Oklahoma House Committee Decreases Number of Work Comp Judges

Legislation to reform Oklahoma’s workers’ compensation court and system passed a House committee. Senate Bill 1973, by Rep. Dan Sullivan, decreases the number of judges in the Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Court from ten to eight and requires five of the judges to be permanently assigned to the court in Oklahoma City and three to the court in Tulsa.

The bill also increases workers’ comp judges’ terms from six to eight years, and puts in place a single-term limit on any new judges. Senate confirmation is necessary to fill any new vacancies on the workers’ comp court. Finally, judges are required to have at least five years of workers’ comp experience before gaining appointment, among other reforms.

The legislation also addresses issues with how cases are handled and how to provide a reduction in the cost of the system all while maintaining the top medical care for workers. (workersxzcompxzkit)

The bill passed the House Economic Development and Financial Services Committee the week of April 5 with a vote of 9-5 and moves onto the full House.

Author Robert Elliott, executive vice president, Amaxx Risks Solutions, Inc. has worked successfully for 20 years with many industries to reduce Workers' Compensation costs, including airlines, health care, manufacturing, printing/publishing, pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality and manufacturing. He can be contacted at: [email protected] or 860-553-6604.

Podcast/Webcast: Occupational Health Strategies
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Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws vary. You should consult with your insurance broker or agent about workers' comp issues.