Veto Leaves FL WC System Short on Judges

Florida Gov. Jeb Bush on May 26 used his line-item veto authority to remove more than $1.6 million that the Legislature had appropriated for more compensation claims judges. The Legislature had included the funding with instructions that the Office of the Judges of Compensation Claims submit quarterly reports to the govenor and legislative leaders "showing the improvement to workers' compensation dispute resolution resulting from these new positions." Advocates for injured workers complain that the system is so bogged down that cases that by law are supposed to be resolved within seven mont...