Workers’ compensation reform bill heads to governor’s desk for signature

Legislation to update the state’s workers’ compensation system to provide better care for injured workers and more affordable workers’ compensation costs for Kentucky businesses passed out of the House for final passage on Tuesday with a vote of  55-39.

House Bill 2, sponsored by Rep. Adam Koenig, is supported by a large coalition of organizations in the Commonwealth including the Kentucky Chamber, Kentucky Retail Federation, Kentucky League of Cities, Kentucky School Board Association, Kentucky Association of Counties, Kentucky Guild of Brewers, Kentucky Association of Economic Development, UPS, Ford, Toyota, and many others.

The legislation seeks to update the state’s workers compensation system, which has seen no significant statutory changes since 1996. House Bill 2 would:

• Clarify that the limitation on reopening claims already in Kentucky’s law will be applied
• Set appropriate limits for filing claims on injuries identified years after exposure
• Ensure the proper standard of care through treatment guidelines
• Address the state’s opioid addiction problem through formulary guidelines
• Encourage employers to bring workers back to work quickly
• Establish appropriate durations of payment of medical claims

House Bill 2 now heads to the governor’s desk for signature.