Latest Legislation Headlines
All the headlines from our Legislation Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Deutsch Bank Head Sees ‘Fundamental Reassessment’ of Financial Industry
Oct 5 2011 // Dr. Josef Ackermann’s keynote speech to delegates at the Risk Management Forum of the Federation of European Risk Management Associations (FERMA) basically described the global financial system as broken and in need...
Federal Flood Insurance Program Extended Until Nov. 18
Oct 4 2011 // The U.S. House of Representatives today passed legislation that keeps the government – and the federal flood insurance program– running until Nov. 18, 2011. The House vote (352-66) extends the National Flood...
Brown Signs Insurance Bill to Clarify Bond Requirements
Oct 4 2011 // California Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a bill that makes several changes to various state insurance code sections regarding agent licensing and training, administrative processes and previously enacted...
Florida Commercial Lines Deregulation Law Takes Effect
Oct 3 2011 // Commercial insurers in Florida will no longer have to seek prior approval from state regulators before changing some of the rates they charge under a new law that took effect October 1. Earlier this year, Florida lawmakers...
Cross Border Claims Frustrate Auto Carriers
Oct 3 2011 // Staged automobile accidents in Canada’s most populated province of Ontario pose a unique problem for American auto insurers that must deal with Ontario’s stringent no-fault benefits. Some U.S.-based adjusters...
Mass. Agents Prepare for Battle Over Credit Ban on Ballot
Oct 3 2011 // A Massachusetts independent agents group said it is confident that a ban on auto insurers’ use of credit scores and other socioeconomic factors will become a state law in coming months. The Massachusetts Association...
Judge Lets Agent Orange Case Against Monsanto Proceed
Sep 29 2011 // Monsanto Co. has lost a bid to close part of a lawsuit alleging the company caused health injuries to residents living near a plant that made the Vietnam War-era U.S. military defoliant “Agent...
Arkansas Insurance Commissioner Seeks Exchange Support
Sep 28 2011 // Arkansas’ top insurance official has asked lawmakers to support the state’s application for a nearly $3.8 million grant to plan for creating an insurance marketplace under the health care law, money that Gov....
Judge Narrows $1B Madoff Case vs. N.Y. Mets Owners
Sep 28 2011 // A federal judge narrowed a $1 billion lawsuit against owners of the New York Mets baseball team by the trustee seeking money for Bernard Madoff’s victims, and cast skepticism on how much might ultimately be...
One Frustrated Florida County Tackles Auto Insurance Fraud On Its Own
Sep 27 2011 // One county in Florida has decided not to wait on state lawmakers’ promise to address the insurance fraud and fix the state’s automobile no-fault law. It has passed its own ordinance to crack down on fraudulent...
Pennsylvania Liquor Tax Should Go to Disaster Relief Fund: Lawmaker
Sep 27 2011 // A western Pennsylvania lawmaker is proposing to divert some of the money from the “Johnstown Flood Tax” on alcohol back to its original purpose — flood and other disaster relief. Sen. John Wozniak, D-Cambria,...
Citing Scope of 9/11, N.Y. Judge Tosses WTC Suit
Sep 26 2011 // In tossing out a negligence lawsuit, a judge last Friday cited the “strange, improbable” events that destroyed a 47-story World Trade Center building a decade ago on Sept. 11, several hours after the 110-story...
Senate Poised to Defeat House Spending, Disaster Aid Bill
Sep 23 2011 // With aid to disaster victims running out, the U.S. Senate Democratic leader Friday vowed to hold a quick vote to defeat a House-passed spending bill, clearing the way for negotiations to avoid a government shutdown. Senate...
Insurer Group NAMIC Names Illinois Rep. Biggert ‘Legislator of Year’
Sep 21 2011 // The National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC) presented the Federal Legislator of the Year Award to U.S. Rep. Judy Biggert, R-Ill., at its annual convention in Indianapolis. ‘Rep. Biggert is a...
Google Urges Judge Reject Oracle’s $2.2B Patent Damages Claim
Sep 21 2011 // Google Inc. urged a federal judge to reject an Oracle Corp expert’s recommendation that it pay more than $2.2 billion for infringing on patents for Java technology used in the Android operating system. U.S. District...
Kentucky Tries to Find Amish Buggies Compromise
Sep 21 2011 // A western Kentucky lawmaker is trying to find a compromise in the debate over a law that requires slow-moving vehicles to display a reflective triangle, a requirement that Amish men say infringes on their religious...
Bill Would Funnel Fines Paid by BP to Gulf States
Sep 21 2011 // U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss) say they are hopeful that a key Senate committee will this week approve legislation to direct a significant portion of federal fines paid by BP for the...
Alabama Special Session on Home Insurance Possible in January
Sep 19 2011 // The special legislative session that Gov. Robert Bentley has promised on the affordability and availability of homeowners insurance could come in early 2012. The governor and the chairman of his insurance commission said a...
New Patent Reform Law Aims to Reduce Backlog, Curb Lawsuits
Sep 19 2011 // President Barack Obama signed into law a patent overhaul bill Friday that backers say will curb frivolous lawsuits and help the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office do the hiring needed to clear a huge backlog of...
People
Sep 19 2011 // XL Insurance has made six key appointments to its North America Construction team. The latest additions to XL Insurance’s North America construction team include: Lawrence Lejfer — Vice president and senior...
