Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Thursday, May 10

Budget forces Crist’s hand

A weapon in Gov. Charlie Crist’s ”arsenal” was blunted Wednesday when state legislators officially sent him their $72 billion state budget, forcing him to break out his veto pen weeks before he was considering using it to have leverage over lawmakers during a special session on property taxes.

The complete article can be found at:  http://www.miamiherald.com/458/story/101818.html

 

 

Season off to early – not bad – start

The first named storm of 2007 is moving toward Florida’s east coast three weeks before hurricane season even starts. That raises plenty of questions:

The complete article can be found at:  http://www.sptimes.com/2007/05/10/State/Season_off_to_early__.shtml

 

 

Daily Wildfire Update To Be Posted On Web Sites

Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson is alerting the media and other interested parties that a wildfire update will be posted every morning at approximately 10:00 a.m. on the department’s main Web page as well as the department’s Division of Forestry web page.

The complete article can be found at:  http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/press/2007/05102007.html

 

 

Office Of Insurance Regulation Approves Citizens’ Sinkhole Filing

TALLAHASSEE (05/09/2007) – The Office of Insurance Regulation (Office) issued an order approving form filings for Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, the state’s insurer of last resort. The filings would exclude sinkhole coverage from Citizens’ base policy for all 67 counties.

The complete article can be found at:   http://www.floir.com/PressReleases/ViewMediaRelease.asp?ID=2657

 

 

McCarty urges county to join discount drug plan for public

WEST PALM BEACH — Following Broward’s lead, Palm Beach County Commissioner Mary McCarty wants the county to participate in a free program that offers residents discounts on drug prescriptions.

The complete article can be found at:  http://www.palmbeachpost.com/search/content/local_news/epaper/2007/05/10/s3b_drugs_0510.html

 

 

Consumer-friendly legislation includes bill regulating home inspectors

South Floridians hoping for insurance and property tax relief were disappointed when neither appeared as the legislative session closed last week. But there is some good news for homeowners and consumers tucked among the bills now awaiting Gov. Charlie Christ’s signature.

The complete article can be found at:  http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/custom/consumer/sfl-hlpconsumer10may10,0,2141317.story

 

 

Visitors bureau sues ex-execs, but insurer is real target

The Palm Beach County Convention and Visitors Bureau filed suit Wednesday against its former CEO, Warren “Mac” McLaughlin, and Lee Davis, its former vice president of finance, alleging that the pair’s negligence allowed an ex-employee to embezzle $1.6 million over three years without anyone noticing.

The complete article can be found at:  http://www.palmbeachpost.com/search/content/local_news/epaper/2007/05/10/s3b_cvb_0510.html

 

 

Editorial: Legislature protects gift card values.

It looks like Christmas came early for Florida consumers.

In the midst of budget battles and hand wringing over taxes and insurance, the state Legislature united in unanimous support for a no-brainer measure that protects the value of one of the most popular presents for any time of year: the gift card.

The complete article can be found at:  http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/editorial/sfl-editnbgiftcardsmay10,0,3638352.story

 

 

What passed

GIFT CARDS

Gift cards cannot expire or lose value if not used by a certain date.

CAR INSURANCE

Volunteers who provide transportation to seniors through charity or nonprofit programs cannot have their auto insurance rates raised or their policies canceled because of this activity.

HOTEL SAFETY

Carbon monoxide detectors will be required in most Florida hotel rooms, a measure promoted by a Weston mother whose teenage daughter died from carbon monoxide poisoning.

FLU SHOTS

Pharmacists will be allowed to give flu vaccinations, making shots available at more drug and grocery stores.

LEGISLATION THAT FAILED

PET SALES

State agriculture inspectors would have had explicit authority to ensure pet dealers are selling healthy dogs and cats, and the state more power to fine offenders.

REBATES

Retailers and manufacturers would have been required to issue rebates within 15 days of consumers meeting the conditions.

The complete article can be found at:  http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/custom/consumer/sfl-hlpconsumerbox10may10,0,660463.story

 

 

British insurers look at screening for cancer genes

LONDON — Insurers are considering screening applicants for genes associated with certain types of cancer, and they may ask for an exception to a moratorium on using such tests for insurance policies, the British government said Wednesday.

