Latest Legislation Headlines
All the headlines from our Legislation Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Alabama Coastal Residents Bracing for Major Flood Insurance Increases
Jul 30 2013 // Flood maps aren’t due out for Alabama until next December, but the specter of rising flood insurance premiums is undeniable. Congress, seeking to undo the damage done to the National Flood Insurance Program after...
Judge Says Bernanke Should Testify in Greenberg’s Suit Against Bailout
Jul 29 2013 // A U.S. judge said Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke should be required to testify in the lawsuit by the former chief of American International Group Inc., Maurice “Hank” Greenberg, against the United States...
Aon UK Hosts Operational Risk Modeling Discussion with Bank of England
Jul 29 2013 // Aon UK Limited, the UK arm of Aon plc, which in addition to traditional insurance activities, also provides risk management, human resource consulting and outsourcing expertise, welcomed over 60 senior risk executives from...
Senate Bill Gives Federal Reserve Flexibility on Systemically Important Insurers
Jul 26 2013 // A bipartisan group of U.S. senators is introducing legislation that would give the Federal Reserve more flexibility in regulating systemically important insurance companies such as American International Group Inc. The...
Judge Blocks Lawsuits Challenging Detroit Bankruptcy
Jul 26 2013 // A federal judge has agreed with Detroit, Mich., and stopped any lawsuits challenging the city’s bankruptcy, declaring his courtroom the exclusive venue for legal action in the largest filing by a local government in...
Tulsa Insurer Files Defamation Lawsuit Against Former Lawmaker
Jul 26 2013 // A Tulsa, Okla., insurance company has filed a defamation lawsuit against former board member and state Rep. Wayne Pettigrew. In the lawsuit, First Trinity Financial Corp. claimed that Pettigrew made false and defamatory...
Former North Carolina Lawmaker Sues Driver, Bar Over Crash
Jul 25 2013 // A former North Carolina legislator who was seriously injured in a 2011 car crash is suing the estate of the man killed in the accident as well as the bar which he says served the victim too much alcohol. The Winston-Salem...
Kansas Fire Marshal Pushing for Stronger Explosives Regulations
Jul 24 2013 // The Kansas Fire Marshal is drawing fire for his efforts to reinstate oversight of the explosive industry in the state. The fire marshal lost legal authority to issue permits to explosive industry operators in 2010, when an...
Oklahoma House Dem Leader: Tort Reform Special Session ‘Waste of Time’
Jul 24 2013 // Getting Oklahoma lawmakers to return for a special session to address a civil lawsuit bill ruled unconstitutional by the courts is a “waste of time and money,” the House Democratic leader said. Rep. Scott Inman...
NCAA Asks Judge to Toss Paterno Suit Over Sandusky Fine
Jul 24 2013 // The National Collegiate Athletic Association asked a judge to dismiss a lawsuit by Joe Paterno’s family challenging penalties levied against Pennsylvania State University and its football program over the Jerry...
S&P: ‘Systemically Important’ Designations Could Trigger Restructurings of Global Insurers
Jul 24 2013 // New requirements that will be imposed on insurers that the Group of 20’s Financial Stability Board has designated to be global systemically important insurers (G-SII) may motivate restructurings of these companies...
Florida Supreme Court Rules Replacement Cost Includes Contractor’s Profit
Jul 24 2013 // Florida’s high court has ruled that insurers under a 2008 law must pay a contractor’s overhead and profit as part of the expense of repairing a homeowner’s property despite the fact the repairs may not...
Commentary: R.I. Court’s Ruling on Self-Insured Retentions in Med-Mal Policies
Jul 23 2013 // In a surprising decision, the Rhode Island Supreme Court held that a self-insured retention (SIR) endorsement in a nursing facility’s professional liability policy was void. However, the Court’s ruling is broad...
House Lawmakers Introduce Patent Reform Bill
Jul 23 2013 // Two U.S. lawmakers introduced legislation on Monday to give companies another tool to fight lawsuits brought by companies that specialize in patent litigation. Their bill would broaden the power of the U.S. Patent and...
Judge Dismisses Faulkner Estate’s Copyright Claim Against Woody Allen Movie
Jul 23 2013 // A federal judge in Mississippi has dismissed a lawsuit claiming that Woody Allen’s 2011 film “Midnight in Paris” improperly used one of William Faulkner’s most famous lines. Faulkner Literary Rights...
Sheffield to Lead Missouri’s Captive Insurance Program
Jul 23 2013 // Missouri Department of Insurance has named Maria Sheffield as its new captive program manager. Sheffield has 17 years of insurance regulatory experience as an accomplished attorney and former insurance regulator. Sheffield...
R.I. Enacts Auto Body Repair Bill; Industry Group Expresses Disappointment
Jul 22 2013 // Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee recently signed into law a bill (HB 5263/SB 465) that would prevent insurers from declaring a vehicle a total loss if the vehicle can be restored to its pre-accident condition at a cost...
Hawaii Supreme Court Rules on Wrongful Death Suit
Jul 22 2013 // Ala Moana Center had a duty to care for a woman who died after getting stuck in an exhaust duct, even though she was trespassing on the roof, the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled. But the opinion also affirms parts of a lower...
The Ever-Evolving Cyber Laws
Jul 22 2013 // There is a wide array of state, federal, and international laws requiring individuals and entities that gather, use and secure “personal” or “protected” information to report, and/or...
Bill Would Restore Glass-Steagall Wall Between Banks, Insurers
Jul 22 2013 // A small bipartisan group of U.S. senators has introduced legislation to restore the wall separating traditional banking activity from riskier financial services. The bill, called the 21st Century Glass-Steagall Act, shows...
