Senate Committee Approves Expanded 'Opt-Out' Bill

By Bill Kidd, Central Bureau ChiefThe Oklahoma Senate Judiciary Committee approved legislation Tuesday to allow employers with high workers’ compensation costs to use alternate plans to provide wage-replacement and medical benefits to injured workers – after adopting a substitute bill that greatly expands the number of potentially eligible businesses.The committee substitute for House Bill 2155 would allow employers with only one employee to offer an alternative plan, instead of the 50-employee minimum that was included in the original bill, Tulsa attorney Steve Edwards told WorkCo...