Florida Insurance Council - Covering Florida Since 1962
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel Language expanding workers’ compensation coverage for firefighters diagnosed with cancer has been put on the state employee benefits bill that deals with state employee retirement, health insurance, and pay raises HB 7030. This bill has been worked out between President Negron and Speaker Corcoran and contains priorities of each,…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel The Senate bill to protect claimant information from being obtained by attorneys for solicitation purposes passed its last committee on April 25, 2017. The bill, SB 1008 was amended by the Rules Committee. The amendment primarily made technical and stylistic changes to the bill. Generally, the bill prevents…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel Language expanding workers’ compensation coverage for firefighters diagnosed with cancer has been put on multiple bills in the Senate. The bills do not all have identical language. Language dealing with firefighters diagnosed with cancer is not currently on any House bills that are moving. The provisions in each…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel The House bill to shield workers’ comp claimant identifying information from claimant’s attorneys to prevent solicitation unanimously passed the House on April 20, 2017. The bill now goes to the Senate for approval. The Senate companion bill, SB 1008, is similar and has one committee left. Thus, passage…
By: Sam Miller, FIC Consultant Senate workers comp package sponsor Rob Bradley predicted to the Senate Rules Committee April 19 that Senate and House negotiators will bridge differences on attorneys fees and hospital reimbursements and produce a solid agreement with significant reductions in workers’ comp costs. He spoke as the Rules Committee approved the Bradley…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel The House bill to shield workers’ comp claimant identifying information from claimant’s attorneys to prevent solicitation is ready for a floor vote after having its first floor hearing on April 19, 2017. The House should vote on the bill on April 20th. The Senate companion bill, SB 1008,…
By: Greenberg Traurig, FIC Lobbyist The House approved their workers’ compensation reform package on a vote of 82 to 37 early in today’s session. House bill 7085 by Rep. Danny Burgess (R-Zephryhills) is a response to recent Florida Supreme Court rulings which rendered portions of the 2003 reform package unconstitutional. The bill will now head…
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: 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: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel On April 18, 2017, the full House heard the comprehensive workers’ compensation reform bill, HB 7085, for the first time. The bill is a committee bill from the House Insurance and Banking Subcommittee and its Committee Chair, Chair Burgess is shepherding the bill through the House. The House…