State Panel to Tackle Workers’ Comp Crisis

State lawmakers plan to convene a two-house committee to try to draft legislation to respond to skyrocketing workers’ compensation insurance costs, a senator said Tuesday.

Sen. Richard Alarcon (D-Van Nuys), chairman of the Senate Labor and Industrial Relations Committee, said 20 bills dealing with various aspects of the workers’ comp problem would be sent to a conference committee.

Alarcon characterized the move as a way to protect the bills against opposition by special interest groups and allow lawmakers to look at the full scope of the problem.

He said the bills would be amended today to turn them into intent bills, a step that would trigger their movement to conference.

The committee will begin meeting within two weeks and probably will pare the 20 bills down to five to 10 measures, Alarcon said.

The workers’ comp system, which treats job-related injuries, has been rocked by price hikes that have more than doubled the average cost of workers’ comp insurance that most businesses are required to buy.