Lesley ClarkWashington Correspondent | | Marc CaputoTallahassee Bureau | |
House Speaker Marco Rubio asked about rumors going on about Florida's no-fault insurance law said Monday evening that he is now optimistic that perhaps lawmakers can come up with a deal that keeps intact personal injury protection in auto insurance.
Rubio said that all sides are finally making concessions that could root out fraud _ which he says remains his only concern about the existing system. Rubio said he was encouraged by fee schedules contained in the bill put together by Sen. Bill Posey and by the meetings of stakeholders being held by the offices of Gov. Charlie Crist.
"There's a possibility to do something meaningful for the first time on PIP,'' said Rubio right before he went into The Governor's Club to attend a fundraiser for his older brother. Mario Rubio. "That's one of the things that has been standing in the way. No one has wanted to do anything meaningful about it. Now it sounds like there is a consensus growing behind something meaningful.''
Rubio however said that there is no plan yet on when a PIP bill might be considered. One rumor going around Monday was to take it up at the end of September _ when House members are going to hold committee meetings in advance of the October 3 special session that lawmakers are holding to cut the state budget.
"No one has talked about timing,'' said Rubio who said he still expects an official "call" on the budget session to be released this week. "You don't call a special session until you know what you are going to do.''
On other topics. Rubio said the breakdown earlier this month in budget discussions between the House and Senate centered on whether to cut the state's $71 billion budget through across the board cuts versus the "targeted" cuts the House wants to take. But he refused to call it a disagreement: "It was more of a discussion about different approaches to the same issue.''
Kidcare passed in the House and was part of Rubio's 100 Ideas. You need to direct your anger at the Senate.
As for PIP I think Rubio has been consistent on the fraud issue. I wish he would just let it sunset that is the best anti-fraud measure of all.
Related article:
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2007/09/pip-politics-ru.html
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