Latest Legislation Headlines
All the headlines from our Legislation Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Florida Gov. Scott Signs Flood Insurance, Credit Claims, Parasailing Bills
Jun 16 2014 // Florida Gov. Rick Scott signed into law on Friday dozens of measures covering everything from flood insurance, electronic cigarettes and parasailing. The Republican governor, who has been holding re-election campaign...
Judge Sets May 2015 Date for BP Investors’ Suit Over Oil Spill
Jun 16 2014 // A U.S. judge set a May 2015 trial date on Friday for BP Plc to face claims in a lawsuit accusing the company of misleading investors about the severity of the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. U.S. District Judge Keith...
West Virginia Storage Tank Rules Make Some Fear Citizen Lawsuits
Jun 16 2014 // Industry groups are jittery that if state regulators require the wrong type of permit, companies could be subject to citizen lawsuits under a new environmental law that regulates storage tanks. State regulators disagree,...
Best to Endorse Selected Ratings outside EU for Regulatory Use
Jun 16 2014 // A.M. Best Europe – Rating Services Limited (AMBERS) has confirmed that it has notified the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) that, effective immediately, “AMBERS intends to endorse selected...
N.H. Gov. Hassan to Appoint Workers’ Comp Task Force
Jun 16 2014 // N.H. Gov. Maggie HassanN.H. Gov. Maggie Hassan announced on May 22 that she plans to appoint a task force “of workers, businesses, insurers and members of the health care community” to make recommendations to...
Ohio Requires Seismic Monitors in New Drilling Operations
Jun 16 2014 // The New Policy May Be Good for Drillers and Insurers, Alike Ohio in mid-April 2014 enacted stricter regulations for oil and gas drilling near faults or areas of past seismic activity, a move that some, including insurers,...
Illinois Passes Rideshare Legislation with Insurance Component
Jun 16 2014 // The Illinois Legislature has passed legislation that provides for regulating transportation networking companies (TNCs) and closing insurance gaps, according to the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America...
Judge Allows Lawsuit Against LinkedIn Over Use of Email Addresses
Jun 15 2014 // A federal judge said LinkedIn Corp. must face a lawsuit by customers who claimed it violated their privacy by accessing their external email accounts, downloading their contacts’ email addresses and soliciting...
Court Rules Searchable Database Is ‘Fair Use’ of Copyrighted Books
Jun 15 2014 // Universities and research libraries that created a searchable online database for millions of books did not violate copyright protections belonging to authors whose works were scanned, a U.S. appeals court ruled last...
California Commissioner Likes Proposed Rideshare Regulations
Jun 12 2014 // California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones on Thursday gave a thumbs up to regulations proposed by California Public Utility Commission President Michael Peevey, which seeks broader commercial insurance coverage for...
Proposed Environmental Rules in N.J. Would Ease Some Coastal Development
Jun 12 2014 // In its first major rewrite of coastal protection rules since Superstorm Sandy, New Jersey is proposing changes that would make it easier for some new or expanded development along the Jersey shore and the state’s...
Judge Allows Coal Ash Suit Against Duke Energy in North Carolina
Jun 12 2014 // A federal judge says a lawsuit accusing Duke Energy coal ash pits of polluting a lake near Wilmington can move forward. The Southern Environmental Law Center filed a lawsuit last year on behalf of environmental groups,...
Financial Firms Fear Hensarling May Fill Gap Left by Cantor’s Exit
Jun 11 2014 // Wall Street could count on Eric Cantor to take its side in the U.S. Congress. It won’t have the same luck with a top lawmaker in line to replace him. House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling, who...
California Regulators Want Insurers to Speed Up Ridesharing Policies
Jun 11 2014 // The California Public Utilities Commission wants the insurance industry to get off its duff and start creating some products to offer to ridesharing drivers. A proposal issued by CPUC on Tuesday further defines ridesharing...
New Missouri Laws Expand Paperless Options, Insurance Protections
Jun 11 2014 // Under new laws signed by Gov. Jay Nixon, Missourians now have more paperless options when receiving policy information from their insurance companies, and commercial property owners will see expanded insurance protections,...
Judge Approves $1.6M Settlement in South Carolina Train Crash
Jun 11 2014 // A judge has approved a $1.6 million settlement for people injured and killed in the 2011 crash of a children’s train ride at a Spartanburg park. Authorities say it will be split among the more than two dozen victims,...
Businesses Lobby Delaware to Keep ‘Loser Pays’ Option in Shareholder Suits
Jun 11 2014 // Big business is lobbying Delaware lawmakers for corporate bylaws to shift legal fees to shareholders who sue and lose, which legal experts say could curtail a booming type of investor class actions. An affiliate of the...
Wal-Mart Trucker Had Not Slept in 24 Hours Before N.J. Morgan Crash: Complaint
Jun 10 2014 // A Wal-Mart Stores Inc. truck driver went at least 24 hours without sleep before his tractor-trailer crashed into a limousine, critically injuring actor-comedian Tracy Morgan and killing another entertainer, according to a...
Federal Appeals Court Rules Bonus Payout for WTC Site Workers Premature
Jun 9 2014 // A judge acted prematurely in awarding a $55 million bonus payment to thousands of rescue and cleanup workers at the World Trade Center site who settled lawsuits against New York City over damage to their health, a federal...
Michigan House Vote Would Allow Fewer Lawsuits Against Insurers
Jun 9 2014 // The Michigan House has passed legislation blocking certain insurance lawsuits under the Michigan Consumer Protection Act. Consumers were prevented from suing insurance companies for fraud under the act starting in 2001....
