HJ0020 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0020 LRB095 09222 WGH 29415 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Workers' compensation laws provide workers important protection from the economic hardship wrought by injuries and diseases caused by employment; and

WHEREAS, Illinois employers favor a workers' compensation system that not only treats injured workers appropriately and fairly but also minimizes unnecessary costs, prevents abuse, and settles disputes quickly and impartially; and

WHEREAS, The General Assembly and Governor approved significant changes to the law in 2005, yet both Illinois workers and employers have continued concerns about the current state of workers' compensation laws, and both desire to make changes to improve the law for both workers and employers; and

WHEREAS, The workers' compensation system should equitably remunerate Illinois physicians and health care providers for services rendered to relieve employees of work-related injuries and diseases; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that a Workers' Compensation Reform Task Force shall be created to bring together legislators and stakeholders to consult each other and the public for the purpose of gathering information and recommending reforms to workers' compensation laws; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Speaker of the House, the Minority Leader of the House, the President of the Senate, and the Minority Leader of the Senate shall each make 2 appointments to the Task Force and each appointee shall be a member of the General Assembly; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Chairman of the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission and the Director of the Division of Insurance shall act as ex-officio members of the Task Force; and be it further

RESOLVED, That additional members shall be appointed from organizations as follows: one member appointed by the Illinois Manufacturers Association; one member appointed by the Illinois Retail Merchants Association; one member appointed by the Illinois State Chamber of Commerce; one member appointed by the Illinois chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business; one member appointed by the Associated General Contractors of Illinois; one member appointed by the Illinois State Medical Society; one member appointed by the Illinois Hospital Association; and three members appointed by the Illinois AFL-CIO; and be it further

RESOLVED, That all members appointed to the Task Force shall receive no compensation for serving as a member but shall be eligible to receive reimbursement for reasonable costs associated with membership if such funds are appropriated; and be it further

RESOLVED, That 2 Task Force co-chairpersons, who are members of the General Assembly, shall be nominated and elected by Task Force members to preside as co-chairpersons over meetings of the Task Force; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall commence operation no later than August 1, 2007; the Task Force shall conduct public hearings at the call of the co-chairpersons; at least one hearing shall be scheduled and convened in each of the 10 Illinois Entrepreneurship Network Regions currently designated by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity; time shall be allotted for members of the public to offer remarks at meetings of the Task Force; and a report detailing the findings and recommendations of the Task Force for reform of workers' compensation laws shall be presented to the Governor and the General Assembly no later than March 15, 2008; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force Report shall address each of the following issues, among other workers' compensation issues and topics without limit: (i) an analysis of the 2005 statutory changes to the workers' compensation medical provisions and how employer costs and access and quality of care to injured workers have been impacted; (ii) recommendations to combat and prevent abuse and fraud within the workers' compensation system; (iii) recommendations for the provision of adequate compensation for workers and families of workers for lost wages while off work and future lost wages because of injury or disease that also allows Illinois employers to be competitive regionally and globally; (iv) the existence and adequacy of programs that promote and encourage workplace safety and injury and disease prevention; (v) an analysis of workers' compensation benefits and costs to employers in states adjacent to Illinois with recommendations to help Illinois employers compete with companies in states with lower workers' compensation costs; and (vi) an analysis and recommendations as to the ability of the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission to mediate and adjudicate disputes in a timely and impartial manner.