HJ0018 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0018 LRB094 08507 CSA 41518 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Illinois 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 adequately and fairly but also takes opportunities to minimize unnecessary costs, to prevent abuse, and to settle disputes quickly and impartially; and

WHEREAS, Both Illinois workers and employers have concerns about the current state of Illinois' workers' compensation laws, and both strive to make positive changes that work for both workers and employers; and

WHEREAS, Illinois' 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-FOURTH 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 reforming Illinois 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 two appointments to the Task Force and each appointee shall be a member of the General Assembly; 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 from the appropriate fund; and be it further

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

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall commence business no later than August 1, 2005; the Task Force shall conduct public hearings at the call of the co-chairpersons; at least one hearing shall be scheduled and convened in every region of Illinois; time shall be allotted for members of the public to offer remarks at meetings of the Task Force; and a report detailing recommendations of the Task Force to reform Illinois' workers' compensation laws shall be presented to the Governor and the General Assembly no later than March 15, 2006; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall address each of the following issues, among other workers' compensation issues and topics without limit: (i) a method by which only those medical costs that are most equitable for employers and health care providers are charged for rendering services to relieve work-related injuries and diseases; (ii) the appropriateness of measures found in State law to combat and prevent abuse of the system; (iii) the identification of adequate compensation for workers and families of workers unable to return to work because of injury or disease that is also not cost-prohibitive for employers; (iv) the existence and adequacy of programs that promote and encourage workplace safety and injury and disease prevention; and (v) the ability of the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission to mediate and adjudicate disputes in a timely and fair manner.