Conference committee leaves labor item open after concern over workers' comp navigator position

During the May 16 conference committee session on HB 53 and HB 55, Senator Sam Kaufman objected to closing a Department of Labor and Workforce Development budget line identified as item 3. Kaufman said item 3 would delete a position created by prior legislation (SB 147) that the department has already hired and trained to help break a workers' compensation backlog.

Kaufman described the position’s purpose: to act as a navigator to move workers through the system and reduce delays in returning people to work. In the transcript he said the item represented “a hundred and $25,000 item” and asked that the committee leave the line open for further consideration. Vice Chair Senator Hoffman agreed to leave item 3 open so the committee could continue dialogue about the appropriation.

What was decided: The committee left item 3 open; no final deletion or funding decision on that item was adopted during the session.

Context: Kaufman referenced SB 147 as the prior legislation that created the position and said the department has already hired and trained the employee the bill authorized. The committee’s decision to leave the item open preserves that staffing while members review the budgetary treatment.