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The largest private property insurance provider in the state will stop writing new home owner policies and continue to cut high risk houses. Friday, State Farm announced it will no longer write new policies, creating less competition and a statewide burden. As Whitney Ray tells us, with State Farm scaling down, more people will turn to state run Citizens Insurance, which could mean all Floridians, will pay more.

Hear it here: State Farm Bans New Homeowner Policies, State Could Pick Up Risk

In the mist of an already turbulent insurance market, one of the state’s top providers will scale down. State Farm will no longer write new home owners policies. The company is also in the process of dumping 50,000 coastal properties, which concerns regulators.

“Commissioner McCarty is disappointed in the news. He thinks its bad news for the state of Florida,” said Office of Insurance Regulation spokesman Ed Domansky.

The scale down comes as a senate committee investigates rival company Allstate for raising rates when prices were supposed to drop. Allstate is being raked over the coals by the state and could face charges. A State Farm spokesman said that had no affect on their decision. Once known as the insurer of last resort, Citizens Insurance may end up with some of the coastal properties State Farm will abandon, raising legislative eyebrows.

“That just adds to the risk that the citizen and taxpayers in the state of Florida would have to face,” said state representative Curtis Richardson.

If major hurricanes hit Florida, all policy holders in the state would pay an increased assessment fee to Citizens. Homeowner Rosemary Rauch said she already pays too much for people living on the coast.

“If you can afford to live on the coast, and who wouldn’t, then they should be able to pay more for their own insurance and it shouldn’t be for people inland,” said Rauch.

In March Lawmakers, will look at ways to reduce the states risk. A spokesperson for State Farm said despite the scale down efforts, the company will continue to do business in Florida.

There are concerns tonight that the lead found in Chinese toys may also be showing up in implants, crowns and dentures from China and India. The imports aren’t strictly regulated and have made some people sick. There are no laws requiring dentist to tell you where they buy the products, but as Whitney Ray tells us, Florida lawmakers are pushing for full disclosure.

Hear it here: Lawmakers Fight Lead Implants

Philip Twelves doesn’t know where his tooth implant came from.

“They just said it was porcelain, I really don’t recall if they said where it was manufactured,” said Twelves.

The story is the same for Owen Hardin

“I’ve never asked, but I have wondered,” Owen said.

A trip to the dentist is scary enough. Then add the fear of lead poisoning. Some implants coming from overseas are contaminated. Dental Technician and President Elect of The Florida Dental Laboratory Associate Buddy Wester follows strict regulations when building implants or molding partials. He says overseas labs don’t have the same regulations.

“If the restoration comes in from overseas, and it has some type of hazardous material unbeknownst to the dentist and the patient and the patient become ill, then there’s no way to track that restoration,” said Wester.

While there aren’t any reported cases of this kind of dangerous dental work being done in Florida, Nationwide overseas implants have made people sick. The cases stem from lead based dental work. Lead is strictly prohibited in domestic dental labs. The internet if full of sites showing dentists how to make big profits.
Lawmakers fear dentists are looking overseas to cut costs. One proposal would require labs and dentists to tell patients what materials are going into their mouths.

Credit scammers are in a fix much like the clients who seek their service. The Attorney General’s office has filed a lawsuit against scammers who prey on consumers with bad credit. Scammers offering to erase or consolidate debt, or hide bad credit by giving consumers a new identity number face federal charges. Now victims of the scams face lawsuits. They could owe the companies who they were indebted to before the scammers promised to erase the debt .

“If something sounds too good to be true it probably is. If someone’s telling you oh we can wipe out all your debt just pay us a fee up front” that should be a red flag,” said Victoria Langley Heller a Spokesperson for Attorney General’s Office.

The Attorney General’s office urges that consumers consult with their lenders first and to also take advantage of the free yearly credit report available online at annualcreditreport.com.

