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PIFF releases 2018 legislative priorities

Posted on January 5, 2018

The Personal Insurance Federation of Florida (PIFF) today released its 2018 legislative priorities, which address the most critical issues facing the property and casualty personal lines markets in Florida. This list, which will be released annually immediately before the start of the legislative session, includes recommended law changes designed to fix problems in the consumer insurance markets, and identifies issues that PIFF members believe are detrimental to the health of these markets.

“Our overriding goal as a trade is to advocate for a healthy, competitive market for insurance products to the benefit of all Floridians,” stated Michael Carlson, president of PIFF, which recently welcomed Farmers Insurance to its membership. “In 2018, we believe the key priority should be to meaningfully address assignment of benefits (AOB) reform in a way that reduces fraud and abuse, and thereby reduces costs.”

2018 PIFF priorities include:

  • Eliminating the AOB cost driver, which is the cause for homeowners’ premium increases in Florida, by addressing the “one-way” attorney fee law to eliminate claims abuse and unnecessary litigation;

  • Thoughtfully addressing the costs of any repeal of the Motor Vehicle No-Fault Law, and including reasonable reforms to Florida’s third-party “bad faith” law as part of any repeal;

  • Restoring fairness to the law by fixing Florida’s unfair “bad faith” laws to require third-party claimants to comply with the law that applies to first-party claimants;

  • Preserving a proven, transparent, and performance-based premium tax credit which has created high wage jobs in Florida; and

  • Maintaining Florida law that governs when prejudgment interest may be awarded to claimants in negligence actions, which will avoid unnecessary cost increases.

View details of 2018 PIFF priorities.

“We look forward to engaging with our allies and partners in the legislature to promote positive policy outcomes in the coming year that will truly benefit consumers,” Carlson added.

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: legislative priorities, Personal Insurance Federation of Florida, PIFF

Commissioner Adam H. Putnam Opens Second Camp Dedicated to Wounded Veterans

Posted on January 5, 2018

Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam today opened the second camp dedicated to providing outdoor, recreational opportunities at no cost to wounded veterans who participate in Operation Outdoor Freedom.
Peace River Camp, located in Arcadia and managed by the Florida Forest Service, consists of: a bunkhouse with three rooms and 20 beds, a screened outdoor kitchen, a fire pit, a dining area, and a restroom facility. The camp is located in Peace River State Forest, which spans 5,000 acres. The camp will be used by eligible veterans participating in Operation Outdoor Freedom events.
“I want Florida to be the most veteran friendly state in the nation, and Operation Outdoor Freedom is one small way we can show our appreciation for the men and women who have given so much for our country,” stated Commissioner Adam H. Putnam. “This is a permanent commitment from the State of Florida to the men and women who put it all on the line to make our liberties and our freedoms, that we so often take for granted, even possible.”
Since 2011, Operation Outdoor Freedom has hosted 438 outdoor events, and 3,368 veterans have participated in the program.
For more information on Operation Outdoor Freedom, click here.

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: Commissioner Adam Putnam, Operation Outdoor Freedom, Peace River Camp

U.S. Airman Celebrates 23rd Birthday with $1 Million Scratch-Off Prize

Posted on January 5, 2018

Kyle Graziano poses with his oversized check after claiming a
$1 million prize in the $10,000,000 FORTUNE Scratch-Off game.

The Florida Lottery announces that Kyle Graziano, 23, of Valdosta, Georgia, claimed a $1 million prize in the $10,000,000 FORTUNE Scratch-Off game at Florida Lottery Headquarters in Tallahassee, one day before turning 23. He chose to receive his winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $792,000.00.
Graziano, a member of the United States Airforce, said he and his family were on the way to Orlando to visit relatives when he stopped at a gas station for a soda and picked up a Lottery ticket. “I never imagined that this ticket would be a winner. My wife and I are going to save the money for our daughters to use for college.”
Graziano purchased his winning ticket from Johnson & Johnson, located at 8191 State Road 6 West in Jasper. The retailer will receive a $2,000 bonus commission for selling the winning Scratch-Off ticket.
The $25 Scratch-Off game, $10,000,000 FORTUNE, features more than $623 million in total cash prizes, including 46 prizes of $1 million and four prizes of $10 million. The game’s overall odds of winning are one-in-2.88.
Scratch-Off games are an important part of the Lottery’s portfolio of games, comprising approximately 68 percent of ticket sales and generating more than $784 million for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (EETF) in fiscal year 2016-17.