The complete article can be found at:  http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/health/orl-gene1007may10,0,3073360.story

 

 

Senate passes sweeping drug-safety bill

The FDA’s powers and staff would be enlarged to more quickly scan the marketplace for risky medications.

WASHINGTON — The Senate overwhelmingly approved a landmark drug safety bill Wednesday, doubling the number of government scientists assigned to ferret out risky side effects in medicines already on the market.

The complete article can be found at:  http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/nationworld/la-na-fda10may10,0,4422068.story

 

 

Judge Denies State Farm Motion to Dismiss Miss. Lawsuit

A federal judge has denied State Farm Fire and Casualty Co.’s request to dismiss a lawsuit against the insurer because the policyholders received an emergency Small Business Administration loan to help rebuild their Waveland, Miss. home after Hurricane Katrina.

The complete article can be found at:  http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2007/05/09/79576.htm

 

 

A Workers’ Compensation Fraud Case, on Tour in Europe

Prosecutors said yesterday that the driver told her bosses at New York City Transit in September that she had hurt her shoulder on the job and could not report to work. She began collecting workers’ compensation payments that month, they said. Then she went on a European tour with her band.

The complete article can be found at:  http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/10/nyregion/10comp.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

 

 

Senate bill would block retailers’ banks

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. senators introduced on Thursday bipartisan legislation that would block retailers such as Home Depot Inc. from operating a bank.

The bill, which is co-sponsored by Democrats Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Tim Johnson of South Dakota, and Republican Wayne Allard of Colorado, mirrors a version that is expected to win approval by the full House of Representatives.

The complete article can be found at:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/10/AR2007051001160.html

 

 

Warming Poses Catastrophic Risks For State

TAMPA – Now that there is scientific consensus that humans’ carbon emissions are warming the Earth, citizens must convince policy-makers to take immediate action to limit emissions and prepare for the effects related to climate change.

The complete article can be found at:  http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/MGB0R2NMI1F.html

 

 

Florida business briefs

Two former Mutual Benefits managers were each sentenced to five years in federal prison and ordered to pay $826 million in restitution to some 30,000 investors defrauded by the viatical and life-settlement company.

The complete article can be found at:  http://www.miamiherald.com/134/story/101808.html

 

 

Fireworks provision in bill causing concern

While wildfires scorched a rain-parched state and Gov. Charlie Crist toured the hardest hit areas, fire chiefs met Wednesday to discuss a legislative threat.

The complete article can be found at:  http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070510/CAPITOLNEWS/705100369/1010/NEWS01

 

 

Fla., Ga. still battle wildfires; little help expected from storm

Gov. Charlie Crist was greeted by “amazingly thick” smoke as he took a helicopter tour of areas in northeast Florida hit hard from raging fire storms.

The complete article can be found at:  http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070509/APN/705091578

 

 

Seeping seawater threatens Florida’s drinking supply

With the drought elevating a perpetual problem into a critical concern, state water managers are poised today to impose severe new restrictions to combat a seeping front of sea water that threatens the water supply for hundreds of thousands of coastal residents.

The complete article can be found at:  http://www.miamiherald.com/569/story/101825.html

 

 

D.C. Loosens Rules for Older Drivers

WASHINGTON — In the more than three decades that Giuseppe Morra has been navigating the streets of Washington, he has had just one minor accident, and it’s been years since he has gotten a ticket.

The complete article can be found at:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/10/AR2007051000172.html

 

 

Prominent in Hong Kong and, Perhaps, in the Dow Jones Inquiry

HONG KONG, May 9 — Like David Rockefeller in the United States and a succession of Rothschilds in Europe, David K. P. Li has long received the accolades that come to aristocratic bankers who combine wealth, political influence and public service.

The complete article can be found at:  http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/10/business/media/10dow.html

 

 

Double Duty: Agent-Soldiers Who Serve Their Country and Their Customers

Twenty-nine year old Peter Webb served his country in the U.S. Marines for eight years. Since then, Sergeant Webb has spent four years serving small businesses as an account manager and producer for an Oklahoma City independent agency. Now just as his insurance career is solidifying, Webb is facing deployment to Iraq within the year as a a member of the Oklahoma Army National Guard.

The complete article can be found at:  http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2007/05/10/79610.htm