The debate over whether Florida’s democratic delegates will be seated at the national convention continues. Florida was penalized for moving up its primary. In response, the democratic national party took away all of the states 210 delegates. With the nomination still in doubt, both the Barack Obama campaigns and the Hillary campaign have gotten into the fight. Clinton wants their vote to count, Obama does not. Both campaigns are already consulting lawyers, which leads noted political scientist Susan McManus from the University of South Florida to conclude the delegate issue will end up in court and turn out in Clinton’s favor.

“Looking outside the 14th and 15th amendments of the constitution, the disenfranchisement of Florida’s minority voters and process for nominating their parties nominee for President of the United States, I don’t count a legal battle out of the question at all,” said McManus.

McManus was in Tallahassee Friday speaking to students at Florida State.
Michigan was also penalized. Senator Clinton won Michigan and is also calling for those delegates to be seated.

Nearly 4,000 high school seniors who met the criteria to get into Florida State next fall will be looking for another college. The students were tentatively admitted, but as Mike Vasilinda tells us, letters arriving in the mail today will tell them there is not room for them at FSU.

Hear it here: Would Be College Students Receive Dear John Letters

Valeria Obi scored just under 1,100 on her SAT before she was admitted to Florida State two years ago.

“I mean I know my SAT scores weren’t perfect, but because my GPA was so high and I did have a lot of extracurricular and recommendations, I feel that I do belong here,” said Obi.

But now 3,800 high school seniors with better SAT scores than Valeria are missing the FSU Bus. Letters in the mail Wednesday say budget cuts are forcing the school to limit who gets in.

None of the 3,800 students who are getting this letter can be considered slackers by any standards. Provost Larry Abele said that all of the students had higher GPAs and test scores than the state average.

“An 1,170, 3.2, 3.4. I mean that’s a solid student,” said Abele.

State budget writers said their hands are tied. Senator Evelyn Lynn said there is still room for students in some 4 year schools and all of the community colleges.

“This is an extremely tough year. It’s the worst we’ve had in 38 years,” Lynn said.

FSU Freshman Catherine Case was admitted to FSU in last year. She has a
GPA and SAT like the students now being turned away. Case was asked, “how would you feel if you had been turned down with scores like that?”

“I’d probably be upset. If you deserve to be here then you deserve to be
here. It shouldn’t be a matter of money, really,” Case said.

The decision of the school is final. So now, 3,800 high school seniors who were a shoe-in now need to make other plans for college next fall. FSU also wrote lawmakers Thursday, saying the budget crunch is forcing it to cancel its annual FSU Day at the Capitol this spring. It is a day when the college honors it graduates in the legislature and provides meals for lawmakers and the public.

A stand off between the state’s court system and lawmakers in control of funds is raging. Lawmakers say they told the courts to make room for cuts months ago, Judges say, if they don’t get more help, they’ll shut their doors. As Whitney Ray tells, us the threat of closing the court system has causing concern for court employees.

Regina Lewis never knew how much she needed her job as a court administrative assistant until she opened her email, Wednesday. Lewis, like thousands of others employed by Florida’s court system, were told they may have to take 22 days off as an unpaid vacation. County courts could be closed 58 days.

“It’s a little scary, we’ve never been through anything like this,” said Lewis.

Judges are threatening to shut down the state’s judicial system, this spring.
The threat comes as lawmakers are looking for 17 million dollars they asked the courts to not spend back In July.

“The local districts are telling us that they were unaware. That they didn’t realize that they had to do the haul backs. That no one had told them,” said Senator Victor Crist.

Judges say they don’t’ have the money. Making cuts means shutting down the entire judicial branch. While the need is just a small portion of the courts overall budget, Lawmakers are hesitant to look to the rainy day fund to fill the gap. Crist said the economy is too shaky to take the money from the two billion dollar stabilization fund.

“All indicators are showing that there are going to be continued declines in revenue over the next 18 to 24 months. It would be flagrantly and financially irresponsible for us to blow our savings until we find out where the bottom is,” said Crist.

