Latest Legislation Headlines

All the headlines from our Legislation Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Iowa Bill Would Lift Insurance Caps on Prosthetics

Apr 25 2007 // Brent Soderstrum, who lost his leg in a car accident about seven years ago, is backing a bill that would bar insurance caps on prosthetics. The Des Moines attorney found out about 1 1/2 years ago that his insurance company...

Freeing Streams of Debris Might Help Control Flooding in Future

Apr 24 2007 // When streams and rivers throughout West Virginia surged over their banks last week, causing millions of dollars of damage, Garrett Fork in Logan County was virtually alone in not flooding. That’s no anomaly: county...

Fla. House Panel Moves Bill Banning Fla.-Only Insurer Subsidiaries

Apr 24 2007 // National insurance companies would be prevented from setting up new, Florida-only subsidiaries under a bill a House panel approved Monday, part of an effort to force property insurance rates lower to appease angry...

N.Y. City Puts Foot Down on Unregulated Pedicab Industry

Apr 24 2007 // New York City’s hordes of unregulated bicycle taxis will have to meet licensing, insurance and safety standards, and only 325 will be allowed to operate at one time, thanks to a City Council override of a mayoral...

Mass. judge throws book at injury case perjurer

Apr 23 2007 // Worcester (Massachusetts) Superior Court Judge Francis Fecteau has sentenced a Templeton man to two and one-half years for committing perjury in a workers’ compensation claim proceeding at the Department of...

Neb. lawmakers advance bill shielding cities from injury lawsuits

Apr 23 2007 // In early April lawmakers in Nebraska’s Unicameral Legislature broke a filibuster and gave first-round approval to a bill that could open parks that have closed following a state Supreme Court decision. State Sen....

Declarations

Apr 23 2007 // Declarations Inquiring minds want to know “The lack of public information in this case is unacceptable to the governor.” Brad Anderson, spokesman for Iowa Gov. Chet Culver. Culver and state lawmakers questioned...

People

Apr 23 2007 // Dallas-based global insurance and reinsurance broker, Colemont, added Catherine L. Wall as assistant vice president and associate legal counsel. In this newly created role, Wall will assist in overseeing the...

News Currents

Apr 23 2007 // Gov. Sanford, employers disappointed in S.C. reform The South Carolina Senate has passed workers’ compensation reform legislation but many observers are not impressed and hope the House will do a better job. The...

Ark. commissioner: Regulators have dual role

Apr 23 2007 // Testifying before the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on April 11, Arkansas Insurance Commissioner Julie Benafield Bowman, told lawmakers that insurance regulators have the dual...

Consumer groups say market forces, not claims, caused re-cent medical malpractice crisis

Apr 23 2007 // A consumer coalition released a report that disputes insurers’ contention that the most recent medical malpractice insurance crisis for doctors was caused by rising costs. The study, Stable Losses/Unstable Rates...

Declarations

Apr 23 2007 // Declarations A balancing act “The legislation we are supporting this session is intended to balance the need to create a competitive regulatory environment while ensuring that our citizens are afforded adequate...

McCarran-Ferguson emerges as No. 1 threat to independent agents

Apr 23 2007 // As 1,200 independent agents and brokers from around the country descend on Washington, D.C., this month for the Big “I” Legislative Conference & Convention, they will be greeted with a new legislative...

With La. session on horizon, governor and commissioner unveil package of bills

Apr 23 2007 // Louisiana Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco and state Commissioner of Insurance Jim Donelon on April 11 unveiled a joint legislative package designed to attract new insurers to the state, drive down rates and protect...

Editor’s Note: Spring ritual

Apr 23 2007 // It’s that time of year when, if you are a member of Congress and you don’t have a meeting with at least one independent insurance agent from back home, you are probably not running for re-election. Like cherry...

Wash. lawmakers OK Insurance Fair Conduct Act

Apr 23 2007 // Washington senators have approved a proposed Insurance Fair Conduct Act, passing it 31-18 mostly along party lines. The bill, which would prohibit the practice of delaying or denying an insurance claim without proper...

McCarran-Ferguson emerges as No. 1 threat to independent agents

Apr 23 2007 // As 1,200 independent agents and brokers from around the country descend on Washington, D.C., this month for the Big “I” Legislative Conference & Convention, they will be greeted with a new legislative...

Insider Trading Plans: A new D&O underwriting concern?

Apr 23 2007 // For several years, directors and officers underwriters have viewed corporate insiders’ adoption of so-called “Rule 10b5-1 plans” as evidence of good corporate governance and as a positive underwriting...

Neighbors Seek to Drain N.Y. City’s Water Reservoirs to Stem Flooding

Apr 20 2007 // Ten lawmakers want to drain off some of the massive reservoirs holding New York City drinking water, claiming lower water levels will help prevent flooding in riverside communities. House lawmakers from Pennsylvania, New...

U.S. House Passes Bill Granting Shareholders Vote on Executive Pay

Apr 20 2007 // The U.S House of Representatives today passed by a vote of 269 to134 legislation to allow shareholders of public companies to approve or disapprove of a company’s executive compensation plans. H.R. 1257, the...