BP has tenatively agreed to set aside $20 Billion to ensure payment of claims related to the oil spill.  I have advocated for this since early May and believe it to be a hedge against the potential bankruptcy of BP.  I will feel much more comfortable about the claims of fishermen, restaurant owners, seafood processors, hotel operators and others being paid when this deal is done.

Current information as of May 3, 2010

Sen. David Baria, D-Bay St. Louis, said for many homeowners, the state program is their only option for wind insurance.

He sponsored an amendment Tuesday to add $20 million to the Insurance Department's budget specifically for the windpool fund. The House had included the money in the budget bills it sent to the Senate, but the money was stripped out during the committee process. The money would come from reserve funds related to Hurricane Katrina.

"So what our commissioner is saying is we don't need to buy any more reinsurance? That the rates are already as low as they need to be? I take an opposite view," Baria said. "Rates are too high for businesses and individuals on the Mississippi Coast. Perhaps if we made rates more attractive, the private market would correspondingly reduce rates."

Read the entire article here:   http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=20103170363

“People should be outraged that we can’t get simple, pro-consumer reforms done in our state Capitol, especially after what we went through following Katrina. People should be up in arms. They should be filling up the e-mail boxes and mailboxes of their senators and representatives. They should be calling, e-mailing and writing the Insurance Commissioner. They should be raising hell about this.”

MID is considering granting State Farm a 45% rate hike.  Coast residents should keep a close watch on this matter.

Here are the links to newspaper reports on the hearings held at the Capitol yesterday.
http://www.sunherald.com/218/story/1101117.html
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20090129/BIZ/901290340/1005/newsfrnt

INSURANCE REFORM

• Insureds Bill of Rights
• Eliminate Anti-Concurrent Causation Exclusion
• Place Burden of Proof on insurance company
• Premium discounts for stronger homes

OVERSIGHT OF KATRINA RELIEF SPENDING

• Ensure that Katrina money is spent where appropriate

CIGARETTE TAX INCREASE/GROCERY TAX DECREASE

• Increase tax on cigarettes with corresponding decrease in grocery tax

PROMOTE GREEN BUILDING

• Tax credit for solar, wind, geothermal
• Mandate public buildings to become more energy efficient

TAX RELIEF FOR SENIORS AND DISABLED

• Increase Homestead Exemption to $100,000

GUBERNATORIAL PARDONS

• Require community hearing before Governor can pardon

View list of authored/co-authored bills by David Baria

A full list of bills can be found at the Mississippi State Legislature Website.

As your State Senator, David Baria will...

• fight for the issues that are important to the people of the Mississippi Gulf Coast
• work to remove the roadblocks that are preventing people from re-building houses
• hold the insurance companies accountable and make sure they treat people fairly and equitably
• work to find solutions to keep insurance affordable
• make sure our law enforcement agencies have the tools they need to fight crime effectively
• ensure that the recovery money is spent wisely and where it is needed
• hold accountable those who misappropriate recovery money

Start of the official 2009 Mississippi Legislative Session

Opening ceremonies of the 2009 Mississippi Legislative Session to be held at the newly renovated Old Mississippi Capitol