Florida Insurance Council - Covering Florida Since 1962
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel On April 17, 2019, the House heard their vulnerable investor protection bill (HB 143) on the floor, waived the rules to roll it to third reading, and voted on it. It passed by a vote of 117-0. SB 1466, the Senate companion, is in its last committee. Thus, the…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel A rule proposed by the Division of Workers’ Compensation (Division) to implement last year’s legislation authorizing first responders to receive workers’ compensation benefits for PTSD without a physical injury will likely be ratified this Session so that it can take effect. The House approved their rule ratification bill, HB…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel With the bill sponsoring saying the telehealth bill was still a “work in progress,” SB 1526 passed its second committee on April 16, 2019. A strike all amendment was adopted that made significant changes to bring the bill very close to the House telehealth bill (HB 23) that has…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel On April 16, 2019, the House and Senate both moved bills (HB 337 and SB SB 328) increasing the county court jurisdictional threshold. Each chamber also adopted amendments to their bills to delay the implementation of a county court jurisdictional threshold increase by six months – until January 1,…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel On April 11, 2019, the House passed the life insurance genetic testing prohibition bill (HB 879) with a vote of 88-26. The bill will now be sent to the Senate for consideration and approval. The bill essentially bans all use of genetic testing by life insurers, long-term care (LTC)…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel The House omnibus insurance bill (HB 301) was approved by the full House on April 11, 2019 by a vote of 114-0. There was no floor debate on the bill. One amendment was adopted to the bill before the vote. The amendment removed the name of the bill which…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel On April 11, 2019, the House passed their AOB bill without auto glass with a vote of 96-20. The CFO, who has been a champion for AOB reform, was on the House floor when the bill was called up for a vote. The bill will now be sent to…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel SB 626, the bill to equalize payment for long term care insolvencies by the Florida Life & Health Guaranty Association (FLAHIGA), passed its last Senate committee on April 11, 2019. It was not amended. The bill is patterned on the NAIC model act for funding long-term care insolvencies…