Committees Give Thumbs-Up to Three Presumption Bills

One day after the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau said the cost of COVID-19 claims alone could necessitate a 4% increase in the 2021 advisory pure premium rate, California lawmakers passed three different bills that would create presumptions that the disease is compensable. The Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement Committee voted 3-1 to pass AB 196 Tuesday afternoon. The committee also voted 3-0 to pass AB 664. At the same time, the Assembly Insurance Committee voted 10-1 to pass Senate Bill 1159, by Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo. The bill would codify Gov. ...