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Member, Beacon International Group, Ltd.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill.—Just hours before the end of the spring legislative session, the Illinois House passed and sent to the governor legislation that would reform Illinois' workers compensation system.
House members passed H.B. 1698 late Tuesday on a 62-43 vote in a last-ditch effort to overhaul Illinois' workers comp system and avoid a separate measure that would abolish the system entirely, forcing claims to be handled in the state's court system.
Gov. Pat Quinn reportedly is expected to sign the measure, which already was passed by the Illinois Senate.
Proponents of the bill, which was sponsored by state Rep. John E. Bradley, D-Marion, said it would save businesses $500 million to $700 million per year by reducing medical provider rates by 30%.
Burden of proof shifted
The bill, which gained only one affirmative Republican vote in the Democrat-controlled House, also would establish medical networks for workers comp claims, reduce the benefit period for carpal tunnel syndrome injuries from 40 weeks to 28 weeks, and switch the burden of proof from employers to workers to show whether alcohol or drug use was a factor in a workplace accident, for which comp would be denied.
Democrats touted the measure as a significant reform. Republicans, however, said the bill fails to address the causation standard for injuries, which business groups argued needs to change to help control system costs.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill.—An Illinois House committee has advanced legislation that would do away with the state’s workers compensation system.