Florida's GOP lawmakers float foreclosure reforms

TALLAHASSEE — Lawmakers on Wednesday continued to float ideas for reforming Florida's foreclosure process, with debate centering around when a judge needs to be involved in a foreclosure case.

Florida is one of 20 states that requires all foreclosures to move through the courts.

But top Republicans, including Gov. Rick Scott, House Speaker Dean Cannon and Senate President Mike Haridopolos say they want to explore changes to limit court involvement....

Sen. Joyner files bill to repeal law requiring drug testing of welfare recipients

A new Quinnipiac University poll shows 71 percent of Florida voters approve a new law pushed by Gov. Rick Scott  that requires welfare recipients to pass drug tests to receive benefits. But Sen. Arthenia Joyner, D-Tampa, is not among that 71 percent. She filed a bill this week that would repeal the law, which is being challenged in court....

FDLE commissioner: Watch out for "radical organized" protestors at 2012 GOP convention in Tampa

With the 2012 Republican National Convention less then a year from its descent on Tampa, state lawmakers on Tuesday got a rundown from law enforcement agencies on security issues surrounding the event.

"The major concern we will face is the issue of civil disobedience," Jim Madden, assistant commissioner of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement told the Senate Military Affairs, Space, and Domestic Security Committee....

Florida lawmakers get briefed on security issues for 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa

TALLAHASSEE — With the 2012 Republican National Convention less then a year from its descent on Tampa, state lawmakers on Tuesday got a rundown from law enforcement agencies on security issues surrounding the event.

"The major concern we will face is the issue of civil disobedience," Jim Madden, assistant commissioner of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, told the Senate Military Affairs, Space and Domestic Security Committee. ...

3 of 4 state insurance providers reach settlement in HMO dispute

TALLAHASSEE — The state Department of Management Services has reached a settlement agreement with three of the four insurance providers challenging changes to HMO coverage for state workers.

The new policy requires awarding HMOs contracts to the lowest single bidder in each of the state's 67 counties instead of allowing employees to pick from two or three companies.

After opening the contracts for bid in June, DMS chose AvMed in late July to serve 38 counties, up from 30 under the previous plan. United HealthCare was awarded contracts for only 18 counties, down from 67. Coventry's coverage area was set to drop from 26 to four counties. And Florida Health Care was slated to drop from two counties to zero. The change is part of the department's efforts to rein in health care costs....

DMS reaches agreements on HMO contracts for state workers

The Department of Management Services has reached a settlement agreement with three of the four insurance providers challenging the department's changes to HMO coverage for state workers. The new policy requires awarding HMOs contracts to the lowest single bidder in each of the state’s 67 counties instead of allowing employees to pick from two or three companies....

Fasano receives hero's welcome at Citizens sinkhole insurance rate hearing

After unsuccessfully fighting a property insurance bill that led state-run Citizens Property Insurance to propose massive increases for its sinkhole policies, state Sen. Mike Fasano received a standing ovation and thunderous applause at a rate hearing Tuesday.

Nearly 200 property owners turned out for the hearing, many of them traveling to the Tampa Convention Center in a three-bus caravan coordinated by Fasano. They were there to protest proposed rate hikes that will add $1,200 to some sinkhole policies. Citizens officials say the increases are necessary because current premiums aren't enough to cover payouts, which they blame on fraudulent and frivolous claims....

Protestors gather outside GOP debate

Protestors carrying signs reading "Tax the Rich," "Stop the War on Workers" and "Don't Feed Corporate Greed" gathered outside the Florida State Fairgrounds on Monday, hours before the start of a Republican presidential candidate debate sponsored by CNN and the Tea Party Express....

Florida Supreme Court hears arguments in public adjuster case

The fate of a state law restricting the ability of public adjusters to contact property owners after a disaster is the hands of the Florida Supreme Court after oral arguments Friday.

Michael Davidson, representing the state, told justices the law simply prohibits face-to-face contact or phone calls to potential clients by public adjusters for 48 hours after a catastrophe.

The adjusters, who help insurance policy holders file claims, still can distribute written materials, so their free speech rights remain intact, he said. A total ban on communication, he agreed, would be a constitutional violation....

Florida Supreme Court hears arguments in public adjuster case

TALLAHASSEE — The fate of a state law restricting the ability of public adjusters to contact property owners after a disaster is in the hands of the Florida Supreme Court after oral arguments Friday.

Michael Davidson, representing the state, told justices the law simply prohibits face-to-face contact or phone calls to potential clients by public adjusters for 48 hours after a catastrophe....

Citizens board schedules emergency meeting to discuss sinkhole insurance rates

Former state Rep. Carlos Lacasa, appointed this week as chairman of the state-run Citizen's Property Insurance board of governors, on Thursday called an emergency meeting for Monday to discuss proposed rate increases to the state-run insurer's sinkhole policies. The agenda calls for discussion of SB408, an insurance reform bill passed in the last session that lifted a 10 percent rate hike cap on sinkhole premiums. In July, Citizens proposed increasing sinkhole insurance premiums by more than 2,000 percent in some parts of the Tampa Bay area, and an average of more than 400 percent across the state....

Sen. Alexander fired American citizens, hired guest workers instead, lawsuit says

UPDATED: The following is a prepared statement from JD Alexander's company, Atlantic Blue, released Friday. The original blog post follows: At this time, Blue Head has not had an opportunity to study the complaint. However, it is our understanding that the main issue appears to focus on the $8.56 per hour minimum wage rate at which the seasonal workers were hired. This rate is of course significantly above the $7.25 Federal Minimum Wage. The questin of whether farm workers were entitled to a wage rate even higher than the $8.56 is the subject of litigation that is pending in Federal Court in North Carolina. The company bleieves it has acted ethically and legally in its treatment of all of its employees and will vigorously defend against any allegations to the contrary....