Tuesday, April 24th, 2007 — A controversial bill moved forward Monday that could give the state-run insurer leeway to write more policies and compete more openly with the private insurance industry. This proposal has the backing of Gov. Charlie Crist, who views it as a way to provide lower insurance rates for homeowners in Florida. To the governor, the bill is crucial, especially because the promised rate discounts that insurers are required to pass on haven’t been as generous as originally envisioned.