Committee Passes Disputed Claims Bill; Hearings Scheduled on Other Measures

The Hawaii House of Representatives' Labor Committee on Tuesday unanimously passed a bill that would prohibit employers from disputing claims without reasonable cause. The committee voted 7-0 to pass HB 1640, by Rep. Aaron Ling Johanson, D-Moanalua. HB 1640 would prohibit employer disputes of workers' compensation claims without reasonable cause or while a claim is pending investigation. The measure would also establish negotiation, notice and review procedures for disputed claims. It would also establish penalties for failure to negotiate in good faith and would allow servi...