House adopts workers’ compensation changes and renews Line-of-Duty benefit

The Missouri House on March 20 adopted House Committee Substitute for House Bill 4 97 as amended, advancing a package of workers’ compensation changes the sponsor said would restore “fairness and efficiency” to the system.

The sponsor, the gentleman from Saint Louis, said the substitute clarifies the prevailing-factor standard (how a work injury is weighed against preexisting conditions), changes how health-insurance offsets are treated, creates an early motion-to-dismiss pathway and removes an instance of double compensation on temporary awards. “Ultimately, this bill is about restoring fairness and efficiency to the workers’ compensation system,” he said.

House Amendment Number 1, described by the sponsor as a technical adjustment that reduced an administrative fiscal note, was adopted by voice vote. The House later adopted an amendment offered by the gentleman from Jackson to renew the Line of Duty Compensation Act, which the amendment sponsor said was necessary because the existing sunset would cause benefits to lapse in June; that amendment included an emergency clause so the renewal would take effect upon the governor’s signature.

The floor included several extended exchanges crossing party lines. Representative critics warned repeated changes to the prevailing-factor standard could complicate a system designed to provide prompt care and predictable coverage; other members said an early-motion mechanism could speed resolution of meritless claims. The sponsor and supporters said the bill balances claimant protections and employer/insurer administrative burdens.

The committee substitute and the amendments were adopted and the bill was perfected and printed for further legislative action.