Latest Legislation Headlines

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

S&P Rates Catlin Pref. Shares ‘BBB’

Jan 22 2007 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has affirmed its “BBB” long-term subordinated debt rating on the $600 million 7.249 percent perpetual, subordinated, callable, fixed-/floating-rate, noncumulative...

Kentucky Judge Permits Christians-Only Health Plan to Continue

Jan 22 2007 // A Christians-only health plan that serves nearly 20,000 churchgoers nationwide can continue operating in Kentucky, a judge ruled Thursday.Franklin County Circuit Judge Thomas D. Wingate said the Medi-Share program...

More Than 2,000 Bills Filed in Okla. for 2007 Legislative Session

Jan 22 2007 // More than 2,000 bills have been filed for the 2007 session of the Oklahoma Legislature, including many measures that sponsors acknowledge do not have a chance of passage.It’s all part of the democratic process,...

Mich. Becomes 29th State to Join Interstate Compact

Jan 22 2007 // Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm has signed legislation permiting Michigan to join the Interstate Insurance Product Regulation Compact Commission, making Michigan the 29th state to join the Commission.Created through...

Okla. Lawmaker Seeks to Reserve Extra Funds for Storm Relief

Jan 22 2007 // Oklahoma State Rep. George Faught says he will seek to set aside at least $10 million in “Rainy Day” spillover funds from last year to help pay recovery costs from the past week’s ice storm that has...

Conn. AG Files Bill to Block Insurers from Requiring Storm Shutters

Jan 22 2007 // Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has submitted draft legislation to the General Assembly that would prohibit insurers from requiring that consumers install hurricane shutters as a condition of insurance.The...

W. Va. Tackles Mine Safety Rules to Address Sago Tragedy

Jan 19 2007 // Members of the state Board of Coal Mine Health and Safety say the panel may have a tough time crafting regulations to address the cause of the Sago Mine accident.The process of writing those rules officially began...

Conn. Phone-y Drivers Could Be Called Upon to Pay Bigger Fines

Jan 19 2007 // Connecticut lawmakers are considering higher fines for people who talk on their handheld cell phones while driving.More than a year after the state’s cell phone ban took effect, lawmakers say they’re concerned...

Supreme Court Won’t Hear IBM Pension, Worker Retaliation Cases

Jan 19 2007 // The Supreme Court this week refused to consider an appeal brought by a group of IBM Corp. employees who accused the company of age discrimination when it altered its pension plan. The lawsuit could have cost the company...

Fla. House and Senate Expected to Meet Through Weekend to Merge Bills

Jan 19 2007 // Laboring to comply with Gov. Charlie Crist’s call for lowering Florida insurance costs by at least 25 percent during a quick, seven-day special session, both the House and Senate have passed bills promising to do...

Delaware Moves Swiftly to Enact Major Workers’ Comp Reform

Jan 18 2007 // The Delaware Senate and House moved swiftly in the past week to pass a bill containing major reforms of the state’s workers’ compensation system and Gov. Ruth Ann Miller immediately signed the reforms into...

Sen. Ensign Introduces Federal Malpractice Award Cap Legislation

Jan 17 2007 // Senator John Ensign, R-Nev., has introduced the Medical Care Access Protection (MCAP) Act of 2007, which would set a cap on non-economic damages in medcial mapractice lawsuits.“Medical liability reform works, and...

Virginia Bill Would Require Notice When Personal Data Is Lost or Stolen

Jan 16 2007 // Two Virginia lawmakers said this week that they will introduce legislation requiring government agencies and businesses to notify Virginians if their personal information is lost or stolen.Del. Robert Brink, D-Arlington,...

Fla. Lawmakers Face Balancing Act in This Week’s Insurance Session

Jan 15 2007 // Florida lawmakers wish they could simply outlaw hurricanes. That would solve the state’s insurance crisis.Unfortunately, changing the weather seems easier than what legislators have on their hands. As they return to...

Congress Prepares to Tackle Global Warming Legislation

Jan 15 2007 // Potential presidential rivals Republican Sen. John McCain and Democratic Sen. Barack Obama are joining with newly independent Sen. Joe Lieberman on a plan they say would reduce global-warming gases by two-thirds over the...

Tenn. Gov. Bredesen Names Newman as Insurance Commissioner

Jan 15 2007 // Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen has named a Nashville attorney, Leslie Shechter Newman, as commissioner of the Department of Commerce and Insurance.She succeeds Paula Flowers, who recently resigned. Newman is a partner...

California Hosts Hearing on Workers’ Comp Medical Fee Schedule

Jan 12 2007 // California’s Division of Workers’ Compensation will be holding a public hearing on the Official Medical Fee Schedule – Physician Fee Schedule regulations on Jan. 24 in Los Angeles.The public hearing has...

Lawmakers Pushing FEMA to Speed Up Aid for Colorado Plains

Jan 12 2007 // Colorado lawmakers are trying to put pressure on the federal government to speed up aid to ranchers and county governments digging out from back-to-back blizzards on the southeastern plains.Sens. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., and...

Oregon Proposal on Auto Insurance Surcharge Losing Support

Jan 11 2007 // With his proposed surcharge on auto insurance going nowhere fast, Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski is pressing state lawmakers to find another way to fund 139 additional state troopers so the state can have 24-hour patrol...

Judge Orders 83 Katrina Claims Cases, Including Sen. Lott’s, to Mediation

Jan 11 2007 // A federal judge on Wednesday ordered into mediation dozens of lawsuits policyholders filed against insurance companies after Hurricane Katrina.Several of the cases sent to mediation, which accuse the insurance companies of...