Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Tuesday, November 13
Nov 13, 2012
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
9:00 a.m.–State Board of Administration Audit Committee meeting; Tallahassee, Florida. To view the meeting notice, click here.
9:30 a.m.–Florida Workers’ Compensation Insurance Guaranty Association Workgroup meeting; Tallahassee, Florida. Agenda includes discussion of issues and concerns resulting from recent insolvencies, including large deductible policies, collateral and employee leasing policies. To view the meeting notice, click here.
Florida task force tracks down “cheat to compete” contractors
It’s a business model that is lucrative, flagrant and popular – but illegal.
Millions in red-light camera fines could be returned
Lawyers will argue before the Florida Supreme Court early next year whether the cities of Orlando and Aventura had the right to install red-light cameras before they were approved by the Legislature.
Letter to the Editor: Florida laws favor auto insurers over drivers
Every person in the state of Florida who has a drivers license and auto insurance needs to pay close attention to the following information.
Florida moving to work on implementing health-care law
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled, President Barack Obama has won re-election and a majority of Florida voters rejected Amendment 1, the effort to etch into the state constitution a permanent ban on mandatory health insurance.
Space Coast Republican Steve Crisafulli chosen unanimously as Florida House speaker-designate
Space Coast Republican Steve Crisafulli finds himself unexpectedly as next in line to be House speaker after the GOP caucus unanimously chose him to replace the defeated Representative Chris Dorworth in the line of succession.
Blog: Florida Governor Scott faces biggest challenge over voting chaos
“If there’s a problem, you try to solve it,” Governor Rick Scott says.
Incoming presiding officers Will Weatherford and Don Gaetz are turning their attention to organizing the Legislature after a campaign season that saw Republicans lose a handful of seats in each chamber.
Blog: Lenny Curry to seek second term as chair of the Florida GOP
Lenny Curry, the media-savvy chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, is telling colleagues he intends to seek a second term (his first full-term) as head of the state GOP and will publicly announce his intentions sometime before Thanksgiving.
Blog: All eyes turn to 2014 gubernatorial race
The 2012 presidential election may be over, but that doesn’t mean Floridians are getting a break from politics.
U.S. Representative Allen West loses, but still refuses to concede
Firebrand Republican Representative Allen West was defeated by Democratic challenger Patrick Murphy, according to the state’s vote count Saturday, but the incumbent won’t concede.
New allegations surface in case against Jim Greer
Allegations of a golf cart filled with prostitutes at a party in the Bahamas surfaced Friday in the criminal case against former Florida GOP Party Chairman Jim Greer.
Stand Your Ground group wrapping up
The task force formed by Governor Rick Scott to review Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law holds its last hearing today, with recommendations about possible changes, if any, to shortly follow.
Rail company buys land for West Palm Beach train station for proposed Miami-to-Orlando express
In a sign of its commitment to passenger rail service, Florida East Coast Industries has paid $2.5 million for downtown land it favors for a train station, the sole Palm Beach County stop on a proposed Miami-to-Orlando express line.
Deadline Extended For States Setting Up Health Insurance Exchanges
U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch, Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement today after the Department of Health and Human Services announced it would give states more time to finish their health insurance exchange planning under the $2.6 trillion health spending law.
Louisiana’s Citizens Property Insurance has $56 million budget gap
Louisiana’s state-run property insurer of last resort is $56 million in the red, after it covers claims for Hurricane Isaac and settles class-action lawsuits for improper handling of past storm claims.
- Louisiana insurance commissioner rejects pay increase for Citizens Property Insurance
- Opinion: Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance woes demand a fix
Rhode Island, Connecticut Issue Catastrophe Reporting Updates
Kathy Donovan provides the scoop on reporting requirements for post-Sandy catastrophe claims, with updates from Connecticut and Rhode Island.
Sandy Closes New York Regulator’s Office; Department Extends Filing Deadlines
Superstorm Sandy has shut down the downtown Manhattan offices of New York state insurance regulators, causing a scramble to continue delivering essential services to the public and industry.
Report: Mold Damage From Sandy Is Not Likely Covered By Insurance
Amidst the power outages, gas shortages, mass transit shutdowns and school closures left behind in Superstorm Sandy’s wake, there’s one issue few people are talking about, and that’s the cost that homeowners will incur from mold damage.
Louisiana Bills Texas Company $3.5 Million for Sinkhole Costs
The state of Louisiana sent a $3.5 million bill to the Texas company it blames for a massive sinkhole that has swallowed more than 5 acres of land in Assumption Parish and contaminated an aquifer.
Feds: Levee System Did Not Cause Isaac Flooding
Federal officials say in a report released November 9 that improvements to the New Orleans-area levee system did not cause Hurricane Isaac’s storm-surge flooding of areas in Louisiana that were not inundated during Hurricanes Katrina and Gustav.
U.S. Taxpayers Need Break From Underwater Flood Insurance
Hurricane Sandy is forcing a re- evaluation of climate change, seawalls and the nation’s power grid.
The Election’s Impact on Insurance Issues
Barack Obama was re-elected president of the United States in a close election that portends that current policies will be maintained.
More Women Now Licensed To Drive Than Men in Reversal of Longtime Gap
Women have passed men on the nation’s roads.
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