Workers comp reform plan reintroduced in Senate

Journal Record, The (Oklahoma City), Apr 11, 2001

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- In a major surprise, a workers compensation reform measure backed by Gov. Frank Keating has been revived in the state Senate.

Despite protests from Democrats, Sen. Jim Dunlap, R-Bartlesville, attached a 126-page amendment on workers compensation reform to a bill dealing with insurance policies of terminally ill people.

Dunlap's amendment duplicates an earlier proposal by Sen. Scott Pruitt, R-Broken Arrow, that calls for abolishing the state Workers Compensation Court and replacing it with an administrative system of hearing worker claims.

The amendment was added by a voice vote to Sen. Mark Snyder's bill on life insurance settlements. The bill was then sent to the House on a 39-7 vote. All of the "no" votes were cast by Democrats.

Pruitt's original bill was not heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee prior to a legislative deadline and was considered dead prior to Monday's development.

Judiciary Chairman Brad Henry, D-Shawnee, objected to Dunlap offering such a lengthy amendment 15 minutes before senators were expected to vote on it. Henry called it a partisan "end-around" maneuver that violated the committee process and an understanding he made with the governor's office to continue working on work comp reform through another bill. "There are so many problems with this bill that I can't really begin to count," Henry said.

Dunlap, Republican floor leader, said everyone knew the basic content of the bill, which went through the legislative process a year ago before dying in a joint conference committee.

He said he was not violating any rule by submitting the amendment and was doing so because "I believe with all my heart that this will be good for Oklahoma."

Dunlap said the change to an administrative system will probably cost lawyers some money, but that it will lower insurance premium costs to employers and reduce the number of jobs Oklahoma loses to states with lower work comp expenses.

Pruitt said the bill has some differences from last year's measure.

He said it increases the fees to plaintiff attorneys by 5 percent and reduces the number of areas where magistrates will hear cases from the 77 counties to 26 judicial districts. "I would submit to you this does not reduce benefits one penny," Pruitt said.