How the Florida insurance industry hopes to rein in AOB crisis

Florida's assignment of benefits epidemic is leading to higher insurance rates, reduced coverage and a potential insurance market crisis in the state. Carriers across the state have seen an increase in litigation because of inflated claims. According to the Florida Department of Financial Services, there were 405 AOB lawsuits across all 67 Florida counties in 2006, and by 2016 that number had risen to 28,200. [Source: Insurance Journal]

New El Niño forecast, what it means for Florida's hurricane season

Chances that the global climate pattern El Niño will develop this fall were increased in the most recent forecast. For Florida, the periodic warming of the equatorial Pacific Ocean can mean a less active hurricane season with fewer of the powerhouse Cat 5 tropical cyclones known to build during the peak months of August through October. [Source: Palm Beach Post]

See also:
» Tropics take a holiday with no Florida hurricane activity in sight

NASA plots a return to the moon within a decade — but this time astronauts will stay there

Bob Richards, the CEO of Cape Canaveral-based Moon Express and a self-described “orphan of Apollo,” now is confident that Americans are within a decade or so of returning to the lunar surface — this time to stay. [Source: Florida Today]

Related video:
» NASA Administator Bridenstine talks about returning astronauts to the moon

Looking to buy a TV or home? New tariffs mean South Floridians could see even higher prices

South Florida’s already-high new home prices could get boosted by the trade war — again. And this time, the price of the furniture and TVs used to furnish them could rise as well. Under new tariffs proposed last week, finishes like stone counter tops, tiles and light fixtures from China would become more expensive. [Source: Miami Herald]

Push to put open primaries amendment on 2020 ballot begins

A proposed ballot amendment to allow unaffiliated voters to cast ballots in partisan primaries didn’t get the green light from the Constitution Revision Commission this year, but on Wednesday a group committed to getting the proposal in front of voters in 2020. [Source: Florida Politics]

Related, from Florida Trend:
» Florida's constitutional amendments are a mixed bag (includes explanations, pros and cons, political context)

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› St. Petersburg ranked best-run city in Florida [WFLA]
WalletHub recently released a ranking of the best-run cities across the nation and placed St. Petersburg in the top 50 cities, making it the highest-ranked city for the state of Florida.

› South Florida 'ground zero' for card skimmers [WFLX]
Across the state of Florida, skimming devices uncovered by state inspectors nearly tripled in just one year. According to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, inspectors found 169 skimmers in 2015, 219 skimmers in 2016 and tripled to 655 skimmers in 2017.

› Brightline adds VP of government affairs [Press Release]
Bob O’Malley, formerly of CSX Transportation, has joined Brightline as vice president of government affairs in a newly-created role. O’Malley will oversee government affairs and community outreach of the company’s Orlando to Tampa expansion efforts.

› Miami commission OKs ballot referendum for new soccer stadium [Florida Politics]
Miami city commissioners voted 3-2 Wednesday to approve a November ballot referendum that could pave the way for a new soccer stadium in Miami. A group including former soccer superstar David Beckham is proposing the stadium be built on Miami’s Melreese County Club in order to host the city’s new Major League Soccer franchise.

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› 509 lionfish down. A few million to go. [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Divers caught 509 lionfish in Fort Lauderdale over the weekend, in a contest aimed at controlling the venomous, elaborately decorated non-native fish that have infested Florida’s coastal waters.

› Ex-Disney performer sues, saying pregnancy cost her job at Animal Kingdom [Orlando Sentinel]
A Disney ballerina who performed in Animal Kingdom’s Festival of the Lion King show is accusing the theme park operator of firing her after she became pregnant with twins, according to a recent lawsuit.

› Celebrity Cruises is spending $500 million to transform every ship in its fleet [Miami Herald]
Beginning in 2019, Celebrity will begin renovations in what it’s calling the “Celebrity Revolution,” an overhaul of the line’s 12 ships that is playing off the hype around its upcoming class of ships, dubbed “Edge,” the first of which will debut in November.

› Orlando attorney firm Broad and Cassel to merge next month [Orlando Sentinel]
Orlando legal firm Broad and Cassel is being acquired by Atlanta-based Nelson Mullins. The new firm, Nelson Mullins Broad and Cassel, will add areas of practice Broad and Cassel had lacked, including medical, education and regulatory cases. Also see the news release about this merger.