Latest Legislation Headlines
All the headlines from our Legislation Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Workers’ Comp Reform Approved in Illinois Senate
May 31 2011 // A plan to overhaul workers’ compensation to cut business costs and curb corruption emerged May 28 and was approved by the Illinois Senate. The measure, which came after six months of negotiations and now heads to the...
Texas Windstorm Insurance Legislation Advances
May 25 2011 // The Texas Senate unanimously approved its version of a bill to revamp the state’s windstorm fund that insures coastal properties against hurricane damage. The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association reform measure,...
Lawsky Confirmed as Head of New York Regulatory Agency
May 25 2011 // The New York Senate has confirmed Benjamin M. Lawsky as superintendent of the Department of Financial Services (DFS), the combined agency overseeing insurance, financial services and related industries in the Empire...
Tennessee Approves Caps on Lawsuit Damages
May 25 2011 // Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam is praising lawmakers for giving final approval to a plan to cap non-economic and economic damages stemming from lawsuits. The Tennessee General Assembly approved HB 2008 that places a cap of...
Marsh Appoints Judge to Lead St. Louis Office
May 24 2011 // Insurance broker Marsh has appointed Marleen Judge to lead its St. Louis office. Judge brings more than 20 years of corporate risk management experience to the role. She will be responsible for client relationships and...
Opinion: Financial Regulation Reform Risks Overkill in Emerging Markets
May 24 2011 // There is no doubt that some of the busiest people since the financial crisis are at the Financial Stability Board. The G20 recommendations have been wide ranging, from private sector practices such as compensation schemes...
Texas Senate Votes to Keep Texas Insurance Department
May 23 2011 // The Texas Senate has voted to renew the state Department of Insurance and give it stronger enforcement penalties when companies lose challenges to their rates. Lawmakers are considering competing bills to extend the life...
Montana State Fund Cuts Rates 20%
May 23 2011 // The board of Montana State Fund, the state’s largest workers’ compensation insurer, cut its rates by 20 percent, in a move that some hope will help the business community and encourage more job creation and...
N.Y. Agents Appealing Compensation Disclosure Ruling
May 20 2011 // The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of New York (IIABNY) says it is moving forward with a legal appeal of a court ruling that forced agents in the state to reveal their commissions to clients. The group plans to...
Wash. Lawmakers Continue to Struggle on Workers’ Comp Deal
May 20 2011 // Leading Washington lawmakers are struggling to find a compromise that would alter the state’s workers’ compensation system and help seal a budget agreement. Negotiators emerged from a 45-minute, closed-door...
Oklahoma Senate Approves Massive Late-Session Work Comp Bill
May 19 2011 // The Oklahoma Senate has approved a more than 200-page bill that completely overhauls Oklahoma’s workers’ compensation laws. The proposal emerged in the Oklahoma House just three days before lawmakers are...
Americans Oppose Accident Response Fees: Insurance Industry Survey
May 18 2011 // Sixty-eight percent of adults oppose local governments charging accident response fees to individuals involved in traffic accidents, according to a new insurance industry survey. The Insurance Research Council (IRC) survey...
Lawsky, Wrynn to Lead New York’s Reshuffled Regulatory Arm
May 18 2011 // Benjamin M. Lawsky has been nominated as superintendent of New York’s Department of Financial Services, the combined regulator of insurance, banking and related businesses in the Empire State. The new department —...
Judge Dismisses Shareholder Suit vs Citigroup Execs Over Mortgages
May 18 2011 // Citigroup Inc. officials, including Chief Executive Vikram Pandit, won the dismissal of a shareholder lawsuit accusing them of turning a blind eye to the increased mortgage risks the bank was assuming in 2007. U.S....
Florida Gov. Scott Signs Property Insurance Cost Control Bill
May 17 2011 // Florida Gov. Rick Scott has signed into law legislation that promises to lower costs for the state’s property insurers, including what they pay on sinkhole claims. While the memory of former Governor Charles...
Oklahoma Returning Federal Funds for Health Insurance Overhaul
May 17 2011 // The Oklahoma Insurance Department has formally notified federal officials that it is returning nearly $1 million in federal funds targeted for health insurance rate reviews, Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John Doak...
Tennessee Bill to Limit Lawsuit Damages Moves Ahead
May 17 2011 // Gov. Bill Haslam’s proposal to limit lawsuit damages in Tennessee has passed the Senate last week despite passionate arguments from opponents that the measure would unfairly target victims. The legislation carried by...
Toyota Can Be Sued for Reduced Value of Cars, U.S. Judge Rules
May 17 2011 // Owners of Toyota Motor Corp. vehicles that were recalled over unintended acceleration may pursue claims against the automaker that the problem caused the value of their cars to fall, a federal judge ruled Monday. U.S....
Feliciano Named VP of California Insurer Association
May 17 2011 // The Association of California Insurance Companies (ACIC) has named Armand Feliciano vice president. He has 17 years of legal, regulatory and legislative advocacy experience in California. He will be responsible for...
Business Lobby Gets Mixed Results in Missouri Legislature
May 16 2011 // Missouri Republicans came into this year’s legislative session with historic majorities and a pledge to push a pro-business agenda they said would improve the state’s economy and lower its stubbornly high...