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: florida lottery, Scratch-Off Prize

FDLE to Host Child Safety Fair February 10th

Posted on January 5, 2018

MEDIA ADVISORY

Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Fort Myers Regional Operations Center will be hosting a “Child Safety Fair” as part of FDLE’s 50th Anniversary. The fair will be held on Saturday, February 10, 2018 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm in the parking lot of FDLE’s Fort Myers Regional Operations Center located at 4700 Terminal Drive in Fort Myers.
The event is open to the public and is free of charge. State and local law enforcement agencies along with other safety organizations will have activities for children and their parents including:

  • SWAT and K-9 Demonstrations
  • Fire Safety
  • Free Bike Helmet Giveaway (while supplies last)
  • Fingerprinting
  • Escape House
  • Free Car Seat Checks
  • Cybersecurity Awareness Presentations
  • Smokey the Bear

Please join FDLE and local public safety agencies for a fun day of activities for the whole family.
FDLE’s mission is to promote public safety and strengthen domestic security by providing services in partnership with local, state and federal criminal justice agencies to prevent, investigate and solve crimes while protecting Florida’s citizens and visitors.
For Further Information Contact:
Larry Long
FDLE Fort Myers Regional Operations Center
(239) 278-7170
Gretl Plessinger, Jessica Cary or Jeremy Burns
FDLE Office of Public Information
(850) 410-7001

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: Child Safety Fair, FDLE

Florida PSC Commission Conference on Tuesday

Posted on January 5, 2018

The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) will hold a Commission Conference on Tuesday, January 9, 2018, at 1:00 p.m. Items scheduled for consideration can be found here. Public comment may be taken on any item noticed for public participation.
The Commission Conference is scheduled for the following time and location:

Tuesday, January 9, 2018
1:00 p.m.
Betty Easley Conference Center
Joseph P. Cresse Hearing Room (Room 148)
4075 Esplanade Way
Tallahassee, Florida

The Commission Conference will be broadcast on the Florida Channel (check your local listing) and is available online at htpp://www.floridapsc.com/ (look for the Watch Live Broadcast” icon on the left side of the webpage).

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: Commission Conference, Florida Public Service Commission

Statement from Medical Marijuana Founder and CEO Jake Bergmann Regarding Jeff Sessions Policy Reversal

Posted on January 4, 2018

Please see the below statement from Surterra Wellness Founder and CEO, Jake Bergmann.

“This callous move by Jeff Sessions will not impact the patients of Florida in any way. Surterra will continue to cultivate and distribute medical cannabis to the thousands of patients using this all-natural plant to treat pain, cancer, PTSD and all the other ailments people suffer from that marijuana can help. This is real medicine, and we have hundreds of stories from real people to prove it. We will continue to serve those patients, and advocate for those patients until marijuana is recognized for what it is –  a safe, natural alternative to opiates for pain and life-changing medicine for people not only in Florida, but throughout the United States.

If anything, policymakers should seize this opportunity to bring forth legislation that legalizes marijuana and gives people that are using it medicinally security and safety standards for these products. There are countless anecdotes, and lots of viable research, that proves marijuana has medicinal benefits. I haven’t even mentioned the fact that it is hugely popular, and much more so than the individual trying to prohibit it. Add to all that there are no documented cases of someone dying from marijuana, but almost 100 families in America lose a loved one because of opiates each and every day. We need to stop allowing an 80-year-old propaganda campaign that has been perpetuated by pro-pharma special interests to continue and stop denying access to medicine derived from marijuana.”

