Latest Legislation Headlines
All the headlines from our Legislation Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Mass. OKs Bill Tying Flood Insurance to Mortgage Balance
Aug 4 2014 // Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick on July 23 signed into law legislation that prohibits creditors from requiring residential property owners to buy flood insurance in an amount that exceeds the balance of their mortgage or...
Rebates, Referrals and Rewards in Texas – What’s OK and What’s Not?
Aug 4 2014 // What are the rules governing insurance agents in Texas on rebates, referrals and rewards, and why do they matter? For starters, at a minimum, agents could lose their license for violating rules regarding such activities....
Portable Persistency and the Prop 103 Roadblock
Aug 1 2014 // The emerging need to develop new insurance products to cover California’s Transportation Network Company operators has spurred a reexamination of the nature of Proposition 103’s quasi-constitutional status. In...
New Suit Filed in Louisiana Claims Chinese Drywall Destroyed Homes
Aug 1 2014 // Lawyers for people who say their homes were wrecked by defective drywall made in China have filed a new lawsuit against the manufacturers and a new defendant — the Chinese Cabinet agency that oversees the country’s...
AIG, GE Capital Systemic Risk Designations Renewed
Aug 1 2014 // The top U.S. regulatory panel tasked with policing the safety of the financial system said on Thursday it is launching a review of potential risks in the asset management industry. But the Financial Stability Oversight...
House Votes to Proceed with Lawsuit Against Obama
Jul 31 2014 // The Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives voted to sue President Barack Obama’s administration over implementation of his 2010 health-care law. With a near-party-line vote of 225-201, lawmakers endorsed...
UnitedHealth’s $173M Fine May Be Warning to P/C Insurers
Jul 30 2014 // A decision by California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones to fine UnitedHealth Group $173.6 million for violations having to do with the Unfair Business Practices Act, the Unfair Insurance Practice Act and unfair claims...
New York Lawmakers Push for Airline Safety Devices
Jul 29 2014 // Two U.S. legislators urged the government to study whether American passenger jets should be equipped with devices protecting them against missiles like the one that brought down a Malaysian airliner over Ukraine and...
West Virginia Drawing Up List of Dangerous Animals
Jul 29 2014 // A board tasked with compiling a list of animals that are illegal to keep as pets in West Virginia will consider one that’s shorter than a list suggested earlier. Media outlets report the state Wild and Dangerous...
Judge OKs Ohio Workers’ Comp Settlement
Jul 28 2014 // The Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation will pay out $420 million to state employers that were overcharged for insurance premiums under a settlement approved by a judge. Cuyahoga County Judge Richard McMonagle said the...
PIA National Names Webb to Counsel, Regulatory Affairs Post
Jul 28 2014 // The National Association of Professional Insurance Agents (PIA) has named attorney Jennifer M. Webb as counsel and director of regulatory affairs. Webb is the former director of legislative affairs for Nolan Associates,...
Judge Upholds Florida Law Curbing Doctors’ Gun Speech with Patients
Jul 28 2014 // A Florida law restricting what doctors can tell patients about gun ownership was deemed to be constitutional by a federal appeals court, which said it legitimately regulates professional conduct and doesn’t violate...
Zimmerman to Appeal Florida Judge Dismissal of Defamation Claim Against NBC
Jul 28 2014 // George Zimmerman has filed a notice to appeal the dismissal of his defamation lawsuit against NBC Universal and three reporters. The appeal notice was filed with the Seminole County Clerk of Courts. Judge Debra Nelson on...
Washington Insurance Judge Untruthful In Case, Inspector Says
Jul 28 2014 // An independent investigator says the state insurance office’s top administrative-law judge was misleading and untruthful when it came to a high-profile insurance case that ultimately led to her suspension in...
Hackers Pose High Terror Threat to U.S., Says 9/11 Panel
Jul 28 2014 // The terrorist threat against the U.S. remains dangerous 10 years after the 9/11 Commission issued its first report — only now the risk is greater online. In a report issued last week, panel members who studied the...
With Premium Refunds in Process, Washington Criticism of Flood Insurance Ebbs
Jul 28 2014 // Insurance agent, insurance carrier and real estate lobbyists praised federal regulators in charge of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) last week on Capitol Hill, agreeing that the process of issuing flood...
Rideshare Firm Lyft Works Out Deal to Operate in New York City
Jul 25 2014 // New York State officials announced today rideshare firm Lyft has agreed to operate in New York City in full compliance with existing laws and regulations. The announcement comes two weeks after the state’s attorney...
Penn. Public Utility Commission OKs Emergency Rideshare Permits in Pittsburgh
Jul 25 2014 // Pennsylvania’s Public Utility Commission approved emergency permits Thursday for two ride-sharing companies to operate in the Pittsburgh area. The PUC had previously obtained cease-and-desist orders — which the...
Judge Approves NCAA’s $60 Million Video Game Settlement
Jul 25 2014 // The National Collegiate Athletic Association and Electronic Arts Inc. won a judge’s preliminary approval of $60 million in settlements of athletes’ claims that their images were used in video games without...
Mass. Gov. OKs Bill Tying Required Flood Coverage Amount to Mortgage Balance
Jul 24 2014 // Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick on Wednesday signed into law legislation that prohibits creditors from requiring residential property owners to buy flood insurance in an amount that exceeds the balance of their mortgage...
