Legislative leaders will soon begin a second special session to try to fix property insurance problems in Florida, which is a major concern for homeowners and policymakers.

The special session to tackle property insurance issues is scheduled for Dec. 12-16. The issue is once again front and center after the devastation caused by Hurricanes Ian and Nicole.

New Florida House Speaker Paul Renner has called this issue a priority, saying he’s aiming for “systemic reform” that will shore up the private market and steer policyholders away from the state-run Citizens Property Insurance Corp. But lawmakers will have a lot to sort through as the already chaotic Florida property insurance market surged this year, leaving many homeowners scrambling for protection and worried about skyrocketing costs.

Guests:

DeSantis targets Democratic state attorney

Secrecy, strategy and spin: A new report says they were all part of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ decision to suspend a Florida prosecutor who promised to protect abortion rights.

Records show that the Republican governor’s office had been quietly targeting Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren for months, trying to build a case to take down an outspoken prosecutor who was becoming one of the highest-profile elected Democrats in Florida. They decided Warren’s abortion pledge gave them the ammunition they needed.

However, reports show the governor and his team didn’t account for Warren’s reaction to his firing. He has sued in federal court on First Amendment grounds. In the complaint, Warren has accused DeSantis of unconstitutionally punishing a critic and potential political rival who had exercised his right to free speech.

Guests:

• Jason Garcia, an investigative reporter covering corporate influence and the publisher of Seeking Rents on Substack.
• Dara Kam, senior writer with the News Service of Florida who has been covering the trial.

Is it time to nix the ‘cone of uncertainty’?

Twenty years ago the National Hurricane Center debuted what it called the “cone of uncertainty.” The graphic shows the most likely path an approaching storm is expected to take, but each year there’s renewed debate over the cone and how it’s interpreted.

With the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season in the books — and with the cleanup continuing after the devastation of Hurricane Ian — is it time for an update to the cone?

Researchers from the University of Miami surveyed Florida residents about their understanding of the cone and found that many respondents misinterpreted aspects of the graphic, like the size of the storm, areas of likely damage as well as watches and warnings.

Those researchers are working with the hurricane center to improve the cone and develop graphics that can do a better job of communicating the potential effects of a storm.

Guest: Robert Eicher, assistant professor of meteorology at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a freelance Certified Broadcast Meteorologist.

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