About Surterra
Surterra has brought together industry leaders from medicine and cannabis research to discover and advance the natural therapeutic benefits of cannabis-based products and are providing cannabis products to qualified patients throughout the entire State of Florida. Surterra’s mission is to provide the safest, highest quality cannabis-based products that empower your health and enable you and your loved ones to live well.

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: Jeff Sessions, Medical Marijuana, Policy Reversal, Surterra

Nearly $1 billion up for grabs this weekend from America's dueling jackpots

Posted on January 4, 2018

Multi-state Jackpots Offering a Combined $995 Million

Players across the nation continue to join in the excitement as the jackpots for both multi-state games, MEGA MILLIONS® and POWERBALL®, have reached a combined total of $995 million! The MEGA MILLIONS jackpot has been increased to an estimated $445 million after Tuesday night’s drawing, and the POWERBALL jackpot rolled to $550 million after last night’s drawing, the sixth largest in the game’s history.
With large jackpots like these, players are encouraged to sign the back of their tickets at the time of purchase and keep them in a safe place. Players should always check their tickets carefully because even if they don’t win the jackpot, they can still win cash prizes of up to $5 million with MEGA MILLIONS and of up to $2 million with POWERBALL.
POWERBALL jackpots start at $40 million and roll until the jackpot is won. Players win by matching the five white ball numbers (1-69) and the red POWERBALL (1-26). There are eight other ways to win non-jackpot prizes ranging from $4 to $1 million or up to $2 million if the ticket includes Power Play. The overall odds of winning a prize in the game are approximately one-in-24.87.
MEGA MILLIONS jackpots also start at $40 million and roll until the jackpot is won. Players win by matching the five white ball numbers (1-70) and the golden Mega Ball number (1-25). There are eight other ways to win non-jackpot prizes ranging from $2 to $1 million or up to $5 million if the ticket includes Megaplier. The overall odds of winning a prize in the game are approximately one-in-24.
Purchase your tickets at any of the Florida Lottery’s more than 13,000 authorized retailers for your chance to become Florida’s newest multi-millionaire. The Florida Lottery reminds all players to play responsibly, as it only takes one ticket to win. As with all Florida Lottery products, players must be 18 years or older to play.
ABOUT MEGA MILLIONS IN FLORIDA
Since joining MEGA MILLIONS in 2013, the game has generated more than $294 million for education, and has awarded more than $296 million in prizes to 38.6 million players.
The next MEGA MILLIONS drawing will be held Friday, January 5, at 11:00 p.m. ET, tickets must be purchased by 10:00 p.m. ET to be eligible for this drawing. MEGA MILLIONS drawings are broadcast on 17 carrier stations throughout the state. Drawings are also available for viewing on the Florida Lottery website and our official YouTube channel, youtube.com/floridalottery. Winning numbers are available on the Lottery website, at retailers statewide and by phone at (850) 921-PLAY.
ABOUT POWERBALL IN FLORIDA
Since joining POWERBALL in 2009, the game has generated $1.77 billion in contributions to education statewide. Florida is among the top-selling POWERBALL states in the country, with more than 79 million winning tickets totaling more than $2.2 billion in prizes, including 12 jackpot winners. Florida was also one of the three states nationally to have a winner share in the world record-setting $1.586 billion POWERBALL jackpot in January 2016.
The next POWERBALL drawing will be held Saturday, January 6, at 10:59 p.m. ET, tickets must be purchased by 10:00 p.m. ET to be eligible for this drawing. National POWERBALL drawings are broadcast live, in high-definition, from the Florida Lottery’s state of the art draw studio in Tallahassee.
ABOUT THE FLORIDA LOTTERY
The Florida Lottery is responsible for contributing more than $32 billion to education and sending more than 775,000 students to college through the Bright Futures Scholarship Program. The Florida Lottery reinvests 98 percent of its revenue back into Florida’s economy through prize payouts, commissions to more than 13,000 Florida retailers and contributions to education. Since 1988, Florida Lottery games have paid more than $53.6 billion in prizes and made more than 2,000 people millionaires. For more information, please visit www.flalottery.com.

