MSIA Legislative Report April 5, 2019
| Published: | 04/05/2019 |
The House continues to push bills out of their chamber at a quick pace. It isn't uncommon for the House to perfect and third read 15 or more bills over the course of a week. As of Thursday, they have sent 119 bills to the Senate. The Senate continues to take a more measured and deliberate approach to many of the bills in their chamber. The Senate by comparison has only sent the House 57 bills. As is customary about this time of year, the Senate has now rolled all bills from their formal perfection calendar onto the informal calendar. This allows the Majority Floor Leader to decide when to go to particular bills rather than being required to take them in order. With this being done all bills are now on the informal calendar.
On Tuesday afternoon the Senate took up the charter school bill and worked on it until nearly 2 am Wednesday morning. Over the course of the afternoon and night a significant number of senators joined in the discussion on the bill. Seeing no way to bring the debate to a close, Senator Bill Eigel, the sponsor laid it over on the informal calendar with no final vote being taken. The Senate is hopeful to go back to the bill to see if any compromises can be reached. However, it appears an agreement among the interested groups is going to be very difficult to negotiate.
Most committees in the House and Senate have now begun hearing bills which have been passed by the other chamber. Many committees in the House are still hearing House bills to give sponsors the opportunity to have their bills heard and voted on in committee. Sponsors will then take the positive committee action and try to add their bills to others moving through the process.
On Monday evening the House Judiciary Committee heard HBs 248 and 262 which would make some significant changes to workers' compensation administrative law judge statutes. According to the sponsors, the intent of the bills is to establish a mechanism for review of the job performance of administrative law judges. These bills are supported by Governor Mike Parson's administration. The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations testified in support of both bills. Both bills were opposed by the trail attorneys and other attorneys noting their concern that adopting these changes could politicize the administrative law judge selection process. There was no final vote taken on either bill following the committee hearing. A link to the bill summary for HB 248 follows if you'd like to review the bill. https://house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills191/hlrbillspdf/0756H.01I.pdf
Given how late it is in session, it will be difficult for these bills to make it all the way through the process before the General Assembly adjourns in mid-May. This will not prevent the sponsors from trying to offer their bills as amendments to another bill dealing with workers' compensation.
HB's 248 and 262 are very similar to SB 248 filed by Senator Justin Brown. Brown's bill was heard some time ago in the Senate Government Reform Committee. During an executive session on April 2nd the committee took up a Senate Committee Substitute and voted it out of committee. One of the significant changes made in the SCS is to subject the administrative law judge appointments to the advice and consent of the Senate. The bill was turned in for placement on the Senate Perfection Calendar.
SB 71, also filed by Senator Brown, was Third Read in the Senate. This bill prohibits the inclusion of bonuses or retirement contributions from being included in determining a workers' compensation premium. The bill now goes to the House.
Attached is the updated bill summary and status report. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mike
MSIA LEGISLATIVE REPORT
04-04-2019 - 20:33:29
Top of Form
HB 48
Bangert, Gretchen(D)
Establishes a presumption that an emergency worker diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder incurred the disorder in the course of employment as an emergency worker.
Last Action:
1-10-19 H Read second time
HB 115
Remole, Tim(R)
Specifies that board members of a nonprofit organization are exempt from workers' compensation requirements.
Last Action:
4- 9-19 H Meeting set for 5:00 PM or Upon Adj., whichever is later, HR, House-Judiciary
HB 231
Kolkmeyer, Glen(R)
Modifies provisions of civil procedure regarding joinder and venue.
Last Action:
4- 8-19 H Set on the House Calendar
HB 248
Schroer, Nick(R)
Modifies provisions relating to workers' compensation law.
Last Action:
4- 2-19 H Public hearing completed
HB 261
Taylor, Jered(R)
Modifies provisions relating to second injury fund liabilities and self-insurance regulations.
Last Action:
1-10-19 H Read second time
HB 262
Taylor, Jered(R)
Modifies provisions relating to the Division of Workers' Compensation.
Last Action:
4- 2-19 H Public hearing completed
HB 562
Helms, Steve(R)
Changes provisions relating to multiple employer self insured health plans.
Last Action:
1-15-19 H Read second time
HB 716
Schroer, Nick(R)
Modifies provisions relating to workers' compensation for certain employees.
Last Action:
4- 2-19 H Referred to House Committee on House-General Laws
HB 862
Roden, Shane(R)
Modifies provisions relating to leaves of absence for public employees and workers' compensation for firefighters.
Last Action:
2-11-19 H Read second time
HB 1032
DeGroot, Bruce(R)
Modifies provisions relating to workers' compensation.
Last Action:
4- 3-19 H Referred to House Committee on House-Judiciary
HB 1137
Hill, Justin(R)
Modifies provisions relating to the misclassification of workers.
Last Action:
4- 3-19 H Referred to House Committee on House-Rules-Legislative Oversight
HB 1184
Clemens, Doug(D)
Modifies provisions relating to determination of coverage under workers compensation insurance.
Last Action:
3- 1-19 H Read second time
SB 71
Brown, Justin(R)
Modifies provisions relating to workers' compensation premiums
Last Action:
4- 4-19 H Reported to the House and first read
SB 99
Wieland, Paul(R)
Enacts the "Missouri Reinsurance Plan"
Last Action:
1-23-19 S Referred to Senate Committee on Senate-Insurance and Banking
SB 154
Luetkemeyer, Tony(R)
Modifies laws regarding arbitration agreements between employers and employees
Last Action:
4- 8-19 S Set on the Senate Calendar
SB 156
Wallingford, Wayne(R)
Creates new provisions relating to workers' compensation proceedings
Last Action:
2-28-19 S Voted do pass from committee on Senate-Small Business and Industry
SB 212
Sifton, Scott(D)
Modifies provisions relating to occupational diseases under workers' compensation laws
Last Action:
1-31-19 S Referred to Senate Committee on Senate-Small Business and Industry
SB 227
Sater, David(R)
Enacts new provisions allowing employer policies relating to employee drug use
Last Action:
2-21-19 S Voted do pass from committee on Senate-Small Business and Industry
SB 248
Brown, Justin(R)
Modifies provisions relating to workers' compensation judges
Last Action:
4- 2-19 S Voted do pass as substitute from committee on Senate-Government Reform
SB 281
Brown, Justin(R)
Creates new provisions relating to occupational diseases diagnosed in first responders.
Last Action:
2-13-19 S Not heard in committee Senate-Insurance and Banking
SB 294
Hough, Lincoln(R)
Creates new provisions relating to workers' compensation for firefighters
Last Action:
3- 6-19 S Hearing conducted
SB 316
Burlison, Eric(R)
Modifies provisions on permanent total disability benefits
Last Action:
4- 8-19 S Set on the Senate Calendar
SB 317
Burlison, Eric(R)
Establishes the Silica Claims Priorities Act which prohibits a person from bringing a claim for injuries caused by silica unless certain evidence is presented
Last Action:
3- 5-19 S Voted do pass from committee on Senate-Government Reform