Latest Legislation Headlines

All the headlines from our Legislation Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Hank You Very Much

Oct 6 2008 // These are historic times. The country and the world are learning the hard way how intertwined the insurance industry is with the global economy. A respected private insurer — American International Group —...

Insurers Need to Beware of Business ‘Red Flags’

Oct 6 2008 // Identity Theft Rules to Take Effect on November 1 New federal “Red Flag” regulations will soon require businesses of all sizes to have identity theft and data breach protections in place. By Nov. 1, 2008, the...

Hank You Very Much

Oct 6 2008 // These are historic times. The country and the world are learning the hard way how intertwined the insurance industry is with the global economy. A respected private insurer — American International Group — called too...

Lessons Learned from the AIG Crisis

Oct 6 2008 // Insurance Journal‘s exclusive “AIG in Crisis Survey” asked independent agents: What insurance, management, economic, regulatory or other lessons the industry and public should learn from AIG’s...

State Regulators Blast Federal Regulation Advocates Over AIG

Oct 6 2008 // State insurance commissioners have lashed out at members of Congress who are blaming state regulation for the problems of American International Group (AIG) and using the AIG crisis to bolster their advocacy for federal...

ID Theft Insurance: Oasis or Mirage?

Oct 6 2008 // Is It Worth Recommending to Valued Agency Clients? A client concerned about identity theft might consider moving to the Dakotas. It’s best to stay away, however, from Arizona, California, Nevada, Texas, Florida and...

Alabama Judge Stops 2-year System Employee Plan

Oct 3 2008 // A Montgomery, Ala. circuit court judge barred the two-year college system from changing the classification of 140 employees in a way that would remove their tenure benefits. Post-secondary officials sought to move the...

President Bush Signs $700 Billion Wall Street Bailout Bill

Oct 3 2008 // The House of Representatives voted 263-171 to pass a $700 billion Wall Street rescue bill and sent it to President Bush, who signed it into law this afternoon. The Senate passed the measure earlier this week. The House had...

New York Judge: Nibble on Cinema Popcorn at Own Risk

Oct 2 2008 // Movie munchers beware! A New York judge says popcorn purchasers worried about breaking a tooth on unpopped kernels should nibble carefully — or eat something else. Insurance broker Steve Kaplan says he encountered a...

California Governor Vetoes Workers’ Comp Legislation

Oct 2 2008 // California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has vetoed three bills he said would have interfered with the state’s workers’ compensation system. SB 1115 Permanent Disability Apportionment would have prohibited...

Pennsylvania Ex-Judge Spent Insurance Money on House, Hot Tub

Oct 1 2008 // Federal prosecutors say retired Pennsylvania Superior Court Judge Michael Joyce spent $440,000 in insurance money on a new house, hot tub, motorcycle, jewelry and cosmetic surgery for a woman he has since married. Joyce is...

New York Signs Regulatory Pact with Bermuda

Sep 30 2008 // Insurance regulators in New York and Bermuda have signed an agreement that calls for closer cooperation between the two agencies in overseeing insurance matters. New York State Insurance Superintendent Eric Dinallo and...

President Bush Urges Congress to Act After Bailout Bill Failure

Sep 30 2008 // President Bush Tuesday said the U.S. economy was depending on decisive action from the government on a financial bailout plan or the economic damage could be “painful and lasting.” “I assure our citizens...

Michigan Doctors Back Bills to Report Unfit Drivers

Sep 29 2008 // Dr. Paul Cullis of Michigan says most patients who have had seizures or blackouts get the message loud and clear: Don’t drive for six months. But some get behind the wheel anyway, not waiting to see if their...

Consumer Groups Urge California to Approve Auto Repair Fraud Legislation

Sep 29 2008 // The Center for Auto Safety, Consumer Action and Consumers Union are united in urging California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to sign Assembly Bill AB 2825, designed to protect motorists from auto body repair fraud. The...

House Rejects Wall Street Bailout in Surprise 228-205 Vote

Sep 29 2008 // U.S. lawmakers rejected a $700 billion bailout plan for the financial industry in a shock vote that sent global markets sliding as the world credit crisis claimed more banks. By a vote of 228-to-205 the House rejected a...

President Bush: Bailout Helps Protect Economy from Breakdown

Sep 28 2008 // President Bush said Sunday the $700 billion financial bailout being finalized by Congress would help protect the U.S. economy from a “system-wide breakdown” and expressed confidence it would be approved...

California Approves Legislation To Transform Workers’ Comp Insurer

Sep 26 2008 // Calif. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed legislation to help transform the Golden State’s workers’ compensation insurer, the State Compensation Insurance Fund. Assembly Bill 1874 and Senate Bill 1145 are an...

N. D. Candidate for Commissioner Proposes “Revolving Door” Law

Sep 26 2008 // A lawmaker and Democratic candidate for North Dakota insurance commissioner says a commissioner should not be focusing on another job in the industry while holding office. Rep. Jasper Schneider, D-Fargo, is proposing to...

Lawmakers to Tackle Wall Street Bailout Plan Again Today

Sep 26 2008 // U.S. congressional leaders will try again on Friday to save a $700 billion Wall Street rescue plan after talks broke down in acrimony against the backdrop of the nation’s biggest-ever bank failure. As negotiations...