Legislature Approves Self-Insurance Reforms and Public Opinions

By Michael Whiteley, Eastern Bureau ChiefThe Georgia General Assembly has passed legislation that will make it tougher to join the Georgia Self-Insurers Guaranty Trust Fund and allow for the first publication of final orders issued by the Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation (SBWC).House Bill 1101, which had the backing of the Georgia Self Insurers Association (GISA), cleared the House by a vote of 161-0 on March 11 and was approved 41-1 in the Senate last Tuesday.Gov. Sonny Perdue is expected to sign the bill, which would trigger a rule-making process to determine whether the boar...