S.B. 170 Workers' Compensation Workgroup
| Bill Sponsor:  Sen. Mayne, Karen | Floor Sponsor:  Rep. Edwards, Rebecca P. |
- Drafting Attorney: Christine R. Gilbert
- Fiscal Analyst: Sean C. Faherty
- Bill Text
- Introduced
- Amended
- Enrolled (Currently Displayed)
- Introduced
- Related Documents
- Information
- Last Action: 17 Mar 2017, Governor Signed
- Last Location: Lieutenant Governor's office for filing
- Effective Date: 9 May 2017
- Session Law Chapter: 116
- Sections Affected
Enrolled
Printer FriendlyS.B. 170
1 WORKERS' COMPENSATION WORKGROUP
22017 GENERAL SESSION
3STATE OF UTAH
4Chief Sponsor: Karen Mayne
5House Sponsor: Rebecca P. Edwards
6
7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill creates the Workers' Compensation Workgroup.
10 Highlighted Provisions:
11 This bill:
12 ▸ creates the Workers' Compensation Workgroup;
13 ▸ establishes the workgroup's membership, chair, and duties;
14 ▸ addresses member compensation; and
15 ▸ requires the workgroup to present a final report.
16 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
17 None
18 Other Special Clauses:
19 None
20 Utah Code Sections Affected:
21 AMENDS:
22 63I-2-234, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 382
23 ENACTS:
24 34A-2-107.1, Utah Code Annotated 1953
25
26 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
27 Section 1. Section 34A-2-107.1 is enacted to read:
28 34A-2-107.1. Workers' Compensation Workgroup -- Creation -- Membership --
29 Compensation -- Duties -- Report.
30 (1) There is created the Workers' Compensation Workgroup within the commission
31 consisting of the following members:
32 (a) the commissioner or the commissioner's designee;
33 (b) one member of the Senate, appointed by the president of the Senate, and one
34 member of the House, appointed by the speaker of the House;
35 (c) four representatives of the workers' compensation insurance industry, including one
36 member of the workers' compensation advisory council, appointed by the chair:
37 (i) two of whom are practicing attorneys with significant experience with workers'
38 compensation; and
39 (ii) two of whom represent the Workers' Compensation Fund, an insurance carrier
40 other than the Workers' Compensation Fund, or the self-insured industry; and
41 (d) four representatives of the labor side of workers' compensation, appointed by the
42 chair:
43 (i) two of whom are practicing attorneys with significant experience with workers'
44 compensation; and
45 (ii) one of whom is a member of the workers' compensation advisory council.
46 (2) The chair may appoint one or more individuals with an interest in workers'
47 compensation to serve as ex officio, nonvoting members of the workgroup.
48 (3) The commissioner or the commissioner's designee is the chair of the workgroup.
49 (4) (a) A majority of the members of the workgroup constitutes a quorum.
50 (b) The action of a majority of a quorum constitutes the action of the workgroup.
51 (c) In the case of a tie vote, the chair and the member of the Senate appointed under
52 Subsection (1)(b) shall break the tie.
53 (5) (a) The salary and expenses of each member of the workgroup who is a legislator
54 shall be paid in accordance with Section 36-2-2 and Legislative Joint Rules, Title 5, Legislative
55 Compensation and Expenses.
56 (b) A member of the workgroup who is not a legislator may not receive compensation,
57 benefits, per diem, or travel expenses for the member's service on the workgroup.
58 (6) The commission shall provide staff support to the workgroup.
59 (7) The workgroup shall review and make recommendations on the following issues:
60 (a) the award of attorney fees in workers' compensation cases, including a draft rule to
61 propose to the Utah Supreme Court;
62 (b) medical examinations by insurance companies;
63 (c) a general guideline for claims adjusters in handling claims;
64 (d) medical panel utilization and consistency;
65 (e) the change in dependant compensation amounts for temporary partial disability,
66 temporary total disability, permanent partial disability, and permanent total disability;
67 (f) improving injured workers' accessibility to the Division of Industrial Accidents,
68 including the feasibility of the Division of Industrial Accidents making the initial contact with
69 an injured worker rather than relying on the injured worker to make the initial contact;
70 (g) the prevalence of and possible penalties for bad faith denials of workers'
71 compensation claims by insurance carriers; and
72 (h) any additional issue that the workgroup:
73 (i) determines is an important issue related to workers' compensation; and
74 (ii) decides to review.
75 (8) The workgroup shall present a final report on the items described in Subsection (7),
76 including any legislative recommendations, to the Business and Labor Interim Committee
77 before November 30, 2017.
