Florida Insurance Council - Covering Florida Since 1962
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel HB 33 changes the current enforcement of the ban on texting while driving from secondary to primary offense which allows a law enforcement officer to stop a vehicle solely for texting while driving. The bill passed the House on March 1, 2018 by a vote of 112-2. It now…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel A bill requiring insurers to include a specific disclosure with property insurance policy documents stating that the policy does not cover flood damage is poised to pass. HB 1011 passed the House on February 14, 2018 and was sent to the Senate for consideration. On March 1,…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel The House passed the pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) bill (HB 351) on March 1, 2018 by a vote of 115-0. The bill is a compromise between the health insurance industry, the pharmacy industry and the PBMs. The Senate bill, SB 1494, will be heard in its last…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel On March 1, 2018, the Senate telehealth bill, SB 280, was heard on the Senate floor on special order and rolled to third reading. A technical amendment was adopted to correct the title of the bill. The Senate will vote on the bill on March 2, 2018, the…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel HB 1073, the Department of Financial Services (DFS) agency bill with changes to MGA licensure, exchange of business, life agent, and other insurance laws, passed the House on March 1, 2018 by a vote of 113-0. The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration and approval. The Senate…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel A bill allowing auto organizations to condition insurance on membership in the organization is in position to pass this year. HB 533 passed the House on January 31, 2018 by a vote of 110-0 and was sent to the Senate. The Senate companion bill, SB 756 passed its…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel The Senate construction defect statute of repose bill, SB 536 passed its last committee on March 1, 2018 without amendment. The House previously passed their bill (HB 875) with a vote of 112-0 and sent it to the Senate. Thus, the bill is in a good position to pass.…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel A bill allowing insurers and insurance agents to give additional types of promotional and advertising gifts and changing the amount of these gifts to $100/year rather than $25/gift is poised for passage this year. The bill passed the House on February 14, 2018, HB 483 with a vote of…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel The first responder workers’ compensation PTSD bill (SB 376) will be heard on the Senate floor on March 2, 2018 after clearing the Rules Committee on March 1, 2018 without amendment. The House companion bill, HB 227, has cleared all its assigned committees. Thus, the bill is in good…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel Bills reenacting and saving from repeal the public records exemption in current law for proprietary business information provided by insurers in the private market to Citizens Property Insurance Corporation for use in the Citizens Clearinghouse are ready to be heard on the House and Senate floors. We anticipate the…