Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Drew WilsonFebruary 6, 2018

A Senate bill that would put a constitutional amendment expanding the Chief Financial Officer’s duties on the ballot cleared its second committee stop Tuesday. SB 792, sponsored by Brandon Republican Sen. Tom Lee, would have the CFO participate in economic, demographic, and revenue estimating conferences. It would also require the CFO to review and certify […]

Staff ReportsMay 30, 2017

Hurricane season begins Thursday. Are you covered? Are you sure? Better take a look at your policy, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater advised Tuesday. “For a better chance of a complication-free claims process, Floridians should carefully review all insurance policies to ensure that proper coverage is in place for their home, car, and belongings,” Atwater’s […]

Staff ReportsMay 10, 2017

Jeff Atwater will remain in office as state chief financial officer until the state budget is completely settled, his office confirmed Wednesday. Atwater has announced plans to leave Tallahassee to become CFO at Florida Atlantic University upon the conclusion of the Legislative Session. That came last Friday, although the Legislature required another three days to […]

Staff ReportsMay 8, 2017

The office of Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater, who is stepping down with the conclusion of the Legislative Session, has defended pay raises for his top staff as in line with long-overdue increases throughout his department. In a letter dated Thursday to Senate President Joe Negron’s chief of staff, Cheri Vancura, Atwater’s chief of staff, Budd […]

Guest AuthorMarch 14, 2017

A state law that was originally intended to give individual policyholders special rights in disputes with their insurance companies is instead being used by some repair vendors and their lawyers to generate a self-serving windfall. The problem is serious and growing, and it’s driving insurance costs higher and higher. The so-called “one-way attorney fee” allows […]

Drew WilsonMarch 6, 2017

A bill filed by Orange Park Republican Sen. Rob Bradley Wednesday would require the state to set up a website detailing the amount of state, federal and local money school districts spend on each public school student. “Florida invests nearly a third of the state’s total budget in education. Florida parents and taxpayers deserve access […]

Staff ReportsJanuary 30, 2017

Florida will receive $111,000 in a multistate settlement over alleged one-sided use of the Social Security Administration’s death master file. Ameriprise Group, and its RiverSource Life Insurance Co. and RiverSource Life Insurance Co. of New York affiliates, will pay $1.5 million in all to California, New Hampshire, North Dakota and Pennsylvania, as well as to Florida. The […]

Staff ReportsDecember 7, 2016

Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater has some consumer advice for Floridians during the holiday season: Don’t let your Christmas tree burn the house down. “Christmas tree fires do not happen often, but they have the potential to be serious fires when they do,” Atwater said in his Department of Financial Services newsletter Wednesday. “More often than […]

Phil AmmannNovember 17, 2015

Rob Fields, chief information officer of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, is joining One Eighty Consulting, a Tallahassee-based governmental affairs consultancy firm. Fields, a 14-year-veteran of Florida state government, has been a top adviser to several senior government leaders on a variety of issues: health care, banking, insurance, motor vehicle and […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 18, 2015

Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater this week turned in his budget request for 2016-17, asking for $311.2 million. “The agency’s most important budget priority was $45.3 million to upgrade FLAIR, the state’s three decade old accounting system,” LobbyTools reported. “The agency is in the second year of replacing FLAIR with the Florida Planning, Accounting and Ledger […]

Tag: Florida Department of Financial Services

Senate panel advances proposed constitutional amendment changing CFO duties

Jeff Atwater offers insurance advice as hurricane season opens

Jeff Atwater sticking around as Florida CFO until state budget is nailed down

Jeff Atwater’s office defends pay increases for top administrators

William Large: Florida must end assignment of benefits abuse, self-serving windfalls

New bill would give parents a closer look at education funding

Insurers settle multistate litigation alleging misuse of death master file

Jeff Atwater warns against killer Christmas trees

Personnel note: Veteran state CIO Rob Fields joins One Eighty Consulting

Jeff Atwater pitches $311.2 million budget request