Insurance Reform Post-Session Battle Begins

The expiration date on the 2011 legislative session is more than a week over the limit, but the insurance industry and consumer advocacy groups are not done fighting yet. The groups are battling over SB 408, the one piece of substantive legislation that made it to Gov. Rick Scott’s desk this year, despite massive, veto-proof Republican majorities in both chambers dedicated to pro-business policies that included reforming the private insurance market. Last week Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, who was largely responsible for halting the more aggressive insurance reform measures, sent out a press release urging his constituents to call Scott and ask him to veto the bill.