Assembly Passes Debit Card Bill

The California Assembly unanimously passed a bill that would permanently allow employers to pay indemnity benefits with prepaid debit cards. The Assembly on Thursday voted 66-0 to pass AB 1683, with 14 members not casting a vote. AB 1683 would indefinitely extend a pilot program, created in 2018, that allowed the use of debit cards to pay indemnity benefits. The bill would eliminate a Jan. 1, 2027, sunset date. Under the program, employers or carriers have the option of using electronic payment cards with the written consent of the injured worker. The Commission on Heal...