Senate Committee Approves Fund Mechanism for Safety Programs

Two months after the House passed a measure that tweaks what the Workers' Compensation Administrative Fund can be spent on, Senate committees have followed suit. House Bill 351 would allow the state's workers' compensation commissioner to use the funds for administration of the agency, and also for occupational safety and health programs that are not funded by federal and state grants. Current law limits the expenditures to occupational disease programs. Revenue for the fund comes from an assessment of 1.4% on direct written workers' compensation premiums and 1...