Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Wednesday, January 25
Jan 25, 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
- Daily Florida Insurance-Related Bills Filed for 2012
- Daily Insurance-Related News
Daily Florida Insurance-Related Events
Florida’s 2012 Regular Legislative Session
- Click here for today’s Senate block calendar
- Click here for today’s House of Representatives block calendar
8:00 a.m.–House Civil Justice Subcommittee. To view the meeting packet, click here.
- CS/HB 119 relating to Motor Vehicle Insurance by Insurance and Banking Subcommittee; State Representative Jim Boyd
8:00 a.m.–House Government Operations Subcommittee. To view the meeting packet, click here.
- CS/HB 645 relating to relating to Public Records/Title Insurance/Department of Financial Services by Insurance and Banking Subcommittee; State Representative George Moraitis Jr.
10:00 a.m.–Florida Board of Employee Leasing Companies Board meeting. Teleconference: (888) 808-6959; conference code: 9226020. To view the meeting notice, click here. To view the agenda, click here.
12:00 p.m.–Florida Governor Rick Scott and Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater “Put the Brakes on Accident Fraud” Press Conference. This event will be Webcast on The Florida Channel (Web 5). To access the Webcast, go to www.FloridaChannel.org.
2:00 p.m.–House Economic Affairs Committee. To view the meeting packet, click here.
- HB 941 relating to Commercial Lines Insurance Policies by State Representative Doug Holder
4:30 p.m.–House Session
- HB 307 relating to Workers’ Compensation Certificate-of-Exemption Process by State Representative Mack Bernard
- HB 4085 relating to Workers’ Compensation by State Representative Matthew Caldwell
Daily Florida Insurance-Related Bills Filed for 2012
HB 5505 Relating to the Florida Department of Financial Services by the House Government Operations Appropriations Subcommittee
HB 5505 would redefines the term “employee” for purposes of workers’ compensation and revise requirements for submitting a notice of election of exemption. Duties of the Florida Department of Financial Services (“DFS”) relating to the expiration of certificates of exemption would be revised. Further, the applicability of requirements relating to certificates of exemption would be expanded, while provisions of law relating to the duty of DFS to make an annual report to specified officials on administration of ch. 440, F.S., Workers’ Compensation Law would be repealed. Effective Date: July 1, 2012
A bill to allow private insurance companies more time to recoup losses from customers in the aftermath of a storm passed swiftly through a House panel Tuesday.
Blog: Citizens Property Insurance stops using home evaluation plan we opposed
Thanks to Tom McClave, president of Tilford S, Century Village Deerfield Beach, for sending me the story from the Tampa Bay Times. Citizens has decided not to use the software that we along with so many others maintained gave them a justification to increase insurance rates.
Florida House panel considers personal injury protection insurance overhaul
A House panel will consider overhauling Florida’s personal-injury insurance that is now overcome with fraud.
Auto insurer Progressive hiring 390 in Riverview
Auto insurer Progressive is hiring up to 390 workers at its Riverview call center, the latest and among the biggest in a string of call center expansions throughout the bay area.
Florida bill would make doctors, health centers post prices
Restaurants have menus, retailers have pricetags and soon, Florida doctors could have price boards.
Hospitals, nursing home and state employees cut in House health care budget
Hospitals, nursing homes and state employees are cut in an early spending plan floated by House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Representative Matt Hudson, R-Naples, on Tuesday.
Florida Senate proposes sweeping overhaul of disabled care
A Senate panel on Wednesday is slated to take up a sweeping set of changes proposed by the agency that provides care to the developmentally disabled.
Florida Recovers $142 Million in Medicaid Claims
State health officials said they have recovered more than $142 million in erroneous and fraudulent Medicaid claims in the past year.
Florida House, Senate panels move to waive ratification requirements for proposed water rules
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has proposed water quality rules that it says will cost less than federal rules and provide flexibility in reducing nitrogen and phosphorus.
In 2011 the Legislature made Senate confirmation part of the process to pick the Department of Citrus’ executive director, a move viewed as a power play by J.D. Alexander, the powerful chairman of the Senate Budget Committee.
Blog: Packed room watches as Florida House panel passes three antiabortion measures
A House panel advanced a trio of antiabortion bills — including one that would prevent a woman from terminating her pregnancy based on race or gender preferences — past their first obstacles to becoming law by party-line votes on Tuesday.
Blog: Senate President Mike Haridopolos says redistricting next week; no budget allocations
Senate President Mike Haridopolos told his caucus the Senate planned to take up new redistricting maps as soon as next Friday once the House passes them.
Grand jury: Florida Senator Greg Evers ‘used’ by billboard company
A grand jury report says state Senator Greg Evers was “used” by a billboard company in Pace to get special treatment from the Florida Department of Transportation.
U.S. Cabinet officers to visit Florida this week
Several Cabinet secretaries and their deputies have at least six stops scheduled in Florida this week to help push President Barack Obama’s proposals.
Florida Closes Investigation into Department of Revenue Checks
A Florida Department of Law Enforcement probe into check handling at the Department of Revenue has been closed, with no charges filed.
Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos Says Florida Proven Correct on Primary
Florida’s decision to move its presidential primary up by more than a month is going to pay off for the candidates and the state, Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, said Tuesday.
Amazon may bring 2,500 jobs to Florida for sales tax exemption
Amazon.com is promising to bring between 2,500 jobs and 3,000 jobs to Florida if state lawmakers and Governor Rick Scott agree to a deal that would exempt the online retailer from collecting sales taxes for the next two years.
State Representative Gayle Harrell to lead The National Foundation for Women Legislators
Florida’s Lieutenant Governor, House Speaker and Attorney General gathered in the House chamber Tuesday to officially name Representative Gayle Harrell the top board member of the oldest national women’s lawmakers organization.
Move Over Bullet Trains, Luxury Buses On Fast Track
While plans for high-speed trains have slowed across the country, intercity buses are hitting the accelerator.
Washington Post: Radian Agrees to Pay Assured Guaranty to End Reinsurance Deal
Radian Group Inc., the second- biggest U.S. mortgage insurer, agreed to pay Assured Guaranty Ltd. to end a $12.9 billion bond-reinsurance agreement as it focuses on the home-loan protection business.
Insurers to cruise firms: Run tighter ship
Passenger ship operators should tighten up safety procedures and crew training standards to prevent a repeat of the Costa Concordia shipwreck, potentially the costliest marine insurance loss on record, shipping insurers said on Tuesday.
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