Senate Approved WC Reform Rejected by Illinois House

QMM was anticipating providing a summary of the new Workers' Compensation reform package after the holiday weekend, but instead, a new twist...

One day after the Senate came to agreement and passed SB 1933, the Illinois House defeated the bill. Under  HB 1698, the House rejected the reform legislation even after it seemed the matter might survive. Essentially, the matter was killed by many of the Republican conservatives who felt the reform bill did not do enough for businesses and instead its major focus was only on reducing medical fees, leaving the brunt of the effect of the legislation against the medical community. 

Now that the bill was been defeated in the Illinois House, speculation continues as to whether the "nuclear option" to abolish the entire Workers' Compensation Act will be pushed by legislators as a means for requiring both sides to come together to reform the Act. 

The defeat of this reform bill in the House is welcome news to all potential injured workers in the State. However, it seems the reasons the bill was defeated by many Republican members is because they were looking for EVEN MORE revisions to the Act, and so; potential injured workers in this State should only be cautiously optimistic at this point. 

Stay tuned to this blog or further details when they arise.