Latest Legislation Headlines
All the headlines from our Legislation Topic Page, ordered by recency.
U.S. Wary of Possible Cuba Oil Spill
Jul 18 2011 // With Cuba preparing to explore for oil 60 miles from Florida, the complicated politics of U.S.-Cuba relations are impeding U.S. efforts to get ready in case of a BP-style accident, analysts and oil experts said. The Obama...
U.S. Wary of Possible Cuba Oil Spill
Jul 18 2011 // With Cuba preparing to explore for oil 60 miles from Florida, the complicated politics of U.S.-Cuba relations are impeding U.S. efforts to get ready in case of a BP-style accident, analysts and oil experts said. The Obama...
Risky Decisions
Jul 18 2011 // All the devastation from natural disasters that have occurred across the nation in recent months illuminates the fact that many, many homes across the United States are either uninsured or underinsured. Violent weather,...
Vermont Tops List of Best-Regulated States
Jul 18 2011 // A conservative think tank is giving the state of Vermont high marks for insurance regulation. The Chicago-based Heartland Institute says that Vermont has the best property and casualty insurance marketplace and the best...
TWIA Legislation Includes Pre-Event Bonds; Allows for Double Damages in Lawsuits
Jul 18 2011 // In the final hours of the 2011 Special Session the Texas Legislature worked out a compromise on reforms to the state’s insurance provider of last resort for wind and hail for properties along the Texas coast. The...
Florida Tweaks Its Workers’ Compensation Law
Jul 18 2011 // A variety of changes to Florida’s workers’ compensation law went into effect July 1 after Gov. Rick Scott signed into law CS/HB 1087. The changes affect cancellations, premium audits and prepaid benefit...
Win Ratio
Jul 18 2011 // A task force of state insurance regulators has recommended that states support legislation to protect agent and broker commissions from the expense cap imposed on health insurers by the new federal healthcare law’s...
Towers Watson Notes Safety Measures Cause Fall in Mideast Traffic Accidents
Jul 15 2011 // A report from Towers Watson has concluded that “motor insurance losses in a number of Middle East countries have dropped sharply thanks to traffic safety measures,” which have reduced accident and casualty...
Idaho Insurance Regulator Jumps to Industry
Jul 15 2011 // One of Idaho’s top insurance industry regulators is jumping to private industry, where he’ll be the top lobbyist for Regence BlueShield of Idaho. The deputy director of the Idaho Department of Insurance, Shad...
Federal Bill Offers Break for Properties in Certain Flood Zones
Jul 15 2011 // Overseers of levees in southwestern Illinois welcomed the advance of a federal measure that could give thousands of property owners up to a five-year reprieve in having to buy costly flood insurance in areas with...
Murdoch’s Bow to Pressure; Will Attend UK Parliament’s Investigation
Jul 14 2011 // Rupert Murdoch on Thursday caved in to pressure from Britain’s parliament to answer questions over alleged crimes at one of his newspapers, setting up a showdown with lawmakers keen to break the media mogul’s...
Insurers Seek Separation from Banks for Systemic Risk Regulation
Jul 14 2011 // U.S. insurance company trade groups have sent a letter to President Obama requesting his assistance with G20 leaders in efforts to de-link insurers from the timelines for identification of globally systemically important...
Oklahoma Lawmaker Promotes Program for Distressed Homeowners
Jul 14 2011 // The clock is ticking on a federal program designed to assist distressed homeowners who have experienced a drop in income of at least 15 percent directly resulting from involuntary unemployment or underemployment due to...
Calif. Assembly Passes Bill Requiring Helmets on Slopes
Jul 13 2011 // Skiers and snowboarders younger than 18 would have to wear a helmet on the slopes under a bill that has passed in the California Assembly. The bill was approved on a 49-23, party-line vote. Several Republican lawmakers...
Louisiana Joins Surplus Lines Coalition
Jul 13 2011 // Louisiana is now participating in an agreement designed to help states efficiently comply with the requirements of the federal surplus lines regulations that become effective later this month. Insurance Commissioner James...
House Approves Flood Insurance Program Renewal, Reforms
Jul 13 2011 // The House of Representatives has approved a bipartisan bill to reauthorize the federal flood insurance program for five years and change some of its practices to improve its financial operations. The measure to renew and...
Demise of Missouri Medical Malpractice Bill Raises Ethics Questions
Jul 12 2011 // Ethics questions are being raised over a Missouri state senator’s handling of a medical malpractice insurance bill. The Kansas City Star reported that Sen. Rob Schaaf, the vice chairman of the committee where the...
Judge Trims Toyota Investors’ Legal Claims
Jul 12 2011 // A federal judge in California has pared back a lawsuit accusing Toyota Motor Corp. of inflating its stock price by concealing problems with unintended acceleration in its vehicles. U.S. District Judge Dale Fischer in Los...
Texas Crash Victim Anti-Solicitation Bill Finally Becomes Law
Jul 11 2011 // Legislation that makes it a crime for lawyers or health professionals to solicit crash victims within the first 30 days of an accident has finally become law in Texas. House Bill 148 by Rep. Todd Smith of Euless was...
States to Learn Details of Health Insurance Exchanges Today
Jul 11 2011 // States deciding whether to set up health insurance exchanges will get more information today when the Obama administration reveals more on how these complex marketplaces will work. The federal government has so far given...
