Latest Politics Headlines
All the headlines from our Politics Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Wash. Senate Passes Permanent Changes in Unemployment Insurance
Feb 15 2006 // Wash. Senate Democrats have approved a bill that would permanently change unemployment laws to pay out additional benefits to seasonal workers. The measure, which passed on a 25-22 vote, reverses the state’s move...
Iowa’s GOP Legislators Push Proposal to Cap Punitive Damage Awards
Feb 15 2006 // Republican legislative leaders in Iowa are hoping to cap excessive damage awards with a proposal that would slap a $500,000 limit on punitive damages assessed in medical malpractice lawsuits. Senate Republican President...
Ariz. Senate Considering Law to Protect Consumers’ Information
Feb 14 2006 // Members of the Arizona Senate are considering a bill designed to safeguard the personal information of Arizona residents. SB 1338, authored by Sen. John Huppenthal, R-HD 20, requires businesses to notify their customers if...
Va. House GOP Offers Transportation Plan Minus Tax Hikes
Feb 13 2006 // Virginia House Republicans have offered a $2 billion, four-year financing plan that is underwritten partly by daunting new fines on lead-footed drivers. It provides only about half the additional revenue for roads,...
Washington Senate Passes Emergency Readiness Bill
Feb 13 2006 // A measure to improve Washington’s emergency readiness passed the state Senate, after a lawmaker agreed to bend to insurance industry insistence that the $5.7 million needed come from the state and not a surcharge on...
Big ‘I’ Supports Senate Action on Flood Borrowing Authority
Feb 10 2006 // The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (the Big “I”) said it supports Friday’s Senate vote on a bill, S. 2275, which would extend the borrowing authority of the National Flood...
Insurers Urge Senate to Oppose Asbestos Trust Fund Bill
Feb 8 2006 // Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI), an industry organization comprised of more than 1,000 insurance companies, says it opposes S. 852, the Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution (FAIR) Act, calling the...
Colo. Senate Panel Backs Requiring Auto Insurers to Pay Medical Bills
Feb 3 2006 // Auto insurers would have to pay ambulance and emergency room bills in car accidents under a measure backed by a Colorado Senate panel. Officials for hospitals and ambulance services said someone needs to help them pay for...
Michigan Governor, Democrats Introduce Insurance Reform Package
Feb 1 2006 // Gov. Jennifer Granholm and Democratic legislators introduced a multi-bill insurance reform package this week that is designed to reduce insurance rates. The National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies said industry...
Democrats Propose Mandatory Flood Insurance, Development Limits
Jan 27 2006 // Citing the risks exposed by Hurricane Katrina, a group of California Assembly Democrats unveiled legislation that could block some development in flood-prone areas and require homeowners living on flood plains to have...
R.I. Senate Passes Beacon Mutual Bill
Jan 26 2006 // The Rhode Island Senate on a vote of 34-3 passed legislation to reduce the number of public appointees to the board of Beacon Mutual and free the state’s dominant workers’ compensation insurer to cover...
R.I. Senate to Vote on Beacon Mutual Bill Opposed by Governor Today
Jan 25 2006 // Legislation to amend the charter of the Beacon Mutual Insurance Co. to reduce the number of public appointees on the workers’ compensation carrier’s board and clear the way for it to write out-of-state accounts...
Senate Democrats Favor Expansion of Health Plan in Okla.
Jan 25 2006 // Expansion of a program that subsidizes employer health care costs is on Oklahoma Senate Democrats’ small business agenda for the upcoming legislative session. The Legislature last year enacted Gov. Brad Henry’s...
Mich. GOP Senator Sponsors Legislation that Rewards Healthy Habits
Jan 24 2006 // Exercising everyday and not smoking could bring more than good health to those who participate. In Michigan it could mean cost savings for Medicaid patients who sign on to a healthier lifestyle. On the premise that good...
Conn. Senate Democrats Eye Merger of Insurance and Banking Agencies
Jan 11 2006 // Senate Democratic leaders in Hartford have proposed several changes in state law they say will make Connecticut more business friendly. The proposals include merging the insurance and banking departments to “better...
Okla. Senate Sub-Committee to Hold Hearing on Rural Fire Department Funding Needs
Jan 9 2006 // The Oklahoma Senate Appropriations Sub-Committee on Natural Resources and Regulatory Services will hold a hearing Jan. 12, 2006, on the funding needs of rural fire departments in Oklahoma in the wake of the wildfires that...
Feds Promise Full Probe of Mine Disaster; Democrats Seek Hearings
Jan 6 2006 // The White House promised a full investigation of the West Virginia coal mine disaster that killed 12 people. Congressional Democrats called for hearings to look into both the safety record of the mining company and the...
SENATE BILLS
Dec 19 2005 // SB-1: Provides for registration of sex offenders in emergency housing, enhances penalties for failure to register, and requires re-registration under certain circumstances; SB-10: Provides for unemployment compensation...
Patriot Act Re-authorization Nixed by U.S. Senate
Dec 18 2005 // The life insurance industry had a stake in a decision made on Capitol Hill on Friday when the U. S. Senate refused to re-authorize major portions of the USA Patriot Act. Critics of the act complained they infringed too...
Pa. Senate Votes to Revive ‘Fair Share’ Lawsuit Reform Act
Dec 7 2005 // The Pennsylvania state Senate has voted to restore the “Fair Share Act” lawsuit reform in a 32-18 vote. State Sen. Jake Corman (R-34), the bill’s author, said that Senate Bill 435 brings Pennsylvania in...