If courts are forced to close their doors its possible federal courts could step in and force them to reopen.

A proposed bill would set standards for cities to snap pictures of cars running run red lights. The cameras would be put at dangerous intersections. If the camera nabbed a picture of your license plate, you could receive a 125 dollar ticket in the mail. The idea for the legislation came after a wreck claimed the life of Mark Wendell. Wendell died after a car ran a red light and smashed into his vehicle in 2003. Wendell’s wife Melisa has been pushing the red light law ever since her husband’s death.

“Do I think it’s going to stop every single person from running a red light? Absolutely not, but if it can stop as many people as possible or curve those bad behaviors, I think it’s my responsible to do that,” said Wendell.

A committee voted to approve the bill. Wendell’s hoping to get the Red Light Law in front of lawmakers in March.

Nearly 4 thousand high school seniors who met the criteria to get into Florida State next fall will be looking for another college. The students were tentatively admitted, But as Mike Vasilinda tells us, letters arriving in the mail today will tell them there is not room for them at FSU.

Valeria Obi scored just under 1100 on her SAT before she was admitted to Florida State two years ago.

“I mean I know my SAT scores weren’t perfect, but because my GPA was so high and I did have a lot of extracurriculars and recommendations, I feel that I do belong here,” Obi said.

But now 38 hundred high school seniors with better SAT scores than Valeria are missing the FSU bus. Letters in the mail Wednesday say budget cuts are forcing the school to limit who gets in.

None of the 38 hundred students who are getting this letter can be considered slackers by any standards.

Provost Larry Abele says that all of the students had higher GPAs and test scores than the state average.

“An 1170, 3.2, 3.4. I mean that’s a solid student,” Abele said.

State budget writers say their hands are tied. Sen. Evelyn Lynn says there is still room for students in some 4 year schools and all of the community colleges.

“This is an extremely tough year,” Lynn said. “It’s the worst we’ve had in 38 years.”

FSU Freshman Catherine Case was admitted to FSU in last year. She has a GPA and SAT like the students now being turned away.

“If you deserve to be here then you deserve to be here,” Case said. “ It shouldn’t be a matter of money, really.”

The decision of the school is final. So now, 38 hundred high school seniors who were a shoe-in now need to make other plans for college next fall.

FSU also wrote lawmakers today, saying the budget crunch is forcing it to cancel it’s annual FSU Day at the Capitol this spring. It is a day when the college honors it graduates in the legislature and provides meals for lawmakers and the public.

Read the Letter Here

Governor Charlie Crist is proposing a plan to help Florida’s millions of uninsured afford health coverage. The plan cuts cost for working families and provides provisions for doctors to set up their own hospitals. While health care workers are praising some aspects of the plan, Whitney Ray tells us some say the proposal could hurt the community hospitals.

Hear it here: Crist Health Care Plan Worries Hospitals

Four months ago Vanishia Cramity gave birth to a baby girl. She was rushed to the emergency room, but when it came time to pay, she didn’t have insurance to cover the cost.

“I’m still paying it off and that bill is very, very high,” said Cramity.

Cramity said insurance is too expensive for her family. Governor Charlie Crist agrees.

“I want to get health coverage to the 3.8 million Floridians who don’t have health insurance today,” Crist said.

Governor Crist announced a plan to help cut the cost of health insurance for low income families. While the plan would help Florida’s millions of uninsured it could hurt hospitals. The plan would eliminate the Certificate of Need allowing doctors to set up their own hospitals. Florida Hospital Association spokesman Rich Rasmussen said the proposal would create a two tier system.

“Those who have insurance would go to one tier, those that have no insurance would go to another, which would put all of our community hospitals at risk,” said Rasmussen.

Crist said his proposal would create healthy competition.

“If we can have less regulation of how health care is delivered in Florida, we have the opportunity to have lower rates available to people to get more coverage to the uninsured,” Crist said.

The certificate of need was established 30 years ago, whether or not it survives the 2008 legislative session will be up to lawmakers.