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: florida lottery, MEGA MILLIONS, Powerball

Nearly $1 billion up for grabs this weekend from America’s dueling jackpots

Posted on January 4, 2018

Multi-state Jackpots Offering a Combined $995 Million

Players across the nation continue to join in the excitement as the jackpots for both multi-state games, MEGA MILLIONS® and POWERBALL®, have reached a combined total of $995 million! The MEGA MILLIONS jackpot has been increased to an estimated $445 million after Tuesday night’s drawing, and the POWERBALL jackpot rolled to $550 million after last night’s drawing, the sixth largest in the game’s history.

With large jackpots like these, players are encouraged to sign the back of their tickets at the time of purchase and keep them in a safe place. Players should always check their tickets carefully because even if they don’t win the jackpot, they can still win cash prizes of up to $5 million with MEGA MILLIONS and of up to $2 million with POWERBALL.

POWERBALL jackpots start at $40 million and roll until the jackpot is won. Players win by matching the five white ball numbers (1-69) and the red POWERBALL (1-26). There are eight other ways to win non-jackpot prizes ranging from $4 to $1 million or up to $2 million if the ticket includes Power Play. The overall odds of winning a prize in the game are approximately one-in-24.87.

MEGA MILLIONS jackpots also start at $40 million and roll until the jackpot is won. Players win by matching the five white ball numbers (1-70) and the golden Mega Ball number (1-25). There are eight other ways to win non-jackpot prizes ranging from $2 to $1 million or up to $5 million if the ticket includes Megaplier. The overall odds of winning a prize in the game are approximately one-in-24.

Purchase your tickets at any of the Florida Lottery’s more than 13,000 authorized retailers for your chance to become Florida’s newest multi-millionaire. The Florida Lottery reminds all players to play responsibly, as it only takes one ticket to win. As with all Florida Lottery products, players must be 18 years or older to play.

ABOUT MEGA MILLIONS IN FLORIDA
Since joining MEGA MILLIONS in 2013, the game has generated more than $294 million for education, and has awarded more than $296 million in prizes to 38.6 million players.

The next MEGA MILLIONS drawing will be held Friday, January 5, at 11:00 p.m. ET, tickets must be purchased by 10:00 p.m. ET to be eligible for this drawing. MEGA MILLIONS drawings are broadcast on 17 carrier stations throughout the state. Drawings are also available for viewing on the Florida Lottery website and our official YouTube channel, youtube.com/floridalottery. Winning numbers are available on the Lottery website, at retailers statewide and by phone at (850) 921-PLAY.

ABOUT POWERBALL IN FLORIDA
Since joining POWERBALL in 2009, the game has generated $1.77 billion in contributions to education statewide. Florida is among the top-selling POWERBALL states in the country, with more than 79 million winning tickets totaling more than $2.2 billion in prizes, including 12 jackpot winners. Florida was also one of the three states nationally to have a winner share in the world record-setting $1.586 billion POWERBALL jackpot in January 2016.

The next POWERBALL drawing will be held Saturday, January 6, at 10:59 p.m. ET, tickets must be purchased by 10:00 p.m. ET to be eligible for this drawing. National POWERBALL drawings are broadcast live, in high-definition, from the Florida Lottery’s state of the art draw studio in Tallahassee.

ABOUT THE FLORIDA LOTTERY
The Florida Lottery is responsible for contributing more than $32 billion to education and sending more than 775,000 students to college through the Bright Futures Scholarship Program. The Florida Lottery reinvests 98 percent of its revenue back into Florida’s economy through prize payouts, commissions to more than 13,000 Florida retailers and contributions to education. Since 1988, Florida Lottery games have paid more than $53.6 billion in prizes and made more than 2,000 people millionaires. For more information, please visit www.flalottery.com.

