Florida: Legislature passes risk management bill to lower comp costs

The Florida Legislature unanimously passed a bill to strengthen the state's risk management program and reduce workers' compensation costs.

In January, Florida's Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink announced $12 million in taxpayer savings through reforms in the Division of Risk Management, including refocusing on loss prevention and addressing agencies with the highest number of claims. The reforms, based on business best practices and advice from private sector risk management experts, led to the creation of the Risk Management Advisory Council. Many of the council's recommendations were rolled into S.B. 2386, including the establishment of a return-to-work program for certain state agencies. The legislation also bases agency premiums on actual loss experience and loss prevention results and gives the Division of Risk Management the responsibility to evaluate state agencies' risk management programs as well as recommend corrective authority.

Firefighter benefits. In addition, Sink called on the Florida House to pass legislation that would provide benefits for all families of firefighters who are killed on the job. Currently, survivors of firefighters who are killed during training exercises do not receive the same death benefits that they would receive from a firefighter's work-related death.

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S.B. 202 was approved unanimously by the Senate in April. The companion legislation, H.B. 65, has not been brought to the House floor.

Read more at the WORKERSCOMP Forum^TM homepage.

June 17, 2010

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