Getting a job can be hard, but trying to get hired with a criminal record can really limit your options. A senate committee wants to help people who have gone through the system. A proposed bill would help people who have lost their civil rights get a job. Destiny Coleman was arrested when she was a teenager. She was tried as an adult. She later received a clemency letter, it’s been 10 year since her arrest, but she still has problems.

“I can’t get employed, because when they go into the FDLE database, they see my charges so nobody wants to hire me, so I can’t volunteer at my daughter’s school and I can’t get employment,” said Coleman.

If the bill makes it through this legislative session, it would go into effect in July.

Pet owners who can’t afford to have their dogs spayed or neutered may soon get some help. Proposed legislation would set up a fund to pay for the operations. It would also help counties who require pet owners to spay and neuter dogs and cats. The Save a Pet Act would set up a fund of private donations to help control the animal population.

“A family that doesn’t have a lot of resources, but they want that pet for their kids or whatever at 125, 130 bucks to get it spayed or neutered, they might just try not to get it done. This would be paid to the vet to get it done, or it might go to a vet clinic or a human clinic,” said Carl Domino a republican state Representative.

Pet enthusiast Gertrude Maxwell has promised to donate thousand of dollars to start the program. Supporters of the bill said the program wouldn’t cost taxpayer a dime.

Foreclosures have hit an all time high in Florida, and now lawmakers want to fix the lending problem. A bill to prevent future foreclosures was announced Wednesday. The legislation requires lenders to verify the borrower’s ability to repay the loan. The bill also bans prepayment penalties on sub prime loans.

“No more loans just based upon telling something, you actually have to prove that you actually have the income to pay these loans back,” said Democrat State Representative Scott Randolph. ”That benefits, not only the consumer from finding themselves in a situation they shouldn’t be in, but it benefits the markets and bolsters our economy and the housing market as a whole by not having foreclosures. Not having markets collapse. Not having the stock market collapse. Because of these mortgages that are sold under the market.”

Lawmakers said many borrowers simply aren’t aware that they could get a lower interest rate. The bill would require lenders to tell clients if they qualify for a lower cost loan.

The foreclosure situation has gotten so bad Governor Charlie Crist is setting up a task force to help home owners. Wednesday, Crist announced the Florida Home Ownership Promotes the Economy, or HOPE task force. The task force is made up of experts from mortgage and banking industries, as well as consumer advocates and policy experts. The HOPE members will investigate the state’s foreclosure rate.

“It’s important for consumers to realize if there’s some kind of notice or they get a letter in the mail from their lending institution to try and be responsive to it and they might find that there will be a way for them to keep their home longer. Otherwise they may not have been aware of,” said Crist.

In April, the HOPE task force will present recommendations to Governor Crist, the speaker of the house, and the president of the senate.

With the primary just six months away, Florida is shifting its registration efforts into high gear. Several supervisors of elections, along with the secretary of state, revealed their campaign to register more Floridians to vote. From now until the primary, they plan to target schools, retailers, and places of worship. The supervisors will focus on a different location each month.

“We’re going where the voters are instead of the voters coming where we are. So we’re going out into the community, pushing the elements that need to be there, filling out the simple sheet to get registered and once that’s complete, they’re ready to vote for future elections,” said Mark Andersen, Bay County Supervisor of Elections.

Early voting for the Florida primary will be held from August 11th till August 23rd. The primary election will be held on August 26th.

A new bill calls for health care reform. If passed, The Health Care Consumer’s Right to Information Act will require hospitals and physicians to provide price information on common procedures in advance. The bill would help consumers make better financial choices.

“We’re here to really stand united with one voice to make sure that people understand that we’re going to take steps to make sure that the info is available, that people understand it, that people can use it, that consumers can drive health care in the state as opposed to all kinds of other economic interests,” said state representative Juan Zapata.

According to the 2006 Harris poll, 60 percent of people receiving medical care did not know the costs of their treatment until they received the bill.