Lawmakers begin break that could be interrupted by workers' comp votes

AP ^ | April 1, 2004 | STEVE LAWRENCE,

[Amerigomag]

SACRAMENTO (AP) - California legislators began a 10-day Easter recess Thursday without solving the state's workers' compensation problems, but their leaders warned that they could be called back if there's a deal with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Those costs have more than doubled, climbing from an average of 2.68 percent of payroll in 2000 to 6.3 percent in 2003, and are the highest in the nation.

Both sides agree there are problems with the state's 91-year-old workers' comp system, but they disagree on the solutions.

The Republican governor, insurance companies and business groups have been pushing legislation that would make it more difficult to qualify an injury as work-related.

Democrats and their allies in the labor movement stress the need for legislation that would prevent insurers from charging employers bloated rates for workers' comp coverage.

Schwarzenegger initially demanded that lawmakers pass workers' comp reforms by March 1. He said later that he wanted something by March 26 so that it could be approved before lawmakers left for the Easter break. But both those deadlines passed with negotiations continuing.

Adding to the likelihood that there won't be a vote soon is a demand by Republican leaders that any agreement on workers' comp be in print for seven days before it's acted on.

[Amerigomag]

Republican leaders may represent few members in the legislature and many of those may be moderates but they've learned a valuable lesson form past negotions.

Never, ever, trust either Schwarzenegger or Democrats during eleventh hour, verbal negotiations.

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