In support: Sens. Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy have released a statement of their support for the Trump administration’s proposed offshore energy leasing program. The five-year drilling plan would open up oil and gas exploration off the U.S. coasts from California to Georgia and Maine, where drilling has been historically blocked. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke announced the plan today. Cassidy and Kennedy say the proposal would create jobs and make America energy dominant. Read more.
New name, new look: Tupelo, Mississippi-based BancorpSouth Insurance Services, a subsidiary of BancorpSouth Bank, has changed its name to BXS Insurance, effective Jan. 1. The rebranding, which also includes design elements like fonts and color palettes, is meant to unite the agency’s 630 employees across nine states, BXS Insurance President Markham McKnight says in a statement.
For your health: Striving to fulfill a campaign promise, the Trump administration moved today to facilitate the interstate sale of health insurance policies that cost less but may not cover as much. The proposed regulation from the Labor Department would provide more health insurance options for self-employed people and small businesses, but its success depends on buy-in from insurers, state regulators, plan sponsors and consumers themselves. Some groups already have concerns. Read more.
