Latest Legislation Headlines

All the headlines from our Legislation Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Connecticut Lawmakers Consider Higher Fines for Distracted Driving

Jan 30 2017 // Some Connecticut lawmakers want to make it tougher for distracted drivers.The General Assembly’s Transportation Committee is holding a public hearing today on several bills that would increase penalties for texting...

How State Insurance Regulators May Help Insurers Innovate

Jan 30 2017 // Three days before the inauguration of President Donald Trump last week, a panel of experts on insurance regulation predicted that state and federal regulators of the financial services sector would refocus their efforts in...

Oklahoma Lawmaker: Uniform Building Code Commission Staff Unnecessary

Jan 27 2017 // State Rep. Mark McBride, R-Moore, announced he has filed a measure that would fold the state building code commission into the Oklahoma Construction Industries Board (CIB).House Bill 1168 would place the Oklahoma Uniform...

California Judge Denies State Farm’s Request to Delay Rate Reduction Order

Jan 27 2017 // Superior Court Judge Katherine Bacal has denied State Farm’s request for a temporary restraining order in an attempt to delay California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones’ enforcement of his order directing the...

New Jersey Transit Rail-Crew Hours Draw Scrutiny Over Safety Limit

Jan 27 2017 // New Jersey Transit faces a widening examination of its safety practices after federal regulators discovered hundreds of potential work-hour violations, including altered duty logs and shifts longer than permitted.Federal...

UK Regulator Calls for New Regime Providing Open Access to Global Markets

Jan 26 2017 // Banks, insurers and traders that comply with reinforced global financial sector rules should be allowed to operate unhindered across the world to spur economic growth and trade, a top British regulator said on...

NAIC Leader Says Insurer Systemic Risk Process Is Unnecessary

Jan 26 2017 // Although the Financial Stability Oversight Council created by the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform Act could serve an incredibly useful purpose, FSOC’s activities so far have been misguided, an insurance regulator...

New Bill Grants Bonding Assistance to Small Businesses in New Jersey

Jan 25 2017 // A recently passed bipartisan bill in New Jersey has brought good news to small businesses that want to participate on public construction projects.Senate Bill 123, signed by Governor Chris Christie on January 4, introduces...

P/C Insurance Execs Foresee Commercial Lines Growth, Led by Cyber, Outpacing Personal Lines

Jan 25 2017 // Leaders of the property/casualty insurance industry expect to see a considerable increase in the commercial lines of insurance for 2017, with cyber a potentially huge untapped market, according to an Industry Leader Trends...

Illinois Treasurer Wants to Ensure Life Insurance Payouts

Jan 25 2017 // A measure backed by Illinois’ treasurer could help ensure that insurance companies have paid out money properly to beneficiaries of life insurance policies.The proposed legislation would require companies to examine...

Judge Rules Snapchat Immune from Georgia Distracted Driver Crash Claim

Jan 25 2017 // A judge has dismissed claims against Snapchat that blamed the social media company’s “speed filter” for a highway crash. The judge said the Communications Decency Act provides the social media company...

Insurers Back Arizona Bill Cutting Required Auto Glass Coverage

Jan 24 2017 // Rock-shattered windshields are such a common occurrence on Arizona roads that insurance companies have long been required to replace broken glass for free to drivers with full coverage policies.It ends up being a big...

California Insurance Commissioner Prevails in Insurance Industry’s Legal Challenge

Jan 24 2017 // In a 7-0 decision, the California Supreme Court has affirmed the authority of Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones in a legal challenge brought by the insurance industry, the California Department of Insurance...

Judge: Sorrento, Louisiana, and Ex-Police Chief Must Pay Legal Fees

Jan 24 2017 // A federal judge has awarded nearly $40,000 in fees to attorneys for a woman who accused a former Louisiana police chief of sexually assaulting her in his office while she was drunk and he was on duty.The woman’s...

Report Finds New York Construction Fatalities, Regulatory Violations Rising

Jan 24 2017 // The New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health (NYCOSH) found in its latest construction fatality report that construction worker deaths are rising in New York, and many construction employers across the state...

Parliament’s Approval Required to Trigger Brexit Talks: UK Supreme Court

Jan 24 2017 // The UK Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that Prime Minister Theresa May must get parliament’s approval before she begins Britain’s formal exit from the European Union.The UK’s highest judicial body...

Arizona Governor Offers Proposals for Health Insurance Overhaul

Jan 24 2017 // Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey is urging Congress not to repeal former President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul without a well-developed replacement plan, suggesting in a letter that it may take three years for a new...

Judge Nixes Aetna’s $37 Billion Purchase of Humana; Aetna Considers Appeal

Jan 23 2017 // Aetna Inc.’s $37 billion deal to buy rival insurer Humana Inc. was blocked by a federal judge, thwarting one of two large mergers that would reshape the U.S. health-care landscape. Aetna said it was considering an...

Judge: Oregon Must Reinstate Workers’ Comp Agency CEO

Jan 23 2017 // Oregon’s workers comp insurance agency must reinstate the chief executive it improperly fired in 2014, a judge has ruled.The ruling was a stunning victory for fired CEO John Plotkin and an embarrassing setback for...

Federal Judge Dismisses Taxi Companies’ New Jersey Lawsuit Over Uber

Jan 23 2017 // A federal judge has thrown out a lawsuit by taxi and limo companies against the city of Newark over what they claim is preferential treatment given to ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft.The judge ruled Thursday that...