Latest Legislation Headlines
All the headlines from our Legislation Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Florida Insurance Vote Reflects Political Shift Against Insurers’ Wishes
Jan 25 2007 // The difference in how the state Legislature approached Florida’s insurance problems this year compared to last year are like the differences between night and day, hot and cold, black and white, and Jeb Bush and...
Previously-Rejected Cell Phone Ban on Redial in Maryland Legislature
Jan 25 2007 // A cell phone ban for Maryland drivers has been considered — and rejected — many times by state lawmakers. However, two new plans before lawmakers have some asking if this is the year Maryland will join Washington, D.C....
Fla. Gov. Crist Signs Property Insurance Bill
Jan 25 2007 // Three days after a Florida special legislative session on insurance rates for homeowners, Gov. Charlie Crist signed legislation that promises to provide insurance reform, including rate reductions and an expansion of...
N.Y. Assemblyman Grannis in Line to Be State Environmental Commissioner
Jan 25 2007 // New York Governor Eliot Spitzer has nominated long-time insurance legislative leader Alexander B. “Pete” Grannis to serve as Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation. Grannis was first...
Only 2 Fla. Lawmakers to Oppose Insurance Bill Out as Chairmen
Jan 25 2007 // The only Florida lawmakers to vote against a massive proposal to lower property insurance rates in Florida have relinquished chairmanships of two House committees. Reps. Don Brown of DeFuniak Springs and Dennis Ross of...
Fla. Insurance Bill On Gov. Crist’s Desk Comes with Risks
Jan 24 2007 // The Florida Legislature on Monday overwhelmingly passed a bill members hope will lower Floridians’ skyrocketing property insurance rates and sent the measure to Gov. Charlie Crist, who has demanded meaningful relief...
Mass. Auto Insurer Tops in Spending on Beacon Hill Lobbyists
Jan 23 2007 // Lobbyists trying to influence Massachusetts legislation on Beacon Hill raked in a record $64.3 million in 2006, as they plied their trade on issues ranging from education and insurance to tobacco and cable television,...
Miss. Commissioner Sets Hearing for Consumer Bill of Rights
Jan 23 2007 // Mississippi Commissioner of Insurance George Dale twill hold a public hearing for the his proposed regulation regarding a homeowner insurance policyholder bill of rights. The hearing will be held at 9 a.m. on Friday,...
Fla. Lawmakers Agree on Insurance Relief Plan; Bill Sent to Gov. Crist
Jan 23 2007 // Florida homeowners could see property insurance rates cut by as much as 40 percent under a plan finalized by lawmakers hoping to reverse hurricane-fueled increases many residents say have threatened to price them out of...
Mich. Attorney General Urges Judge to Toss Calif. Global Warming Suit
Jan 23 2007 // Michigan’s attorney general has joined six automakers in asking a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit by California that accuses them of harming human health and the environment by producing vehicles that contribute...
Hawaii Commissioner Talks with Japanese, Chinese Governments
Jan 23 2007 // Hawaii State Insurance Commissioner J.P. Schmidt will be among the U.S. officials working with the governments of China and Japan to improve regulation in the financial services industries. According to the Hawaii...
Insurer Group Applauds Report’s Call for Optional Federal Charter
Jan 23 2007 // The American Insurance Association (AIA) has issued a statement lauding a report released by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., which calls for making modernizing financial...
Florida Lawmakers Near Agreement; Vote Expected Today on Insurance Plan
Jan 22 2007 // Florida lawmakers tentatively agreed Saturday on a comprehensive proposal aimed at lowering Floridians’ skyrocketing property insurance rates, saying they’d finalize the plan with a vote on the package on...
S&P Rates Catlin Pref. Shares ‘BBB’
Jan 22 2007 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has affirmed its “BBB” long-term subordinated debt rating on the $600 million 7.249 percent perpetual, subordinated, callable, fixed-/floating-rate, noncumulative...
Kentucky Judge Permits Christians-Only Health Plan to Continue
Jan 22 2007 // A Christians-only health plan that serves nearly 20,000 churchgoers nationwide can continue operating in Kentucky, a judge ruled Thursday. Franklin County Circuit Judge Thomas D. Wingate said the Medi-Share program...
More Than 2,000 Bills Filed in Okla. for 2007 Legislative Session
Jan 22 2007 // More than 2,000 bills have been filed for the 2007 session of the Oklahoma Legislature, including many measures that sponsors acknowledge do not have a chance of passage. It’s all part of the democratic process,...
Mich. Becomes 29th State to Join Interstate Compact
Jan 22 2007 // Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm has signed legislation permiting Michigan to join the Interstate Insurance Product Regulation Compact Commission, making Michigan the 29th state to join the Commission. Created...
Okla. Lawmaker Seeks to Reserve Extra Funds for Storm Relief
Jan 22 2007 // Oklahoma State Rep. George Faught says he will seek to set aside at least $10 million in “Rainy Day” spillover funds from last year to help pay recovery costs from the past week’s ice storm that has...
Conn. AG Files Bill to Block Insurers from Requiring Storm Shutters
Jan 22 2007 // Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has submitted draft legislation to the General Assembly that would prohibit insurers from requiring that consumers install hurricane shutters as a condition of insurance. The...
W. Va. Tackles Mine Safety Rules to Address Sago Tragedy
Jan 19 2007 // Members of the state Board of Coal Mine Health and Safety say the panel may have a tough time crafting regulations to address the cause of the Sago Mine accident. The process of writing those rules officially began...
