areas, the Report also cited a “Severe Shortage” of Primary Care Physicians in Southwest Florida, an area extending from Naples to Sarasota. Justine Griffin reports for the Tampa Bay Times.
Florida’s Citrus Industry Squeezed If Congress Doesn’t Help
A day after the U.S. Department of Agriculture further reduced a Forecast of the Post-Hurricane Irma Orange Harvest, Adam Putnam reiterated the need for Federal Assistance to the struggling Industry, which could see damages from the Storm top $1 Billion. THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA’s Jim Turner reports via the Lakeland Ledger.
Affordable Housing Bill Filed Amid Puerto Rican Influx
Representative Cortes sits on the House Select Committee on Hurricane Response and Preparedness. Danny McAuliffe reports for FloridaPolitics.com.
Governor Scott Orders Sexual Harassment Training Of State Workers, New Reporting Guidelines.
Scott said he issued an Executive Order to better protect State Employees under his control and because of the cascade of Reports of Sexual Harassment in Politics, Entertainment, Media and Business. The Tampa Bay Times’ Steve Bousquet reports via the Miami Herald.
Appeals Court Dismisses Florida School-Funding Lawsuit
A Florida Appeals Court on Wednesday shot down a Lawsuit over Public School Funding, saying it raises “Political Questions” that cannot be answered by Judges. The Associated Press’ Gary Fineout reports.
Appeals Court Tosses Miami Beach Minimum Wage Ordinance
The Appeals Court reaffirmed the Lower Court’s Opinion, that a State “Preemption” Law Bars Local Governments from establishing Minimum Wages. SunshineStateNews.com Publisher Nancy Smith reports.
Bill Would Ensure Citizens’ Privacy in the Use of Their Cell Phones and Home-Use Devices
Today Senator Jeff Brandes (R-St. Petersburg) filed SB 1256, which protects Citizens’ expectation of Privacy in the use of their Cell Phones and Microphone-Enabled Household Devices, such as the Amazon Echo and Google Home, by requiring that Law Enforcement obtain a Warrant in order to search Communications and Location Data contained in these Devices.
Florida Declares Everglades Water Cleaner Than Ever. Miccosukee Tribe Says Not So Fast.
Florida Water Managers say water running from Conservation Areas into the Everglades is cleaner than ever, reaching the lowest levels since clean-up efforts began. The Miami Herald’s Jenny Staletovich reports.
Times have changed: Many Activities that once carried a moral or even criminal taint now operate more like Regulated Businesses than Criminal Enterprises. Florida Trend reports.
NAIC, Bermuda Monetary Authority Holds 5th Regulatory Dialogue
Representatives from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) met this week in Bermuda for the Fifth Semi-Annual NAIC–Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA) Insurance Regulatory Dialogue.
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