Florida Insurance Council - Covering Florida Since 1962
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel On April 19, 2017, the full House passed the comprehensive workers’ compensation reform bill, HB 7085 with a vote of 82-37, mainly along party lines. The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration. The Senate companion bill, SB 1582, was heard in its last committee on April 19,…
By: Greenberg Traurig, FIC Lobbyist House Commerce approved a proposed committee bill for HB 1421 by Rep. Jamie Grant (R-Tampa) and Rep. Rene Plasencia (R-Titusville) on Wednesday. The measure was approved on a vote of 21 to 8 with Democrats voting against it. Rep. Richard Stark (D-Weston) was the lone Democrat casting a favorable vote.…
By: Greenberg Traurig, FIC Lobbyist Following several attempts in previous legislative sessions, HB 221 by Rep. Chris Sprowls (R-Clearwater) passed the Senate on Wednesday and is heading to the Governor. The bill, which establishes a regulatory framework for these entities and sets up various insurance coverage requirements, was approved on a vote of 36 to…
By: Sam Miller, FIC Consultant St. Petersburg Sen. Jeff Brandes told the Florida Senate, matter-of-factly: “This is the transportation network companies bill we have been debating the last four years. That’s the bill.” Although members knew a lot more about the often turbulent issue, that understatement was all that was necessary for a 36-1 vote…
By: Sam Miller, FIC Consultant The Florida Senate approved 37-0 on April 19 a bill (CS/SB 404), ratifying the 2016 manuals on workers’ compensation reimbursement levels for hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers. The House must also ratify the allowances if they are to take effect. The Senate-passed legislation will be sent to the House for…
By: Sam Miller, FIC Consultant A bill sought by Nationwide Insurance Group and others to make it easier to transfer homeowners policies to an affiliated company was approved 38-0 by the Florida Senate April 19 and will soon go to Governor Rick Scott. The bill (CS/CS/HB 805) had cleared the House 113-0 on March 30.…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel The House Commerce Committee approved HB 1191, the medication synchronization bill, on April 19, 2017 with one amendment. The bill has now cleared all its committees and will be heard on the House floor when set by the Rules Committee. The Senate companion bill, SB 800, will be heard…
By: Sam Miller, FIC Consultant SB 1012 Investigative and Forensic Services — by BrandesHB 1007 Insurer Anti-Fraud Efforts — by RascheinAmendment 252571 [PDF] Raschein A Senate Appropriations subcommittee on April 18 approved the main insurance fraud package which has been under development by the Department of Financial Services. It expands insurance fraud reporting and investigations.…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel With Rep. Grall, the bill sponsor, calling the bill a paradigm shift and telling House members that prior attempts to fix personal injury protection (PIP) have not decreased fraud or rates, the bill to repeal PIP and replace with mandatory bodily injury (BI) insurance moved one step closer to…
By: Sam Miller, FIC Consultant SB 888 Prescription Drug Price Transparency — by Bean Legislation expanding MyFloridaRx, the state Internet site allowing consumers to compare prices for prescription drugs, was approved by the Senate Health & Human Services Appropriations Committee April 18. It now goes to the Appropriations Committee and, after that, probably the full…