Business briefs: Trucker rest break proposal resurrected in aviation bill
Trucker rest break proposal resurrected
WASHINGTON -- Buried in the fine print of an aviation bill is a provision that would prevent states from requiring trucking companies to schedule more generous rest breaks for their drivers than the federal government's minimum standard.
Laws in 22 states require longer or more frequent rest or meal breaks for workers than the Federal Motor Carrier Administration's standard for truckers of a minimum half-hour break eight hours after reporting for duty.
A controversial trucking industry-backed proposal to pre-empt the state laws in favor of the federal standard was taken out of a massive transportation bill at the insistence of Senate negotiators in December.
The proposal has been quietly revived in a bill introduced this week to overhaul the Federal Aviation Administration.
Obama health care law has respectable sign-ups
WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration says 12.7 million people have signed up for private insurance or renewed coverage under the president's health care law, respectable results for a program still in political jeopardy.
Expectations were low when 2016 open enrollment started Nov. 1. Premiums were rising, and many of the remaining uninsured were considered skeptics about getting covered.
The 12.7 million sign-ups reported on Thursday falls right in the middle of the administration's projection of 11 million to 14 million initial enrollments through HealthCare.gov and state-run counterparts.
The ultimate goal is customer retention. And Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell set a target of 10 million consumers enrolled at the end of the year.
With this cushion, the administration seems on track. Republicans are still vowing to repeal "Obamacare."
CEO Dauman takes over chair at Viacom
LOS ANGELES -- Aging media mogul Sumner Redstone stepped down as executive chairman of Viacom on Thursday and was replaced by CEO Philippe Dauman, a move that immediately disappointed investors.
Although the decision mimicked a similar move at sister company CBS, Thursday's action has the potential to set off a future board fight. Redstone's daughter Shari said Wednesday she was against Dauman's promotion to the role because of his deep involvement in Redstone family affairs.
Investment adviser SpringOwl, which holds a stake of undisclosed size in Viacom, had also opposed Dauman's bid for the chairmanship, calling instead for an independent director.
Dauman is one of seven trustees who will control nearly 80 percent of the voting stakes at both CBS and Viacom after 92-year-old Redstone dies.
-- Herald wire reports
This story was originally published February 4, 2016 at 11:28 PM with the headline "Business briefs: Trucker rest break proposal resurrected in aviation bill ."