Legislative Update – Week of April 11
As we enter the 2nd week of April, the spring session of the General Assembly is starting into the home stretch. Both chambers have adjoument tentatively scheduled for May 31. Under the current schedule, the House has a 1-week, and the Senate a 2-week, Spring Break planned for during the last 2 weeks of April. The Senate is contemplating cancelling one of the two weeks they have scheduled off in order to work on legislation, but no final decision has been announced to date.
In addition to the focus on the budget and what to do for the (current and) coming year, the General Assembly has been working on hot issues like Worker’s Compensation. Two bills are in a position to have some potential action taken on them at this point. HB1032 (Bradley) and SB1349 (McCarter) are both on 2nd or 3rd Reading in their respective chambers. The Bradley bill would repeal the Worker’s Compensation program in its entirety. The McCarter bill would enact the vast majority of provisions being pursued by the state Chamber of Commerce and business in the state. These changes, however, face significant opposition from the medical community.