Legislature(1999 - 2000)
2000-02-18 Senate Journal
Full Journal pdf2000-02-18 Senate Journal Page 2345 SB 278 SENATE BILL NO. 278 BY THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR, entitled: An Act relating to the Alaska Workers Compensation Act, including the weekly rate of compensation and minimum and maximum compensation rates, specifying components of a reemployment plan, adjusting benefits for permanent partial impairment, for reemployment plans, for rehabilitation benefits, for widows, widowers and orphans, and for funerals, calculation of gross weekly earnings for seasonal and temporary workers and for workers with overtime or premium pay, setting time limits for requesting a hearing or rehabilitation benefits, setting time limits for claims for compensation and for the rehabilitation process, setting time limits for payment of medical bills, waiver of rehabilitation benefits, obtaining medical releases and resolving discovery disputes, setting an interest rate for late compensation, and providing for updating the medical fee schedule; and providing for an effective date. was read the first time and referred to the Labor and Commerce and Finance Committees. Fiscal notes published today from Department of Administration, Department of Labor and Workforce Development. 2000-02-18 Senate Journal Page 2346 SB 278 Governors transmittal letter dated February 11: Dear President Pearce: Periodically the Alaskas Workers Compensation Act has been amended to keep pace with changing conditions and to ensure that our program is fair and efficient. It has been 12 years since significant changes have been enacted. The bill I am introducing contains further changes to the Act which have been recommended by the Workers' Compensation Ad Hoc Committee, represented by both employers and employees, to reflect the effects of inflation on benefits, recent court decisions and more efficient ways of handling our workers compensation program. Included in the changes are increases in benefits paid to injured workers, benefits that have lost value to inflation over the past 12 years. The bill also addresses Alaska Supreme Court decisions as to what benefits should be paid during the rehabilitation process and what the timeframe should be for requests for claim hearings. Other changes would streamline the rehabilitation process, the signing of medical releases, and the dispute resolution process. Benefits would be increased for workers in the retraining process and new timelines set for the payment of medical bills. Provisions would update the wage benchmarks to which benefits are tied. The changes in this bill have been endorsed by employee and employer representatives and provide for a more efficient and equitable workers compensation system. I urge your prompt and favorable action. Sincerely, /s/ Tony Knowles Governor