Latest Legislation Headlines
All the headlines from our Legislation Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Declarations
Jun 1 2009 // An Increasing Problem “This is increasingly becoming a problem on our lakes and waterways, and it was important that the Legislature step forward with a strong response.” —Oklahoma Sen. Bill Brown, author of...
Quality and Protectionism in the Insurance Market
Jun 1 2009 // Why Market Blocking Is Not Best for the Consumer or the Industry The insurance business needs to lose a vestige of the insurance marketplace of the last century. Let’s become more friendly to competition and the free...
Oklahoma Gov. Signs Compromise Tort Reform Legislation
Jun 1 2009 // Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry has signed into law long-sought tort reform legislation aimed at curbing frivolous lawsuits and reducing costs associated with the justice system. Henry said House Bill 1603 by Rep. Dan Sullivan...
Declarations
Jun 1 2009 // National Producer Licensing Need “Throughout the current financial crisis, the state insurance regulatory system continues to show how well it protects both individual consumers and businesses. Although the system...
Another Go-Round for Surplus Lines Regulation Reform
Jun 1 2009 // Federal lawmakers once again are preparing to tackle the issue of how states can more effectively regulate the surplus lines insurance market. It’s been tried before, but legislation was recently reintroduced in the...
Judge Tosses Most Supermarket Data Breach Claims
Jun 1 2009 // Only those customers who weren’t reimbursed for fraudulent charges may sue the Hannaford Bros. supermarket chain over a data breach that exposed 4.2 million credit and debit card numbers to computer hackers, a...
Texas House Sends Windstorm Reforms to Conference
Jun 1 2009 // The Texas House approved a conference committee report on Saturday to hammer out windstorm insurance reform legislation with senators. House lawmakers sent the measure — which could cause lawmakers to be called back...
Surplus Lines Regulation Reform Legislation Reintroduced
Jun 1 2009 // Legislation aimed at making access to the surplus lines market more efficient and help standardize state insurance regulation has been introduced again in the U.S. House of Representatives. Reps. Dennis Moore, D-Kan., and...
Panama Moving Slowly on Making Tax Haven Law Changes
Jun 1 2009 // Panama’s ruling party is unlikely to pass tighter tax legislation seen as key for the signing of a U.S. free-trade deal before President Martin Torrijos steps down on July 1, legislators said this week. A bilateral...
Home Defect Bill Divides Nevada Lawmakers
Jun 1 2009 // Members of the Nevada legislature are battling over a construction defect bill that has turned into one of the most contentious issues of the 2009 legislative session. Senators voted 19-1 in mid-April for SB349, which...
Texas Legislators Pass Windstorm Insurance Bill
Jun 1 2009 // On the first day of the official hurricane season for 2009, and on the last day of the Texas legislative session, Texas lawmakers passed a bill that would recapitalize the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association...
Revisiting Surplus Lines Regulation Reform
Jun 1 2009 // Federal lawmakers once again are preparing to tackle the issue of how states can more effectively regulate the surplus lines insurance market. It’s been tried before, but legislation was recently reintroduced in the...
National Insurance Producer Licensing Bill Reintroduced in Congress
Jun 1 2009 // Federal legislation designed to streamline licensing for insurance agents and brokers operating in multiple states has been reintroduced in Congress. The legislation, HR 2554, the National Association of Registered Agents...
Texas Anti-Fraud Bill Goes to Governor
Jun 1 2009 // Texas lawmakers passed HB 148, legislation aimed at telemarketers who contact crash victims by purchasing accident reports from local police departments. The bill now on its way to Governor Perry for his signature makes it...
Time Running Out for Texas’ Windstorm Association Bill
May 31 2009 // Time is running out on the Texas Legislature. Several big issues — including restoring the state’s windstorm insurance fund — were in final negotiations as the last weekend of the 140-day session turned...
Obama Financial Reform Plan Faces Tough Road Ahead
May 31 2009 // The Obama administration’s ambitious draft plan to redraw U.S. financial regulation has been panned by banking groups, setting the stage for a bruising months-long battle among lawmakers and federal agencies. Signs...
West Virginia to Review Accidents Involving State Vehicles
May 29 2009 // West Virginia officials plan to enforce a long-ignored regulation requiring reviews of accidents involving state vehicles in response to a legislative audit that criticized one agency. The audit says 19 Alcohol Beverage...
Obama Regulatory Overhaul Features Fed Reserve, FDIC, Consumer Agency
May 29 2009 // Obama administration is proposing that the Federal Reserve serve as an all-seeing regulator to detect activities that could pose risks to the entire financial system. Under a plan circulating among key lawmakers, the...
Texas Senate Moves to Pass TWIA Reforms
May 29 2009 // Hoping to avoid a special legislative session this summer, the Texas Senate passed legislation that would restore Texas’ depleted windstorm insurance fund. Gov. Rick Perry has warned he could call a special session...
Florida Gov. Crist Signs Citizens Insurance Rate Hike Bill Into Law
May 28 2009 // Florida Gov. Charlie Crist has signed legislation that will increase property insurance rates by 10 percent annually on more than one million customers of the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp. and gradually...
