Florida Insurance Council - Covering Florida Since 1962
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel In an interesting twist, the Senate Rules Committee took up the House genetic testing bill, HB 879, instead of their own version of the bill which was more beneficial to the life insurance community. The Senate Committee was able to take up the House bill because the House sent…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel The Senate frozen formulary bill (SB 1180) by Sen. Mayfield (R) passed its last committee on April 23, 2019 with an amendment and an amendment to the amendment. The House bill is still in committee, so it is unclear how a frozen formulary bill will pass this Session. Under…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel On April 23, 2019, the House put their autonomous vehicle (AV) bill (HB 311) in position for a vote when it heard the bill on the House floor for the first time, adopted a strike all amendment (483839) to bring it closer to the Senate companion, and rolled 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 HB 673, the bill to equalize payment for long term care insolvencies by the Florida Life & Health Guaranty Association (FLAHIGA), will be voted on by the full House on April 24, 2019. It was heard on the House floor for the first time and rolled to third reading…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel SB 1476, the 10% per year rate increase limit that applies to all policyholders of Citizens Property Insurance Corporation (Citizens) will be reduced to 5% for the next two years for policyholders in Monroe County which includes the Florida Keys. The bill was approved on April 23, 2019 by…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel SB 1422 revises provisions relating to short-term limited duration insurance policies and the regulation of association health plans (AHPs). The bill passed its last committee on April 23, 2019 and will next be heard on the Senate floor. Senate Democrats questioned the bill sponsor, Sen. Gruters (R), about the…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel After eight years of trying, property insurance AOB reform is one vote away from passing and going to the Governor. The vote should take place tomorrow when the Senate will vote on the AOB bill sent to them by the House. Because the bill was not amended on the…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel Both the House and Senate autonomous vehicle (AV) bills are ready for the floor. HB 311, the House bill, is set for its first floor hearing on April 23, 2019. A strike all floor amendment (483839) has been filed to the House bill to bring it closer to the…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel SB 328 by Sen. Brandes (R) increases the jurisdictional threshold for county court, along with other changes to the court system. It passed its last Senate committee on April 18, 2019 with two amendments. Only one of the amendments related to the county court jurisdiction threshold. That amendment removed…