78 Section 2. Section 63I-2-234 is amended to read:
79 63I-2-234. Repeal dates -- Title 34A.
80 Section 34A-2-107.1 is repealed November 30, 2017.
2
3
4
5
6
7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill creates the Workers' Compensation Workgroup.
10 Highlighted Provisions:
11 This bill:
12 ▸ creates the Workers' Compensation Workgroup;
13 ▸ establishes the workgroup's membership, chair, and duties;
14 ▸ addresses member compensation; and
15 ▸ requires the workgroup to present a final report.
16 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
17 None
18 Other Special Clauses:
19 None
20 Utah Code Sections Affected:
21 AMENDS:
22 63I-2-234, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 382
23 ENACTS:
24 34A-2-107.1, Utah Code Annotated 1953
25
26 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
27 Section 1. Section 34A-2-107.1 is enacted to read:
28 34A-2-107.1. Workers' Compensation Workgroup -- Creation -- Membership --
29 Compensation -- Duties -- Report.
30 (1) There is created the Workers' Compensation Workgroup within the commission
31 consisting of the following members:
32 (a) the commissioner or the commissioner's designee;
33 (b) one member of the Senate, appointed by the president of the Senate, and one
34 member of the House, appointed by the speaker of the House;
35 (c) four representatives of the workers' compensation insurance industry, including one
36 member of the workers' compensation advisory council, appointed by the chair:
37 (i) two of whom are practicing attorneys with significant experience with workers'
38 compensation; and
39 (ii) two of whom represent the Workers' Compensation Fund, an insurance carrier
40 other than the Workers' Compensation Fund, or the self-insured industry; and
41 (d) four representatives of the labor side of workers' compensation, appointed by the
42 chair:
43 (i) two of whom are practicing attorneys with significant experience with workers'
44 compensation; and
45 (ii) one of whom is a member of the workers' compensation advisory council.
46 (2) The chair may appoint one or more individuals with an interest in workers'
47 compensation to serve as ex officio, nonvoting members of the workgroup.
48 (3) The commissioner or the commissioner's designee is the chair of the workgroup.
49 (4) (a) A majority of the members of the workgroup constitutes a quorum.
50 (b) The action of a majority of a quorum constitutes the action of the workgroup.
51 (c) In the case of a tie vote, the chair and the member of the Senate appointed under
52 Subsection (1)(b) shall break the tie.
53 (5) (a) The salary and expenses of each member of the workgroup who is a legislator
54 shall be paid in accordance with Section 36-2-2 and Legislative Joint Rules, Title 5, Legislative
55 Compensation and Expenses.
56 (b) A member of the workgroup who is not a legislator may not receive compensation,
57 benefits, per diem, or travel expenses for the member's service on the workgroup.
58 (6) The commission shall provide staff support to the workgroup.
59 (7) The workgroup shall review and make recommendations on the following issues:
60 (a) the award of attorney fees in workers' compensation cases, including a draft rule to
61 propose to the Utah Supreme Court;
62 (b) medical examinations by insurance companies;
63 (c) a general guideline for claims adjusters in handling claims;
64 (d) medical panel utilization and consistency;
65 (e) the change in dependant compensation amounts for temporary partial disability,
66 temporary total disability, permanent partial disability, and permanent total disability;
67 (f) improving injured workers' accessibility to the Division of Industrial Accidents,
68 including the feasibility of the Division of Industrial Accidents making the initial contact with
69 an injured worker rather than relying on the injured worker to make the initial contact;
70 (g) the prevalence of and possible penalties for bad faith denials of workers'
71 compensation claims by insurance carriers; and
72 (h) any additional issue that the workgroup:
73 (i) determines is an important issue related to workers' compensation; and
74 (ii) decides to review.
75 (8) The workgroup shall present a final report on the items described in Subsection (7),
76 including any legislative recommendations, to the Business and Labor Interim Committee
77 before November 30, 2017.
78 Section 2. Section 63I-2-234 is amended to read:
79 63I-2-234. Repeal dates -- Title 34A.
