Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Wednesday, April 17
Apr 17, 2013
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
Florida’s 2013 Regular Legislative Session
- Click here for today’s Senate block calendar
- Click here for today’s House of Representatives block calendar
9:30 a.m.–Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (“OIR”) Rule Development Workshop. Proposed amendments to Rule 69O-157.302 relating to long-term care insurance rates would move the text of the rates from the body of the Rule to the OIR Web site to facilitate more rapid updating of the most recently published new business rates. It would also consolidate the rates for facility-only, non-facility-only and comprehensive categories into one Rule. To view the hearing notice, click here.
1:00 p.m.–Florida Board of Employee Leasing Companies Board meeting; Naples, Florida. To view the meeting notice, click here.
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
Citizens Property Insurance bill stalls in Senate as legislators cull support
The Florida Current’s Gray Rohrer reports that, as SB 1770 softening the rate hike cap on Citizens Property Insurance Corp. stalls in the Senate, the bill sponsors from both chambers are watering the bill down in an effort to gain more support.
- Sarasota Herald Tribune reports Citizens property insurance bill finds resistance
- Blog: Senator Simmons says he has the votes for Citizens insurance bill
- The Florida Current’s Policy Note: Citizens Property Insurance
Scope of Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund bill diminished as compromise sought
State Representative Bill Hager, R-Boca Raton, amended the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund bill to remove just $500 million in coverage ahead of the 2014 hurricane season, instead of the $3 billion reduction over three years as originally envisioned by the bill, The Florida Current’s Gray Rohrer reports.
The Florida Current’s Policy Note: Update on the Florida Insurance Guaranty Association
Large property insurance companies are battling with small Florida domestic companies over assessment payments to FIGA. HB 211 passed through the House Regulatory Affairs Committee on April 16, despite concerns from some members that the option for FIGA to gather assessments over 90 days would increase borrowing costs that would be passed on to consumers.
Tampa-based Homeowners Choice Announces Re-Branding
New names, new divisions for Tampa-based Homeowners Choice are designed to distinguish the company and the brands of its non-property and casualty insurance enterprises from the “Homeowners Choice” brand.
Some Florida insurance experts divided on Personal Injury debate
Whether to keep the state’s fraud-infested, no-fault automobile insurance, or not, is the question, Andrea Rumbaugh of the Ft. Myers News-Press reports.
Bill to arm school employees advances
A school employee designated to carry a firearm would receive the same training as an armed security guard. Educators fear arming employees will create a “huge” liability issue for schools, The Florida Current’s James Call reports.
Blog: Florida case on political disclaimers is underway
Karen Cyphers reports in SaintPetersBlog.com that on Tuesday, the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta heard oral arguments on a case brought by four Southwest Florida residents who contend their First Amendment rights were violated when forced to choose between formally organizing a political action committee to run radio ads or “remaining silent” in their opposition to a 2010 ballot measure.
Senator Sachs responds to Latvala ethics residency charge
Republican Sen. Jack Latvala, chairman of the Senate Ethics and Elections Committee, questions whether Democratic Sen. Maria Sachs actually fulfills residency requirements with a rental apartment. The answer may come down to a judgment call, The Florida Current’s Bill Cotterell reports.
Controversial Reporting Requirement Amended Onto Elections Bill
The Florida Senate is putting the final touches on its election reform bill, but not before it added a controversial amendment from Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami, Dave Heller and Nancy Smith report from SunshineStateNews.com.
House to vote on wage theft bill
The Florida Current’s James Call reports on a measure prohibiting workers from recovering court costs and legal fees in wage-theft cases that sailed through its final House committee stop on Tuesday.
House Speaker says Florida’s population poised to boom
House Speaker Will Weatherford said Tuesday that Florida is about to snap out of its long growth slump and plunge into a new population boom, The Florida Current’s Bill Cotterell reports.
Some think issues in HB 999 don’t belong in state law
The Florida Current’s Bruce Ritchie reports that State Representative Jimmy Patronis says his HB 999 provides a public service by forcing applicants and agencies to air their differences. But some think the bill deals with issues that don’t belong in state law.
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