Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report–Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Nov 18, 2014
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.–The Florida House of Representatives and Senate convene for Organization Session.
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
Two state department regulators were honored by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners with the Robert Dineen Award: Lenita Blasingame, Chief Deputy Director of the Arkansas Insurance Department and Belinda Miller, General Counsel of the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation.
Florida House, Senate get new leaders in Steve Crisafulli, Andy Gardiner
Two politicians’ paths converge at the apex of Florida politics today when Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, becomes president of the Florida Senate and Steve Crisafulli, R-Merritt Island, becomes speaker of the Florida House. Tampa Bay Times’ Michael Van Sickler reports.
Florida Legislature returns to Capitol to organize following elections
The Florida Legislature convenes today for a one-day organizational session following this month’s elections, with two new Republican leaders taking the reins of leadership, John Kennedy reports for the “Post On Politics” blog.
- Florida House has organizational drama
- House to vote on State Representative James Grant election outcome
- House Likely To Reject Election Results For District 64
- Pafford elected House Democratic minority leader with no muss, no fuss
New Senate Democratic Leader Decries “Lack of Freedom” in Florida
Florida Senator Arthenia Joyner of Tampa was formally elected Monday as the next leader of the 14-member Senate Democratic caucus, promising to be a voice for “the little” guy in the chamber dominated by 26 Republicans. The Miami Herald’s Mary Ellen Klas reports via the “Naked Politics” blog.
Governor Rick Scott names Melissa Sellers his new chief of staff
Melissa Sellers, who successfully managed Florida Governor Rick Scott’s re-election campaign, will handle the reins of state government as his new chief of staff, Tampa Bay Times’ Steve Bousquet reports.
Jeff Atwater Names Michelle Dahnke as Deputy CFO
On Monday, Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater named Michelle Dahnke as deputy CFO of the Florida Department of Financial Services. Dahnke will focus on communications, SunshineStateNews.com’s Kevin Derby reports.
Another dose of legal action in Florida medical records copying battle
Attorneys representing doctors and “release of information” companies are poised to challenge in administrative court the state’s rule capping what can be charged for copying medical records, Christine Jordan Sexton reports for SaintPetersBlog.com.
Catlin Elected Chair of Association of Bermuda Insurers and Reinsurers
Stephen Catlin, Catlin Group Limited CEO, has been elected chair of the Association of Bermuda Insurers and Reinsurers for a two-year term beginning January 1, 2015, Insurance Journal reports.
NAIC stalls on accreditation standards revisions
A committee of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners has deemed it necessary to prepare a new and completely revised preamble that will clarify the scope of the NAIC accreditation standards, including their proposed applicability to XXX/AXXX, variable annuities and long term care reinsurance. The Captive Insurance Times reports.
Universal Life Insurance Illustration Rules Clash at NAIC
An NAIC task force wants to have a compromise regulation on the illustrations insurers and agents can use in marketing indexed universal life insurance ready for task force action at the spring NAIC meeting in late March, National Underwriter’s Arthur Postal reports via InsuranceNewsNet.com.
State Farm raising auto rates by 3.7% in Louisiana
Auto insurance rates will rise an average of 3.7 percent beginning Dec. 8 for customers of State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance, which insures about one in three vehicles in Louisiana. Ted Griggs reports for The Advocate.
Interstate Insurance Product Regulation Commission Elects Officers
The Interstate Insurance Product Regulation Commission held its annual meeting in Washington, D.C., on November 15 and elected a new slate of officers, the NAIC reports.
How to fix the climate change beat
Reuters blogger Steven Brill notes a Financial Times essay on climate change.
Firm Accused Of Illegal Practices That Push Families Into Foreclosure
Ocwen Financial Corp. is facing an investigation by regulators and a new lawsuit over its treatment of homeowners facing foreclosures. The class-action suit alleges that Ocwen has been charging marked-up, illegal fees and unfairly pushing homeowners into foreclosure. Chris Arnold reports for NPR.org.
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