Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Thursday, July 21

Jul 21, 2011

 

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

 

10:00 a.m.–Florida Office of Insurance Regulation Public Hearing.  Application for acquisition of First Professional Insurance Company, Inc. by The Doctors Company.  To view the hearing notice, click here.

10:00 a.m.–Florida Surplus Lines Service Office National Clearinghouse Committee meeting.  Agenda includes issues pertaining to the proposed national surplus lines tax clearinghouse.  To view the meeting notice, click here.

 

 

Daily Insurance-Related News

 

Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater finally names new insurance consumer advocate

Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater on Wednesday named Robin Westcott to take over as the new insurance consumer advocate.

 

Florida Returns $12 Million to Policyholders

Some Florida insurance policyholders stand to recover more than $12 million in refunds thanks to state insurance investigators looking into complaints about unpaid claims and questionable sales.

 

Brown & Brown approves dividend

Brown & Brown Inc. announced Wednesday that its board of directors approved a regular cash dividend of 8 cents per share of stock for the second quarter of the year that ended June 30.

 

State Representative Matt Hudson:  Watch the Feds Drag Their Feet on Waiver

Governor Rick Scott’s Hospital Commission looks at Medicaid reform

As state officials scramble to get out a federal waiver application for Florida’s Medicaid reform plans, one state representative is worried the feds will drag their feet in responding.

 

Florida rated 3rd worst in power plant air pollution

An environmental group says Florida ranks third worst nationally for toxic air pollution caused by coal- and oil-burning power plants.

 

Florida spurns $50 million for child-abuse prevention

Florida lawmakers have rejected more than $50 million in federal child-abuse prevention money.

 

Pension plan has one of its best years ever

Despite campaign talk assailing the health of the state pension plan, the State Board of Administration on Wednesday released preliminary numbers that show that the Florida Retirement System had a 22 percent gain over the last fiscal year.

 

Former Florida senator arrested in corruption probe

Former Senator Mandy Dawson was arrested Wednesday on federal tax evasion charges, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported.

 

Blog:  State Representative Luis Garcia enters race against U.S. Representative David Rivera

Seeing a chance for his party to pick up a seat in Congress, Democratic state Representative Luis Garcia launched his campaign Wednesday to challenge U.S. Representative David Rivera, a Republican.

 

Repeal of Florida ban on religious funding challenged

The statewide teachers union, public school leaders and clergymen Wednesday challenged a 2012 ballot proposal to repeal Florida’s ban on using public money to aid churches and other religious organizations.

 

Blog:  Governor Scott wants out of elections lawsuit

Attorneys for Governor Rick Scott are asking a federal court in South Florida to spring him from the short list of defendants named in the ACLU of Florida’s court challenge to the state’s new election law.

 

Blacks urged to speak out on redistricting

A renowned and widely respected University of Florida political science professor said it is imperative that blacks and other minorities make their voices heard in the battle to redraw new congressional and legislative district lines.

 

Deregulation dials up new Florida land-line fees

When Mike Mudd opened his phone bill this month, he discovered a strange new charge.

 

Why toll lanes may be coming to an interstate near you

The Orlando Sentinel notes that Central Florida Representative John Mica, who chairs the Transportation Committee in Congress, has dropped his opposition to toll lanes on interstates, saying he’s willing to add them to new lanes as a way to pay for widening efforts.

 

Kitzman Appointed as Next Texas Insurance Commissioner

Texas Governor Rick Perry announced the appointment of Eleanor Kitzman of Austin as Texas Insurance Commissioner, effective Aug. 15, 2011, for a term to expire Feb. 1, 2013.

 

Texas Enacts Surplus Lines Tax Law; No Mention of Compact

Texas, the nation’s third largest state in terms of surplus lines premiums, has enacted legislation that in theory allows the state to keep all the premium taxes generated by the surplus lines industry.

 

Date Set for Woodall’s Financial Stability Oversight Council Confirmation Hearing

The Senate Banking Committee has scheduled for Tuesday a confirmation hearing for Roy Woodall, nominated to be the independent insurance member of the Financial Stability Oversight Council.

 

 

 

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