Latest Legislation Headlines
All the headlines from our Legislation Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Minnesota Lawmakers Push $300M Plan to Rebuild from Unrest
Jun 17 2020 // Democrats who control the Minnesota House announced a $300 million economic aid proposal June 15 for businesses that were damaged or destroyed during the civil unrest over the death of George Floyd. The legislation is...
After Veto, Louisiana GOP Lawmakers Try Again for Auto Crash Lawsuit Limits
Jun 17 2020 // Despite a veto from the governor, the Louisiana House has plowed ahead with a top priority for business lobbying groups, trying to lessen the money that people could win against insurance companies and businesses in car...
Liability Waivers Not Always Effective But Employers Take ‘Better Safe Than Sorry’ View
Jun 17 2020 // As businesses reopen across the U.S. after coronavirus shutdowns, many are requiring customers and workers to sign forms saying they won’t sue if they catch COVID-19. Businesses fear they could be the target of...
Vermont Governor Signs New Captive Insurance Industry Legislation
Jun 16 2020 // Vermont Governor Phil Scott has signed new legislation that aims to strengthen Vermont’s captive insurance laws, increase efficiencies and add flexibility to regulatory policy and procedures. “COVID-19 has...
No-Deal Brexit Would Deepen Economic Pain for UK’s Coronavirus-Hit Companies
Jun 16 2020 // Trade talks between the EU and UK have struggled in recent weeks, increasing the prospect that Britain departs the bloc without a deal and that businesses face an extreme shock when the divorce takes effect. It’s a...
Michigan’s No-Penalty Amnesty Period for Uninsured Drivers Starts July 2
Jun 15 2020 // Beginning July 2, uninsured drivers in Michigan can get insurance coverage without facing penalties during an 18-month amnesty period, state insurance regulators say. The Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial...
Louisiana Governor Rejects Car Accident Tort Reform Bill
Jun 15 2020 // Gov. John Bel Edwards on June 12 vetoed eight bills passed by Louisiana lawmakers in their recently ended regular session, including the business lobby’s top priority, a measure to scale back damage claims against...
Judge Limits California Governor’s Emergency Rule-Making
Jun 15 2020 // A California judge has sided with Republican legislators who said Gov. Gavin Newsom overstepped his powers with dozens of emergency orders during the coronavirus crisis that changed everything from how public meetings are...
Judge Extends Time for Local Boy Scout Councils to File for Protection
Jun 11 2020 // The judge presiding over the Boy Scouts of America bankruptcy has approved an agreement among attorneys to extend an injunction halting child sex abuse lawsuits against the organization’s 261 local councils until...
Unprecedented Arctic Diesel Spill Angers Putin and Could Force Green Reform in Russia
Jun 11 2020 // The mishandling of the biggest Arctic oil spill ever infuriated Russian President Vladimir Putin and could give a boost to the country’s environmental regulation. MMC Norilsk Nickel PJSC, Russia’s biggest...
Cryptoasset Insurer Evertas Receives License to Operate in Bermuda
Jun 10 2020 // Cryptoasset insurer Evertas has received a license from the Bermuda Monetary Authority to start operating from the jurisdiction. Evertas’ operations in Bermuda will now aim to start issuing policies for theft or loss...
A.M. Best Affirms North American Casualty Group Companies’ Ratings
Jun 10 2020 // Ratings issuer A.M. Best said it has removed from under review with negative implications and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A (Excellent) and Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings of “a” of five companies...
The BIG Idea for Business Interruption Coverage: What It Is and Isn’t
Jun 10 2020 // Good faith coverage disputes over pandemic-related business interruption coverage don’t have to be fought out in courts, and retroactive rewrites of business interruption coverage language are unfair, according to a...
California Consumer and Insurer Groups Square Off Over Homeowner Insurance Bill
Jun 9 2020 // A consumer group is warning that homeowners could pay billions more for their home insurance under what it calls an “insurance industry legislative attack on California’s effective rate...
Mistake in Louisiana Auto Crash Bill Could Cause Higher Damage Awards
Jun 5 2020 // After a last-minute scramble to pass the business lobby’s top priority for the regular session, Republican legislators quickly realized they mangled the language of the bill aimed at limiting damage claims against...
N.Y. Emergency Reg Requires Insurers to Expedite Claims Related to Civil Unrest
Jun 5 2020 // The New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) has issued an emergency regulation requiring New York-regulated insurers to accelerate the claims process for businesses and individuals suffering damage as a...
Louisiana Lawmakers Consider Business Tax Breaks in Special Session
Jun 4 2020 // As Louisiana lawmakers on June 2 resumed work on piecing together a budget, their biggest unresolved financial question centered not on the coronavirus pandemic, but on how much they’ll want to give in tax breaks to...
Tech Group Sues Trump Over Order Weakening Social Media Immunity
Jun 3 2020 // An advocacy group backed by the tech industry sued President Donald Trump on Tuesday over his executive order that would weaken a law protecting online platforms including social media companies that label or fact-check...
How Florida’s Strained Insurance Market is Facing COVID-19, Hurricane Season
Jun 3 2020 // From the threat of insurer ratings downgrades to mounting carrier losses because of excessive litigation to increasing insurance rates, Florida’s insurance market got off to a rocky start in 2020. Then came the...
States Adding Laws to Shield Businesses From Liability for Coronavirus Claims
Jun 2 2020 // Four states have passed laws that grant businesses immunity from civil liability for claims relating to COVID-19, while legislation in at least three other states is advancing. The bills signed into law by the governors of...
