Latest Legislation Headlines
All the headlines from our Legislation Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Judge Orders Farmers Insurance to Pay Oklahoma Plaintiffs $15M
Mar 6 2014 // An Oklahoma judge has ordered Farmers Insurance and a subsidiary to pay a total of $15 million to three plaintiffs who filed claims for damage to their homes caused by a deadly tornado that struck Woodward in 2012. The...
Private Market Could Grow As Government Flood Insurance Prices Rise: Fitch
Mar 6 2014 // As federal subsidies for flood insurance are reduced and the cost of government provided insurance goes up, the demand for private flood coverage could also rise, according to Fitch Ratings. However, it remains to be seen...
House Passes Flood Insurance Bill; Key Senators Sign On
Mar 4 2014 // The U.S. House of Representatives Tuesday evening passed legislation to curb some of the premium increases in the nation’s flood insurance program that have been causing “sticker shock” for property...
Bill Subjecting Prescription Drugs to Trafficking Law Passes Oklahoma House
Mar 4 2014 // Individuals carrying large quantities of prescription drugs would face drug trafficking charges under legislation approved unanimously by the Oklahoma House of Representatives. House Bill 2589 by State Rep. Pat Ownbey,...
Only 2 Inspectors Monitor Asbestos-Removal Projects in Iowa
Mar 4 2014 // Two inspectors are responsible for making sure thousands of asbestos removal projects are being properly handled in Iowa each year. The Des Moines Register reports that the lack of inspections at asbestos removal projects...
Court Rules BP Must Honor Terms of $9.2 Billion Oil Spill Settlement
Mar 3 2014 // BP Plc must abide by terms of a $9.2 billion settlement it reached with victims of the 2010 oil spill, a federal appeals court ruled in rejecting the company’s objections that the deal is being misinterpreted by the...
Court Rulings Against Speeding Cameras Mount in Ohio
Mar 3 2014 // The speeding cameras have gone dark in another Ohio community, the latest turned off by a string of court rulings against automated traffic enforcement. A Butler County judge last week ordered the village of New Miami to...
New Wisconsin Lemon Law Limits Time to Seek Damages
Mar 3 2014 // If the vehicle you just bought turns out to be a lemon, you’ll have less time in Wisconsin to seek damages from the manufacturer and you won’t get as much money. The restrictions that went into effect on March...
West Virginia Lawmakers Amend Chemical Spill Bill As Session Nears End
Mar 3 2014 // As time ticks away, West Virginia lawmakers are suggesting another face-lift for a bill that would tighten aboveground storage tank regulations and safeguard water systems against chemical spills. The House of Delegates...
BP Can’t See Documents from Probe Into Lawyers, Judge Says
Mar 3 2014 // BP is not entitled to see confidential documents used by a court-appointed investigator who has alleged that some attorneys acted improperly in the claims process arising from the 2010 Gulf oil spill, a federal judge ruled...
AG Coakley Testifies in Support of Flood Insurance Bill in Massachusetts
Feb 28 2014 // Concerned that increased insurance rates caused by new flood zone maps will “tip the balance” for homeowners who weathered the economic downturn but are still feeling its effects, Massachusetts Attorney General...
Missouri Housed Endorses Bill Limiting Medical Malpractice Awards
Feb 28 2014 // Seeking to sidestep a court ruling, the Missouri House endorsed legislation that attempts to reinstate limits on the amount of money people can receive from medical malpractice lawsuits. The bill given initial approval...
Dog Bite Liability Measure Advances in Maryland Senate
Feb 28 2014 // Maryland’s Senate advanced a measure on Wednesday that would hold dog owners liable for bites, but protect those who can prove they didn’t know their dog was dangerous. The bill, which could get a vote in the...
Texas Judge Rules Against Armstrong in Fight over Insured Bonuses
Feb 27 2014 // A Texas judge has rejected Lance Armstrong’s request to stop an arbitration panel from reviewing $12 million in bonuses the cyclist was paid before admitting he used performance-enhancing drugs. Judge Tonya Parker...
Seattle Mayor Warns of Uber Crackdown
Feb 27 2014 // Uber Technologies Inc. and other taxi services that let people summon drivers by smartphone might be shut down in Seattle if they don’t carry more insurance, Mayor Ed Murray said. “They have to start accepting...
Supreme Court Allows Stanford Fraud Suits by Investors; Willis Among Defendants
Feb 27 2014 // Victims of R. Allen Stanford’s $7 billion Ponzi scheme can sue outside companies, including insurance broker Willis and law firms, alleged to have played a role in the fraud, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled, dealing a...
South Dakota Bill Calls for Amusement Ride Regulation
Feb 26 2014 // The president of the Thunder Road attractions is behind a bill to further regulate amusement rides in South Dakota. Organization president and Republican Sen. Al Novstrup of Aberdeen co-sponsored the measure. The South...
Alabama Governor Backs Restrictions on Tanning by Teens
Feb 26 2014 // Alabama’s physician governor plans to sign legislation to put Alabama among a growing number of states enacting restrictions on teenagers using tanning salons. The Legislature gave final approval to a bill last...
Mass. AG Voices Support for Federal Legislation to Address Patent Trolls
Feb 25 2014 // Alleging that patent trolls stifle innovation and harm the economy, Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley joined 41 other states Monday in submitting a letter to two Senate committees voicing support for federal...
OSHA Denies Plans to Increase Oversight of Small Farms
Feb 25 2014 // Facing pressure from Congress, the Obama administration has made clear it has no intention of increasing workplace regulations for the country’s smallest farms. In a letter to members of Congress dated Feb. 10, a...
