Latest Legislation Headlines
All the headlines from our Legislation Topic Page, ordered by recency.
State Farm Pulling Out of Florida Property Insurance Market
Jan 27 2009 // Florida is losing its largest property insurance company. State Farm Florida Insurance announced today it is beginning the process that will allow it to non-renew policies and halt all sales of homeowners or other...
Texas Lawmaker Proposes More Tax Exemptions for Small Businesses
Jan 27 2009 // Texas State Rep. Brandon Creighton has filed HB 720 to give more small businesses an exemption from the state business tax. Current law exempts businesses with revenue under $300,000 and gives discounts to those who make...
Alabama Judge Upholds Chemist’s $192 Million Award in Patent Theft Case
Jan 26 2009 // Global chemical giant Ineos Phenol, stung by a $192 million jury verdict, has denied stealing a hazardous waste recycling idea from a Mobile chemist and said it would appeal a judge’s order upholding the...
Lobbyist, Committee Consultant Joins California Insurance Association Staff
Jan 26 2009 // Mark Sektnan, a veteran Sacramento, Calif., lobbyist and committee consultant, joined The Association of California Insurance Companies’ (ACIC) staff as vice president with primary responsibility for advocacy of...
Retired Pennsylvania Judge Wants Fraud Conviction Dismissed
Jan 26 2009 // A retired Pennsylvania Superior Court judge wants a federal judge to reverse his conviction or entirely dismiss insurance fraud charges stemming from $440,000 he collected in an August 2001 traffic accident. Attorneys for...
Lawmakers May Intervene in La. Insurance Department Audit Dispute
Jan 26 2009 // An ongoing dispute between the Louisiana’s legislative auditor and insurance commissioner is marring Louisiana’s ability to certify its year-end financial statements. Lawmakers on the joint House and Senate...
Florida Signals 6.4% Workers’ Comp Rate Hike to Pay For Court Ruling
Jan 26 2009 // Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty said that he would approve a rate filing to increase Florida’s workers’ compensation insurance rates by 6.4 percent to be effective April 1 for new and renewal...
North Dakota Could Back Tougher Teen Driving Laws
Jan 25 2009 // North Dakota lawmakers strongly support toughening state laws that govern teenage drivers, and many favor raising the state’s 14-year-old minimum driving age, an Associated Press survey shows. Insurance Commissioner...
Change and Protect
Jan 25 2009 // Change is coming to Washington and to the NAIC but hopefully it’s change that will largely protect the status quo when it comes to insurance regulation. Last spring, we took it upon ourselves to urge the National...
Declarations
Jan 25 2009 // Name Change “While this name change reflects our vision for today and the future, it also brings into focus our long and rich history in this state.” —The Springfield-based Professional Independent Insurance...
Louisiana Ranks Highly in Highway Safety Report
Jan 25 2009 // A report recently released by the Washington, D.C.-based Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety included Louisiana in list of 15 states to have made progress in enacting key highway safety laws. Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas...
They’re Baaaaack!
Jan 25 2009 // The lawmakers are back, at least in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas. Louisiana has to wait until April for the pleasure. For now, though, bars and restaurants in Little Rock, Oklahoma City and Austin will rejoice in the...
Declarations
Jan 25 2009 // Political Citizens “We probably would have hoped they would have gone further than they did but these are very substantive recommendations and given the politics, these are tough issues.” —Sam Miller, chief...
Montana Lawmakers Look at Limiting Recreational Liability
Jan 25 2009 // Montana’s recreation businesses said they need better protection from lawsuits because of high insurance costs. The House Judiciary Committee is considering a bill that would limit the liability of the businesses and...
New Fines for Minor Insurance Code Violations
Jan 25 2009 // A new bill that took effect in January allows the California Department of Insurance to issue monetary citations against insurance brokers and agents for minor Insurance Code violations. Existing Law Under the existing...
Continuing Financial Crisis Leads to Vacant Properties, Vulnerable to Vandalism, Metal Theft
Jan 25 2009 // Brooklyn, N.Y. — Thieves who broke the locks on an unoccupied apartment building stripped the entire building of its copper piping, valued at more than $30,000. Las Vegas — The entire electrical system,...
Idaho City Approves New Law for Vicious Dogs
Jan 23 2009 // The American Falls, Idaho, City Council is cracking down on the owners of dogs that attack humans or other animals inside city limits. The council approved a new ordinance that gives police authority to issue a misdemeanor...
Lawmakers Press Treasury Nominee to Boost Federal Oversight of Insurance
Jan 23 2009 // Seven U.S. lawmakers Friday urged Treasury Secretary nominee Timothy Geithner to boost federal oversight of insurance companies, a long-held goal of much — although not all — of the insurance...
Minnesota Committee Chair Pushes for Primary Seat Belt Law
Jan 22 2009 // The chairman of the Minnesota Senate Transportation Committee says 2009 should be the year when Minnesota passes legislation to allow authorities to ticket any motorist for not buckling up. The so-called primary seat belt...
California Insurance Commissioner Seeks Disability Changes
Jan 21 2009 // For the second time in two months, Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner is being accused by his predecessor, Lt. Gov. John Garamendi, of proposing regulation changes that will weaken consumer protections. The latest...
