Michael MolineJanuary 16, 2019
7min440
'Assignment of benefits' abuses have long plagued state.
Michael MolineImage via Palatka Main Street.
Michael MolineJanuary 16, 2019Michael MolineJanuary 15, 2019
7min374
'Artificial intelligence' already disrupting other industries
Michael MolineJanuary 10, 2019
6min681
Through two straight years of political stalemate over assignment of benefits reform, legislative leaders have declared it would take a crisis to deliver a bill to the Governor’s office. Finally, according to state Rep. Cyndi Stevenson, “I think we’re there.” Stevenson, the new chairwoman of the House Insurance & Banking Subcommittee, spoke Thursday following the panel’s […]
Michael MolineJanuary 9, 2019
6min478
Members of the House Ways & Means committee hankered openly Wednesday to collect potentially hundreds of millions of dollars in sales taxes on online sales. What wasn’t clear is whether Florida’s new supermajority requirement to raise revenues would allow them to do that. “That’s going to be a policy call for you guys,” staff director […]
Michael MolineJanuary 8, 2019
8min433
A top state economist advised the House Commerce Committee on Tuesday to take a more expansive approach to economic development than continuing to rely largely on low-wage tourism and recruiting out-of-state businesses to move here. “This is essentially a grassroots or bottom-up theory of economic development,” said Amy Baker, coordinator of the state Office of […]
Michael MolineJanuary 7, 2019
5min387
The new chairman of the Senate Banking & Insurance Committee identified his primary legislative target Monday as the “one-way” attorney fee system, which critics in the insurance and wider business community blame for escalating premiums. “If we deal with that, I think we’ll be dealing with the core issue that has been driving the rates […]
Michael MolineDecember 12, 2018
6min314
Governors of Florida’s last-resort property insurer voted Wednesday to seek an 8.3 percent average premium increase for 2019, amid calls for the Legislature to finally act on assignment of benefits abuse and litigation widely blamed for rising rates. Actuarial data would justify increases of 25.9 percent for residential coverage and 54.2 percent for commercial lines, […]
Michael MolineDecember 6, 2018
5min432
Lawyers for the Florida Senate and federal government have failed to work out an agreement regarding a speeded-up appeal of the Senate’s sovereign immunity objection to a sexual harassment complaint by Rachel Perrin Rogers. In a document filed with Senior U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle, attorneys said they were ready for the judge to decide […]
Michael MolineDecember 6, 2018
3min364
Florida Power & Light Co. should return to ratepayers as much as $736.8 million in its savings under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, the federal tax reduction OK’d by the Republican Congress, according to a petition filed with the Public Service Commission. “FPL’s retail customers are entitled to refunds and to rate […]
Michael MolineDecember 5, 20185min326
A gag order has been issued in the sexual harassment case brought against the Florida Senate by legislative aide Rachel Perrin Rogers, blocking attorneys and others from discussing the matter with the press. That’s according to Katie Betta, spokeswoman for the Senate, who said she was barred from even providing a copy of the order. “I am sorry, but pursuant […]