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Jeff Atwater to deliver unclaimed money to South Florida hospital

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Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater says he’ll hand-deliver a check worth more than $1 million in unclaimed insurance benefits to Fort Lauderdale’s Holy Cross Hospital this week. The media event is yet another victory lap for the CFO, who championed a measure that became law this year, requiring insurance companies to track down beneficiaries. It was later featured on CBS’ “60 Minutes.” That same law, however, is now being challenged in a Tallahassee court by insurers who call it unfair. Atwater on…

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In letter, Kevin McCarty says he’s willing to extend departure date

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Kevin McCarty is telling his bosses: You need more time? You got it. The state’s outgoing Insurance Commissioner on Wednesday wrote separate but identical letters to Gov. Rick Scott, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam. He said he would delay his departure to “45 days after my successor is appointed.” The state still hasn’t hired his replacement. The 56-year-old had announced in January that he was stepping down. He had held the post since 2003 and…

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Jeff Atwater announces “Cash for Cards” food stamp fraud operation

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Two Orlando residents accused of siphoning thousands in food stamp benefits from the government were arrested by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office Wednesday, Florida chief financial officer Jeff Atwater announced. “Today, two criminals found themselves exactly where they belong, and that’s behind bars,” Atwater said. “By stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars in public assistance benefits, they’ve stolen from the state of Florida and from every Florida taxpayer whose tax dollars support critical safety net programs. With their arrests, I…

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Senate passes reforms for Department of Financial Services

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An amended version of a bill reforming several laws and policies at the Department of Financial Services passed the Senate unanimously. LobbyTools reports that HB 651 is now headed back to the House. The bill, in part, creates a new grant program for volunteer fire departments and specifies that employees of state universities, special districts and water management districts can participate in the state’s deferred compensation program. Amendments added by Sen. Alan Hays and Sen. Jeff Brandes are the reason…

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House passes sweeping reforms to Department of Financial Services

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A bill making sweeping changes to the Department of Financial Services is heading to the Senate Thursday after passing the House floor 114 to 1. In addition to rewriting a variety of regulations, HB 651, from Monticello Republican Rep. Halsey Beshears, also establishes or alters numerous DFS programs, reports LobbyTools. Among the changes, the bill seeks to create a new grant program for volunteer fire departments as well as modifying firefighter licensure programs. Employees of state universities, special district, and…

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Insurers prepare for Irma aftermath

Insurance companies are prepared to meet Floridians’ needs after Hurricane Irma, state Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis and Insurance Commissioner

Jeanette Núñez’s terrible, horrible, no good, very bad, budget conference

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What do you do when you are asked to carry the water for a colleague running for the Florida Senate, who is looking to curry favor with a large business in his district by requesting funding for a line item nobody asked for, the state doesn’t need, and the Senate vehemently opposes? You do what Rep. Jeanette Núñez has been doing for Rep. Ritch Workman, which is to stick to a script that on the surface sounds believable, but is…

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House, Senate bills seek broad changes to Department of Financial Services

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A pair of bills making way through both the House and Senate this week seek to make wide-ranging changes to the Department of Financial Services. Among the changes, according to LobbyTools, include the establishment of new public employee programs as well as modifying several existing programs, insurance regulations, fire codes and others. For fire departments, HB 651, sponsored by Monticello Republican Rep. Halsey Beshears, and SB 992, from St. Petersburg Republican Sen. Jeff Brandes, will create a grant program for volunteer fire departments and change the…

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