HCSHB123--WORKERS'COMPENSATION
SPONSOR: Veit
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheStanding
CommitteeonJudiciarybyavoteof9to0.
ThefollowingisasummaryoftheHouseCommitteeSubstituteforHB
123.
Currently,aretentionvoteisrequiredtobetakenbythe
Administrative LawJudgeReviewCommitteewithrespecttoeach
Workers'CompensationAdministrative LawJudge(ALJ).
Additionally,theCommitteeisrequiredtoconductperformance
auditsperiodicallyandmakerecommendations ofconfidenceorno
confidencewithrespecttoeachALJ.Thisbillrepealsthese
requirementsandinsteadcreatesnewprovisionsforfiling
complaintsagainstandremovingALJs.
Priortofilingacomplaint,theDirectormustnotifytheALJin
writingofthereasonsforthecomplaint. Specialprovisionsare
includedifthereasonforthecomplaintiswillfulneglectofduty
orincompetency.
UponafindingbytheAdministrative HearingCommission(AHC)that
thegroundsfordisciplinaryactionaremet,theDirectormay,
singlyorincombination,issuethedisciplinaryactionsagainst
theALJ,asspecifiedinthebill,includingremovalorsuspension
fromoffice.Iftherearenogroundsfordisciplinaryaction,the
ALJwillimmediatelyresumedutiesandwillreceiveanyattorneys'
feesdueundercurrentlaw.
ThebillrepealsarequirementthattheCommitteemembersnothave
anydirectorindirectemploymentorfinancialconnectionwitha
workers'compensationinsurancecompany,claimsadjustmentcompany,
healthcareprovidernorbeapracticingWorkers'Compensation
attorney. Thebilladditionallyrepealsarequirementthatall
membersoftheCommitteehaveaworkingknowledgeofWorkers'
Compensation.
ThebillprovidesthatthecompensationforAdministrative Law
Judgesandchiefadministrative lawjudgeswillbedetermined
solelybytherateoutlinedinlawandwillnotincreasewhenpay
raisesforexecutiveemployeesareappropriated.
ThebillfurthermorerepealsreferencetothepositionofChief
LegalCounsel. Thebillrepealsaprohibitiononthepaymentofanyretirement
benefitsunderWorkers'CompensationlawtoanyAdministrative Law
Judgewhohasbeenremovedfromofficebyimpeachmentorfor
misconduct,ortoanypersonwhohasbeendisbarredfromthe
practiceoflaw,ortothebeneficiaryofanysuchpersons.
ThisbillissimilartoSCSHCSHB2064(2024).
Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatthisisastandalonebilldealing
withtheadministrative lawjudges(ALJs)andthemechanismsby
whichtheycanberemoved. Theyarenotat-willemployees,andwe
donotwantthemtobe.Iftheywere,theycouldbereplaced
constantlyandtherewouldbenoconsistency.
TestifyinginpersonforthebillwereRepresentative Veit;
NationalFederationofIndependentBusiness;AssociatedIndustries
ofMissouri;StevenMarion,DepartmentofLaborandIndustrial
Relations;MissouriChamberofCommerceandIndustry;Missouri
RetailersAssociation.
OPPONENTS: Therewasnooppositionvoicedtothecommittee.
OTHERS:Otherstestifyingonthebillsaythereisaconcernabout
theprovisioninthebillthatallowsremovalofanALJfora
criminaloffensewithouttherebeingcriminalchargesfiledbecause
thiscouldbeusedforpoliticalmotivationagainstanALJ.
TestifyinginpersononthebillwasActiveandRetiredMissouri
StateEmployees(ARMSE).
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonyandwitnessestestifyingonlinecanbefound
underTestimonyonthebillpageontheHousewebsite.