The House of Representatives last week approved legislation backed by the GOP leadership to repeal last year's health care reform law. The measure, which is likely to fail in the Senate, passed on a near-party line 245-189 vote, with just three Democrats voting in favor. Separately, the House approved a nonbinding resolution directing four House committees to begin drafting a new reform measure, which is intended to lower health care premiums through increased competition and choice, increase the number of insured, and not “accelerate the insolvency of entitlement programs or increase the tax burden on Americans,” among other things.

Former American International Group Inc. leader Maurice R. Greenberg could go on trial in May over his role in a sham reinsurance deal that prosecutors said was designed to hide AIG's losses and inflate the insurer's reserves. At a hearing last week, New York Supreme Court Justice Charles E. Ramos set a trial date of May 2, pending resolution of any scheduling conflicts, said Robert Morvillo, an attorney for Mr. Greenberg and a principal with Morvillo, Abramowitz, Grand, Iason, Anello & Bohrer P.C. in New York. Mr. Morvillo said he plans to ask a state appellate court to delay the trial until appeals in the case are resolved.

Montana's House of Representatives has approved legislation that would ban illegal immigrants from receiving workers compensation benefits. In a 69-31 vote, the Montana House approved H.B. 71, sponsored by Rep. Gordon Vance, R-Bozeman, and sent the bill to the state Senate, state records show. Supporters of the legislation reportedly have said it will help reduce workers comp rates, but Democratic opponents argued it could encourage unscrupulous employers to hire illegal immigrants because they would not have to purchase workers comp coverage for them.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational and Safety Health Administration said it is withdrawing its proposed change to workplace noise standards. OSHA withdrew its workplace noise standard proposal that would have toughened employers' requirements to protect workers' hearing in loud workplaces by clarifying the term “feasible administrative or engineering controls” within its rule. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for OSHA, said in a statement that while hearing loss is a serious occupational health problem in the United States, more work needs to be done to determine how employers can address the problem without incurring excessive costs.

The incidence of short- and long-term disability claims declined while long-term disability costs surged during the recession, employers said in a National Business Group on Health survey. The survey found that the incidence of STD claims declined 17.3%, dropping from 8.1 claims per 100 covered employees in 2008 to 6.7 claims per 100 covered employees in 2009. Meanwhile, LTD claims dropped 26%, from 4.6 claims per 1,000 employees in 2008 to 3.4 in 2009. The survey also found that STD costs fell 15.9%, from $343 per employee in 2008 to $296 per employee in 2009. However, LTD costs increased more than 25%, from $10,507 per claim in 2008 to $13,226 per claim in 2009.

Ryan Specialty Group L.L.C. has launched Technical Risk Underwriters, a specialty managing general underwriter focusing on complex construction and property risks. The new MGU, based in Austin, Texas, is offering coverage for named windstorms, storm surge, earth movement and flooding as part of a difference-in-conditions and deductible buy-down program written by insurers on terms of up to 36 months, Ryan Specialty said in a statement. TRU is developing other products for clients that range from small projects to large engineered risks.

The Minnesota Court of Appeals has ruled that hourly workers are not eligible for additional compensation for time spent putting on and removing uniforms and safety equipment. The ruling affirmed a lower court's dismissal of a suit seeking overtime pay under the Minnesota Fair Labor Standards Act. The appeals court's decision is an important victory for Minnesota employers with hourly workers, attorneys for the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce said in a statement. A contrary ruling could have made grooming or time spent commuting compensable, they said.

Michael F. Consedine took over the role of Pennsylvania insurance commissioner with the swearing in of the state's new governor. Mr. Consedine takes over from interim Insurance Commissioner Robert L. Pratter, who stepped in after Joel Ario resigned to become director of the federal Office of Insurance Exchanges. Also, the new governor of South Carolina named insurance executive David Black to be the state's next insurance commissioner.

Under the “horseplay doctrine” a restaurant server injured by co-workers who threw ice at him is entitled to workers compensation benefits, Virginia's Supreme Court has ruled. The ruling in Matthew Edward Simms vs. Ruby Tuesday Inc. et al. is the first time Virginia's high court has addressed the horseplay doctrine, which says an innocent victim of on-the-job horseplay is entitled to workers comp benefits, court records show. Mr. Simms suffered a dislocated shoulder when he lifted his left arm to protect himself from pieces of ice thrown by co-workers.

XL Insurance has appointed Joseph A. Tocco as executive vp and head of its North America property and XL global asset protection services effective Feb. 1. He will be based in New York....Marsh Inc. has appointed Anthony Mastrolia as construction risk management leader of the broker's U.S. construction practice. Mr. Mastrolia, will be based in Morristown, N.J....Aon Risk Solutions said that Ron Calhoun has joined the firm's health care practice as the national health care leader to help clients adjust to the changes posed by federal regulations and health care reform....Catlin Group Ltd. has purchased Blue Ridge Insurance Co. as a shell company from QBE Insurance Group Ltd. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Blue Ridge, an admitted insurer domiciled in Wisconsin, is a subsidiary of General Casualty Co. of Wisconsin.