80 Section 34A-2-107.1 is repealed November 30, 2017.
Bill Status / Votes
• Senate Actions • House Actions • Fiscal Actions • Other Actions
| Date | Action | Location | Vote |
| 2/2/2017 | Bill Numbered but not Distributed | Legislative Research and General Counsel | |
| 2/2/2017 | Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed | Legislative Research and General Counsel | |
| 2/2/2017 | LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input | Legislative Research and General Counsel | |
| 2/3/2017 | Senate/ received bill from Legislative Research | Waiting for Introduction in the Senate | |
| 2/3/2017 | Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced) | Senate Rules Committee | |
| 2/4/2017 | LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor | Senate Rules Committee | |
| 2/6/2017 | Senate/ to standing committee | Senate Business and Labor Committee | |
| 2/8/2017 | Senate Comm - Not Considered | Senate Business and Labor Committee | |
| 2/9/2017 | LFA/ fiscal note publicly available | Senate Business and Labor Committee | |
| 2/9/2017 | Senate/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst | Senate Business and Labor Committee | |
| 2/14/2017 | Senate Comm - Amendment Recommendation # 1 | Senate Business and Labor Committee | 3 0 5 |
| 2/14/2017 | Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation | Senate Business and Labor Committee | 4 0 4 |
| 2/14/2017 | Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation | Senate Business and Labor Committee | 6 0 2 |
| 2/14/2017 | Senate Comm - Consent Calendar Recommendation | Senate Business and Labor Committee | 6 0 2 |
| 2/16/2017 (10:22:24 AM) | Senate/ comm rpt/ amended/ placed on Consent Cal | Senate Business and Labor Committee | |
| 2/16/2017 (10:22:25 AM) | Senate/ 2nd reading | Senate Consent Calendar | |
| 2/22/2017 (10:41:06 AM) | Senate/ 3rd reading | Senate Consent Calendar | |
| 2/22/2017 (10:42:45 AM) | Senate/ passed 3rd reading | Clerk of the House | 26 0 3 |
| 2/22/2017 (10:42:46 AM) | Senate/ to House | Clerk of the House | |
| 2/22/2017 | House/ received from Senate | Clerk of the House | |
| 2/22/2017 | House/ 1st reading (Introduced) | House Rules Committee | |
| 2/23/2017 | House/ to standing committee | House Business and Labor Committee | |
| 3/1/2017 | House Comm - Amendment Recommendation # 2 | House Business and Labor Committee | 10 0 4 |
| 3/1/2017 | House Comm - Favorable Recommendation | House Business and Labor Committee | 10 0 4 |
| 3/1/2017 | House Comm - Consent Calendar Recommendation | House Business and Labor Committee | 10 0 4 |
| 3/1/2017 (2:27:10 PM) | House/ comm rpt/ amended/ placed on Consent Cal | House Business and Labor Committee | |
| 3/1/2017 (2:27:11 PM) | House/ 2nd reading | House Consent Calendar | |
| 3/2/2017 | Senate/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst | House Consent Calendar | |
| 3/3/2017 (10:26:45 AM) | House/ 3rd reading | House Consent Calendar | |
| 3/3/2017 (10:29:08 AM) | House/ passed 3rd reading | Senate Secretary | 67 0 8 |
| 3/3/2017 (10:29:10 AM) | House/ to Senate | Senate Secretary | |
| 3/3/2017 (2:14:29 PM) | Senate/ received from House | Senate Secretary | |
| 3/3/2017 (2:14:30 PM) | Senate/ placed on Concurrence Calendar | Senate Concurrence Calendar | |
| 3/6/2017 (4:37:56 PM) | Senate/ concurs with House amendment | House Speaker | 26 0 3 |
| 3/6/2017 (4:37:57 PM) | Senate/ to House | House Speaker | |
| 3/6/2017 | House/ received from Senate | House Speaker | |
| 3/6/2017 | House/ signed by Speaker/ returned to Senate | Senate President | |
| 3/6/2017 | House/ to Senate | Senate President | |
| 3/6/2017 | Senate/ received from House | Senate President | |
| 3/6/2017 | Senate/ signed by President/ sent for enrolling | Legislative Research and General Counsel / Enrolling | |
| 3/6/2017 | Bill Received from Senate for Enrolling | Legislative Research and General Counsel / Enrolling | |
| 3/6/2017 | Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared | Legislative Research and General Counsel / Enrolling | |
| 3/14/2017 | Enrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate | Senate Secretary | |
| 3/14/2017 | Senate/ enrolled bill to Printing | Senate Secretary | |
| 3/15/2017 | Senate/ received enrolled bill from Printing | Senate Secretary | |
| 3/15/2017 | Senate/ to Governor | Executive Branch - Governor | |
| 3/17/2017 | Governor Signed | Lieutenant Governor's office for filing |
Committee Hearings/Floor Debate
- Committee Hearings