Latest Legislation Headlines

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

Insurer Groups Praise Texas Senate Passage of Asbestos Reform Legislation

Apr 29 2005 // Both the American Insurance Association and the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America recently issued statements lauding the Texas Senate for passing comprehensive asbestos and silica litigation reform...

Key Issues Remain Unsolved As Fla. Passes HB 1937

Apr 29 2005 // House Bill 1937 passed with a vote of 96-20 on Thursday, despite opposition about exemptions on paying policy limits.One of the key issues still under consideration is a legislative remedy for a 2004 Florida court decision...

PIFC: Garamendi’s Proposed Homeowner Regs Flawed

Apr 29 2005 // There is not one statute in the entire Insurance Code of California that authorizes the insurance commissioner to adopt a proposed set of homeowners’ insurance regulations submitted to the Office of Administrative...

R&M Reports on Global Insurance Market Regulators

Apr 28 2005 // Dublin-based Research and Markets has announced the addition of a study on Global Insurance Regulators to their offering.“Rapid growth in financial services regulation in many countries has led to demand for high...

NAMIC Says Calif. Commissioner Continues Search for Problem to Solve on Broker Compensation

Apr 27 2005 // California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi’s hoped-for regulations on the professional duties of an agent or broker propose solutions to problems that have yet to be identified according to the National...

Pa. Lawmaker Wants Shield Against Obesity Lawsuits

Apr 26 2005 // A state legislator wants to add Pennsylvania to the list of states that protect the food industry from lawsuits in which people blame restaurants and other food vendors for making them fat.Rep. Douglas Reichley, R-Lehigh,...

Mich. Judge Rules Insurance Scoring Ban Illegal

Apr 26 2005 // Michigan’s Office of Financial and Insurance Services overstepped its authority in issuing rules that prohibited the use of credit-based insurance scores, according to a Michigan Circuit Court judge.In the case of...

State Farm Back in W.Va. Market; Will Write New Homeowners, Business Policies

Apr 26 2005 // State Farm Insurance has announced that as of May 1 it will begin accepting applications from West Virginia homeowners and businesses for new insurance policies. The company is the largest property and casualty insurer in...

Failure of Bills to Ban or Restrict Credit Scoring in Wash. Critical to State Ins. Marketplace, Says NAMIC

Apr 26 2005 // The failure of four bills introduced during the Washington State legislative session that would have banned or added further restrictions to the use of credit-based insurance scoring as an underwriting tool may send the...

Ariz. Gov. Napolitano Signs Pro-Business Legislation

Apr 26 2005 // The Property Casualty Insurers Association of American (PCI) on Tuesday commended Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano for signing into law legislation that will allow business owners an opportunity to lower their insurance...

Conn. Med-Mal Prescription Still Uncertain

Apr 26 2005 // Dealing with the thorny issue of how to ease doctors’ rising medical malpractice insurance rates, Connecticut lawmakers have managed this year to whittle dozens of proposals down to two.The work isn’t finished...

Fla. Insurance Bills Passage Could Exempt Surge Flood Damage Claims

Apr 25 2005 // Insurance bills nearing final votes in the Florida Legislature could provide insurers with a broad exemptions from paying homeowners with storm-surge flood damage according to provisions of the state’s 100-year-old...

Fla. Insurance Commissioner McCarty Issues Subpoenas to 17 Reinsurers

Apr 25 2005 // Florida insurance regulators are probing the dealings of 17 reinsurers selling finite risk policies. Florida’s Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty said that he has issued investigative subpoenas to the reinsurers...

ABI Urges Reform of FSA Enforcement Procedures

Apr 22 2005 // The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has urged the U.K.’s Financial Services Authority (FSA) to improve its enforcement procedures so that they provide “greater transparency, objectivity and...

Conn. Civil Union Bill Signed into Law

Apr 22 2005 // Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell signed landmark legislation this week that makes Connecticut the first state to recognize same-sex civil unions without court pressure.It joins Vermont and Massachusetts as the only states...

Powell, Ridge and Oxley to Address PCI Annual Meeting this October in Chicago

Apr 22 2005 // Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, former Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge, and U.S. Representative Mike Oxley (R – Ohio), will be the featured speakers at the 2005 Property Casualty Insurers Association...

Okla. Governor Praises House Committee Approval of Comp Reform Legislation

Apr 22 2005 // Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry’s office reported that his efforts to reform Oklahoma’s workers compensation system cleared another legislative hurdle, passing the House Judiciary Committee. Senate Bill 846, which is...

Fla. House Passes HB1019, Asbestos and Silica Compensation Act

Apr 22 2005 // The Florida House has passed the Asbestos and Silica Compensation Act (HB1019), which requires plaintiffs meet specific medical criteria before they can pursue an asbestos or silica claim in the court system. The bill...

Calif. Sen Feinstein Reacts to Asbestos Compensation

Apr 22 2005 // U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) joined Senators Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), at a news conference recently to discuss bipartisan legislation creating a national trust fund to...

La.’s Baker Named Big ‘I’ Legislator of the Year

Apr 21 2005 // The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America bestowed upon Rep. Richard Baker of Louisiana the prestigious Gerald Solomon-IIABA Legislator of the Year Award for 2004.Baker, chairman of the House Financial...