House Passes Governor's Reform Proposal

The Alaska House of Representatives passed a bill that would eliminate the state’s Second Injury Fund and revise the definition of an independent contractor. The House on Monday voted 25-14 to pass House Bill 79, which the House Rules Committee introduced last year at the request of Gov. Bill Walker. HB 79 would close the Second Injury Fund to claims with a date of injury after Aug. 31, and require all requests for reimbursement be submitted before Oct. 1, 2020. The fund would shut down after paying all claims accepted by the deadline. The bill would also clarify the definition of...