Posted: March, 2005

Workers' Compensation Budget Bill Introduced

H.B. 67 is the Bureau of Workers' Compensation budget bill. The House has already passed this bill.

In addition to providing the Bureau of Workers' Compensation's budget, H.B. 67 proposes the following substantive changes to the law:

Immediate Allowance of Specified Medical Conditions

Permits Bureau of Workers' Compensation to adopt rules identifying medical conditions with a historic record of being allowed. Immediate payment of medical bills will be made in such claims. If claim is challenged and disallowed, payment will be reimbursed from surplus fund.

Loan Fund

Creates a long term care loan fund with money transferred from the Safety & Hygiene Fund. Administrator may loan money to nursing home employers for specified equipment so as to establish a policy of no manual lifting of patients.

Public Employment Risk Reduction Program

Transferred from the Department of Commerce to the Bureau of Workers' Compensation.

Abolishes the Risk Reduction Advisory Commission and transfers duties to the Workers' Compensation Oversight Commission.

OSHA On-Site Consultation Program

Transferred from Department of Commerce to the Bureau of Workers' Compensation.

Transfers Enforcement Fund from Department of Commerce to the Bureau of Workers' Compensation.

Budget Amounts

H.B. 67 provides the Bureau of Workers' Compensation with a total budget of:

$321,561,811 for fiscal year 2006 (July 1, 2005 - June 30, 2006);
$322,027,051 for fiscal year 2007 (July 1, 2006 - June 30, 2007).