Latest Legislation Headlines

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

Judge Puts Missouri Law on Healthcare Navigator Licensing on Hold

Jan 26 2014 // A federal judge granted a preliminary injunction against Missouri’s law requiring a state license to serve as a navigator to help consumers sign up for coverage through the new health insurance marketplace.U.S....

How to Encourage Private Flood Insurance; Why Delaying Biggert-Waters Is Not the Answer

Jan 24 2014 // New technologies and a better understanding of flood risk may have increased private insurers’ interest in providing flood insurance but real obstacles remain to the private sector getting involved.The obstacles...

Republicans Vow to Develop Alternative to Obamacare

Jan 24 2014 // Top Republicans are saying they can no longer just be the party of “No” on Obamacare: They need to come up with an alternative healthcare policy.While many Americans are skeptical of President Barack...

Report Finds Florida PIP Reforms Helping to Lower Rates

Jan 24 2014 // Florida drivers are starting to see the benefits of a 2012 re-write of the state’s no-fault automobile insurance law as insurers have reduced their personal injury protection (PIP) rates by a statewide average 13.2...

North Carolina Lawmakers Weigh Privacy Regulations for Drones

Jan 23 2014 // General Assembly members began learning more Tuesday about the emerging unmanned aircraft industry and are likely to debate soon what restrictions North Carolina could place on drones to protect people’s privacy.A...

Felony DUI Bill Working in Washington Legislature

Jan 22 2014 // A Seattle man who lost his parents and whose wife and infant son were seriously injured last March by a drunken driver asked a Senate panel on Monday to pass a measure that would make it a felony charge to drive under the...

Texting While Driving Ban Goal of South Dakota Lawmaker

Jan 22 2014 // A South Dakota lawmaker plans to press “send” again and try to persuade his colleagues in the Legislature to join 41 other states and ban texting while driving.Similar measure have failed in recent legislative...

West Virginia Politicians Call for State, Federal Regulation of Chemicals

Jan 22 2014 // West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin and U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin this week proposed tighter regulations for chemical storage facilities after a spill contaminated the water supply for 300,000 people.Tomblin, the Democratic...

New Federal Safety Rules Target Bus, Truck Firms with Repeat Violations

Jan 22 2014 // Intercity bus and truck companies with a continuing history of safety problems will be easier to shut down under regulations published online last Friday by the Federal Motor Carrier Administration, an agency under fire...

Enforcement of Obamacare Executive Benefits Rule Delayed: Report

Jan 22 2014 // The Obama administration is delaying enforcement of a provision of the new healthcare law that prohibits employers from providing better health benefits to top executives than to other employees, the New York Times...

Senate Links Agent Licensing Reform with Flood Insurance Delay

Jan 21 2014 // There is a new political wrinkle in the attempt to stave off flood insurance rate hikes across the country.The Senate has attached an industry-supported bill to streamline agent and broker licensing to its bill to delay...

Arkansas Lawmaker Applies to Run State Insurance Exchange

Jan 17 2014 // The Arkansas lawmaker who sponsored the law creating the Health Insurance Marketplace Board has applied to serve as the marketplace’s executive director.Rep. Mark Biviano, R-Searcy, is one of two applicants...

Oklahoma Lawmaker Files Bill to Fund School Storm Shelters

Jan 17 2014 // An Oklahoma lawmaker has filed legislation that would ask voters to decide whether to fund storm shelters in public schools. The measure was filed by Rep. Joe Dorman of Rush Springs, a Democratic candidate for governor. It...

Florida Bill Would Restrict Insurers in Underwriting Gun Owners

Jan 17 2014 // Florida lawmakers say they want to protect policyholders’ second amendment rights to bear firearms by preventing insurers from issuing, renewing or canceling a policy based on whether the policyholder possesses a...

Ex-Treasury Official Wolin Urges Federal, State Collaboration to Improve Regulation

Jan 17 2014 // To make continued improvements in the U.S. insurance regulatory system, it’s imperative for state and federal officials to work collaboratively and share information and perspectives, said former Deputy Treasury...

Autonomous Vehicle Testing Regulations for California Coming Soon

Jan 16 2014 // If you think Google when you think about autonomous vehicles driving the streets, you’re leaving out the rest of the players in what some see as the future of the auto industry.If fact, there are enough players in...

Congressional Negotiations on Farm Bill Said Close to Deal

Jan 16 2014 // Negotiations in Congress on the long overdue U.S. farm bill could be completed this week after progress was stalled by a disagreement over a dairy price support program, a senator said on Wednesday.The five-year farm bill,...

Senate Re-Election Politics Boosts Flood Insurance Delay Proposals

Jan 16 2014 // Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will do just about anything to help Louisiana’s Mary Landrieu.He arranged the chamber’s floor agenda this week so Landrieu could lead debate on a flood insurance rate reprieve...

Credit Card Breach Update: Neiman Marcus Investigated; Target Sued by Bank

Jan 15 2014 // Neiman Marcus Group Ltd. is being investigated by states including Connecticut and Illinois over the theft of customer credit-card data by hackers, and a bank sued Target Corp. for its data breach during the holiday...

Judge Delays NFL’s $914M Concussion Settlement

Jan 15 2014 // National Football League’s $914 million settlement of claims tied to player concussions was denied preliminary approval by a federal judge who said she is concerned that not all players will be paid.U.S. District...