Latest Legislation Headlines

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

Georgia Judge Awards $64M to Man Beaten in Assisted Living Home

Mar 18 2016 // A judge in Wilkinson County, Georgia, has awarded $64.6 million to a man who claimed he was beaten by several employees in a personal-care home.Media outlets report that in January, Judge William Prior issued the final...

Pennsylvania Lawmakers Start Debating Medical Marijuana Bill

Mar 17 2016 // The Pennsylvania House of Representatives took up a proposal this week to permit the use of marijuana for medical purposes, a potential breakthrough for supporters who have worked for several years to get legalization...

Insurance Trade Groups Oppose Minnesota Auto Insurance Bill

Mar 17 2016 // Property/casualty insurance trade groups, the American Insurance Association (AIA) and the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC), have submitted testimony to the Minnesota Legislature in opposition to...

Penn. Hails House Committee Passage of Private Flood Insurance Bill

Mar 17 2016 // Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Teresa Miller hailed a recent vote by the U.S. House of Representatives Financial Services Committee approving the Flood Insurance Market Parity and Modernization Act (H.R. 2901).Miller...

Judge Dismisses California Lawsuit over Duracell Batteries Guarantee

Mar 17 2016 // A federal judge threw out a lawsuit accusing Procter & Gamble Co. of misleading consumers by guaranteeing that Duracell batteries would not fail for 10 years, when in fact the batteries might leak when used or stored...

Florida’s Citizens Pushes Policy Changes to Address Rising Water Loss Claims

Mar 17 2016 // Citizens Property Insurance Corp.’s board of governors has approved a slate of recommendations aimed at reducing the impact of what it calls skyrocketing water-loss claims that could reverse progress made in...

Utah Judge Limits Suit over Drunken Attack at Ski Resort’s Oktoberfest

Mar 16 2016 // A Utah judge this week tossed out part of a lawsuit filed by a family who says they were beaten by drunken revelers at a ski resort’s Oktoberfest celebration because the event has turned into a booze-fueled Rocky...

New Mexico Court Rules Prison Firm Can Be Held Liable for Rapes

Mar 16 2016 // The New Mexico Supreme Court affirmed this week that a private prison operator may be held liable to pay damages to three female inmates who were raped by a guard.The opinion could influence the final outcome of an appeal...

AIA Applauds Mass. Gov. Baker’s Signing of Opioid Abuse Legislation

Mar 16 2016 // The American Insurance Association (AIA) lauded Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker for signing comprehensive opioid abuse legislation (H 4046) Monday.Opioids are synthetic versions of opium-derived drugs, many of which were...

Driverless Car Supporters Urge National Laws to Override State, Local

Mar 16 2016 // A patchwork of state laws governing the operation of self-driving cars threatens to stall their development, supporters told lawmakers as U.S. senators began consideration of a national standard for robotic...

Vermont Fines 2 Insurers for Non-Compliance

Mar 15 2016 // Vermont Department of Financial Regulation (DFR) Commissioner Susan L. Donegan announced that Travelers Insurance Co. and Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. have paid Vermont $154,000 in fines and repaid consumers another...

Court Rules ‘Bond King’ Gross Can Pursue $200M Lawsuit Against Allianz’ PIMCO

Mar 15 2016 // Bond manager Bill Gross will be able to pursue his lawsuit to recoup at least $200 million he claims that Pacific Investment Management Co. owes him in the wake of his 2014 ouster from the firm he co-founded.California...

Judge: BP not Required to Pay Moratorium-Related Oil Industry Losses

Mar 14 2016 // A federal judge in Louisiana ruled that BP does not have to pay for economic losses other businesses suffered when the federal government shut down deep-water drilling in the wake of BP’s catastrophic 2010 oil spill...

After Mass. House OK, Senate Takes Up Uber Regulations

Mar 14 2016 // It seems likely based on recent legislative developments that Massachusetts will adopt regulations for ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft, but it’s still far too early to assume what the final rules might...

Washington Commissioner Fines Insurance Professionals $17K

Mar 14 2016 // Wasington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler took enforcement action and issued fines totaling $17,675 last month against insurance companies and producers who he says violated state insurance regulations.Here’s...

California Ridesharing Bills Stalled in Committee Where Chair Has Taxi Ties

Mar 14 2016 // Two California bills to ease regulation of Uber and other ridesharing companies have been bottled up for nearly a year in a committee chaired by a lawmaker whose brothers own a San Diego taxi company.But state Sen. Ben...

Regulations Create Roadblock for Automated Cars Without Human Controls

Mar 14 2016 // Existing U.S. laws pose few barriers to adoption of autonomous vehicle technology so long as cars and trucks stick with existing designs allowing humans to take control, the agency overseeing traffic safety said...

Berkshire Hathaway Balks at Reporting on Climate Change Risks

Mar 13 2016 // Warren Buffett’s compensation for running Berkshire Hathaway Inc. edged up 1 percent last year to $470,244, reflecting an increase in the cost of keeping the billionaire safe. Buffett’s salary remained at...

By a Big Margin, Oklahoma House Passes Insurance Mandate for Autism Coverage

Mar 11 2016 // Legislation that would require health insurers to cover autism treatment for children has been overwhelmingly approved by the Oklahoma House.By a vote of 76-20, House members passed House Bill 2962 following an emotional...

New Mexico Governor Signs Ridesharing Bill

Mar 11 2016 // New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez arrived this week in her first Uber ride and signed a bill allowing ridesharing companies Uber and Lyft to operate in the state.The Republican governor said the measure ends the confusion...