Latest Legislation Headlines
All the headlines from our Legislation Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Arkansas Insurance Commissioner Seeks Exchange Support
Sep 28 2011 // Arkansas’ top insurance official has asked lawmakers to support the state’s application for a nearly $3.8 million grant to plan for creating an insurance marketplace under the health care law, money that Gov....
Judge Narrows $1B Madoff Case vs. N.Y. Mets Owners
Sep 28 2011 // A federal judge narrowed a $1 billion lawsuit against owners of the New York Mets baseball team by the trustee seeking money for Bernard Madoff’s victims, and cast skepticism on how much might ultimately be...
One Frustrated Florida County Tackles Auto Insurance Fraud On Its Own
Sep 27 2011 // One county in Florida has decided not to wait on state lawmakers’ promise to address the insurance fraud and fix the state’s automobile no-fault law. It has passed its own ordinance to crack down on fraudulent...
Pennsylvania Liquor Tax Should Go to Disaster Relief Fund: Lawmaker
Sep 27 2011 // A western Pennsylvania lawmaker is proposing to divert some of the money from the “Johnstown Flood Tax” on alcohol back to its original purpose — flood and other disaster relief. Sen. John Wozniak, D-Cambria,...
Citing Scope of 9/11, N.Y. Judge Tosses WTC Suit
Sep 26 2011 // In tossing out a negligence lawsuit, a judge last Friday cited the “strange, improbable” events that destroyed a 47-story World Trade Center building a decade ago on Sept. 11, several hours after the 110-story...
Senate Poised to Defeat House Spending, Disaster Aid Bill
Sep 23 2011 // With aid to disaster victims running out, the U.S. Senate Democratic leader Friday vowed to hold a quick vote to defeat a House-passed spending bill, clearing the way for negotiations to avoid a government shutdown. Senate...
Insurer Group NAMIC Names Illinois Rep. Biggert ‘Legislator of Year’
Sep 21 2011 // The National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC) presented the Federal Legislator of the Year Award to U.S. Rep. Judy Biggert, R-Ill., at its annual convention in Indianapolis. ‘Rep. Biggert is a...
Google Urges Judge Reject Oracle’s $2.2B Patent Damages Claim
Sep 21 2011 // Google Inc. urged a federal judge to reject an Oracle Corp expert’s recommendation that it pay more than $2.2 billion for infringing on patents for Java technology used in the Android operating system. U.S. District...
Kentucky Tries to Find Amish Buggies Compromise
Sep 21 2011 // A western Kentucky lawmaker is trying to find a compromise in the debate over a law that requires slow-moving vehicles to display a reflective triangle, a requirement that Amish men say infringes on their religious...
Bill Would Funnel Fines Paid by BP to Gulf States
Sep 21 2011 // U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss) say they are hopeful that a key Senate committee will this week approve legislation to direct a significant portion of federal fines paid by BP for the...
Alabama Special Session on Home Insurance Possible in January
Sep 19 2011 // The special legislative session that Gov. Robert Bentley has promised on the affordability and availability of homeowners insurance could come in early 2012. The governor and the chairman of his insurance commission said a...
New Patent Reform Law Aims to Reduce Backlog, Curb Lawsuits
Sep 19 2011 // President Barack Obama signed into law a patent overhaul bill Friday that backers say will curb frivolous lawsuits and help the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office do the hiring needed to clear a huge backlog of...
People
Sep 19 2011 // XL Insurance has made six key appointments to its North America Construction team. The latest additions to XL Insurance’s North America construction team include: Lawrence Lejfer — Vice president and senior...
Mass. Court Rules on Joint Employment Under Workers’ Comp
Sep 19 2011 // Two employers can be held jointly responsible for workers’ compensation benefits for an injured worker whom they both classified as an independent contractor, a Massachusetts court has ruled. The Massachusetts...
N.Y. Agents Appeal Compensation Disclosure Ruling
Sep 19 2011 // Two agent groups in New York have filed a formal appeal of a trial court ruling that upheld a controversial state regulation requiring insurance producers to disclose their compensation. The Independent Insurance Agents...
Judge in Louisiana Won’t Stop State Health Insurance Contracts
Sep 16 2011 // A Baton Rouge, La., judge has refused to block the state from signing contracts with three private insurance companies chosen to take part in Louisiana’s new health-care delivery system for the poor. In a separate...
Business Lobby Looks to Soften Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
Sep 16 2011 // The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has put reshaping a U.S. anti-bribery law near the top of its legislative wish list, setting up a battle pitting the powerful business lobby group against supporters of the statute who say it...
Florida’s Citizens Faces Critics at Public Hearing Over Sinkhole Rates
Sep 14 2011 // Florida homeowners came by the hundreds in cars and buses to speak out against the state-backed property insurer’s plan to increase sinkhole rates by an average 429 percent. At an unprecedented public hearing in...
Illinois Lawmakers on Exchange Panel Get Insurance Funds
Sep 14 2011 // The insurance industry is handing out cash to lawmakers who will play pivotal roles in setting up Illinois’ health-benefits exchange. The exchange is supposed to make health insurance more affordable for consumers...
Judge Weighs Family’s Wrongful Death Claim Against U of Mississippi Football
Sep 14 2011 // A Hinds County judge says he will rule soon on a motion by the University of Mississippi to move a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of a former Ole Miss football player to Lafayette County. Arguments were heard...
