Exodus From Puerto Rico Could Upend Florida Vote

Washington Post KISSIMMEE, Florida — Puerto Rico’s economic crisis meant Jeffrey Rondon, 25, struggled to find even part-time work, so he recently joined the growing exodus from his Caribbean island to Florida. Now he holds a full-time restaurant job and something that could upend the 2016 presidential election — the right to vote in Florida,…

Consumers Need Legislative Fix to Home Repair Scam

on July 19, 2015 the Miami Herald ran the following op-ed by PIFF Executive Director Michael Carlson: For three years, state lawmakers have received mounting evidence about a scam in which frazzled homeowners are unknowingly signing away their insurance benefits to shady vendors during home repair emergencies. This spring’s annual legislative session melted down with…

Florida Lawmakers Focus on Flood Insurance

Florida representatives are turning their attention to flood insurance with a new bill and a proposition to extend a 2014 law. Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Fla.) and Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-Fla.) are calling for an extension of the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act, signed by President Barack Obama on March 21, 2014, which limited yearly flood…

Florida Homeowner Insurers Deluged by Assignment of Benefit Lawsuits

Although hurricane season has yet to cause havoc this year, 2015 has already been a brutal year for insurance companies which provide homeowners’ coverage in Florida. The problem for property insurers? No one is willing to take a firm position against the surge of Assignment of Benefits (AOB) lawsuits, which are proliferating to the point…

Florida Government Gets Credit for Being Mostly Democratic

Florida’s democracy is pretty, well…democratic. At least compared to other states.  That’s according to a new report out this month from the left-leaning Center for American Progress Action Fund. The study looked at access to voting, representation in state government and the extent to which outside influencers can shape policy. Overall, Florida ranked 11th nationally, the…