Reform Bills Clear Both Houses, but Legislature Must Work Out Differences

Two workers' compensation reform bills have cleared both chambers of the Oklahoma Legislature and moved on to the conference phase where House and Senate leaders iron out differences. Stakeholders on both sides of the aisle are unsure which provisions will make it to the governor's desk.  The similarly worded House Bill 1462 and Senate Bill 737 each gained legislative approval this week, with the Senate voting 40-0 on Wednesday to pass HB 1462 and the House signing off on SB 737 by a 70-23 vote. The bills make a hodgepodge of changes to workers' compensation law, some benefi...