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: florida lottery, MEGA MILLIONS, Powerball

Mast Statement on Interior Department Oil Drilling Plan

Posted on January 4, 2018

U.S. Congressman Brian Mast (FL-18) today released the following statement:
“Oil drilling off the coast of Florida puts our economy, environment and marine life at risk.  That’s why I’ve long opposed drilling off our coast and have been working closely with my Florida colleagues on both sides of the aisle to extend the prohibition on drilling off the coast of Florida.  Today’s announcement that the Department of the Interior intends to open up drilling off the Florida coast is extremely alarming and unacceptable.  Moving forward, Secretary Zinke has indicated that Florida and other states will have a voice in the process.  Our voice has been clear from the start: we will not tolerate drilling near our coast.  As the Department of the Interior works to finalize their plan, I will do everything I can to convince them to change their mind and prevent drilling off our coast.”
BACKGROUND 
Congressman Mast has long opposed oil drilling off the coast of Florida.  Actions he has taken include:

  • Co-sponsoring the bipartisan Marine Oil Spill Prevention Act, which would extend the current ban on oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and strengthen the federal government’s ability to prevent and respond to future oil spills.
  • Sending a letter to Interior Secretary Zinke in June opposing secretarial order #3350 to move forward with offshore oil and gas exploration in the Atlantic Ocean.
  • Sending a letter to Interior Secretary Zinke in March in opposition to offshore oil drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico.

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: Interior Department, Oil Drilling Plan, Rep. Brian Mast

Offshore drilling proposal threatens Florida’s coasts and marine wildlife

Posted on January 4, 2018

Bidding for offshore oil and gas leases could begin as early as 2019 in almost all federal waters, including the Gulf of Mexico under a new Trump Administration proposal. Environment Florida denounced the plan, which would open vast new areas of the Atlantic, Arctic and Pacific Oceans and the Gulf to drilling.
“Oil and gas drilling is an inherently dirty and dangerous business. There is simply no safe way to drill,” said Jennifer Rubiello with Environment Florida. “By allowing offshore drilling in more of our coastal waters, the Trump administration increases the chances of a dangerous oil spill. Opening these areas to drilling endangers sea life including whales, dolphins, and sea turtles, as well as the life and livelihoods of Floridians and all Americans in coastal communities.”
Public opposition to the proposed plan could still make a difference. It did during the Obama administration.
During President Barack Obama’s second term, his administration, under pressure from coastal communities and environmentalists, created a five-year plan that protected the Atlantic and Arctic from drilling. Then, just before leaving office, President Obama announced additional protections for parts of the Arctic and Atlantic. But after President Obama left office, President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order vacating these additional protections. The matter is currently being litigated.
Today’s proposed plan is only the second stage in the approval process — and it is open to public comment. Once the Trump administration formally releases the plan, the public will have an opportunity to comment.
“Everyone who cares about clean and healthy oceans should make his or her voice heard by commenting against this proposal,” said Rubiello. “We will fight for our coasts by fighting this plan.”
By opening these areas to drilling, the Trump Administration will be acting counter to the best available science — and the will of coastal residents. The past two years has seen an outcry against drilling. Thousands of Floridians including business owners and a bipartisan coalition of local, state and federal legislators oppose drilling off of Florida’s shores. Similar organizing has also taken place up the Atlantic Coast and across the country in California.
“Instead of threatening our waterways and marine wildlife, President Trump should pay attention to the thousands of citizens, fishermen, and business owners along the Floridian Coast and the millions of Americans from Alaska to Maine who have already said ‘no’ to offshore drilling,” concluded Rubiello. “Today’s action is the wrong decision and we will do whatever it takes to block proposals to drill off our coasts.”

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: Environment Florida, offshore drilling

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