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Delaware senators hear bill to restore workplace-safety credit, aim for up to 12% premium reduction
Summary
The Senate Labor Committee heard testimony on SB 248, a Department of Insurance measure to restore and increase a workers' compensation workplace-safety credit (up to 12%). The bill builds on SB 306 and departmental rate changes; the committee circulated the bill for signatures and did not vote.
Senators on the Delaware Senate Labor Committee heard a presentation on Senate Bill 248, a Department of Insurance-sponsored measure intended to restore and increase the maximum workers' compensation workplace-safety credit available to employers. Senator Nicole Fore, introducing the bill, said it would allow qualifying businesses to achieve up to a 12% reduction in workers' compensation premiums.
"When businesses invest in safety, we should support and incentivize that commitment," Senator Nicole Fore said, describing SB 248 as a correction to an unintended reduction in the maximum available credit under a new experience-rate plan and as building on prior reforms enacted in SB 306.
Kennedy Cook, a legislative aide to the Delaware Department of Insurance, told the committee the bill "builds on nine years of rate decreases" approved by the insurance commissioner and said the department supports SB 248 on behalf of Commissioner Trinidad Navarro. Cook said the department estimates the workplace-safety program has produced roughly $4,900,000 in combined annual premium savings and that 932 businesses currently participate; the bill is intended to ensure those businesses continue to receive equivalent 12% premium savings.
Committee members asked technical questions about how the workplace-safety credit interacts with employers' EMR (experience modification) ratings. Senator Fore and departmental staff explained that participation and credit calculations are tied to EMR thresholds (a 0.99 level was cited in committee discussion) and that the bill comes from the Department of Insurance.
Senator Dave Lawson asked about current insurance-rate levels for businesses and referenced a past episode in which the state borrowed money—one speaker cited $71,000,000—to cover unemployment-related costs. Christina Miller, special deputy to the insurance commissioner, said unemployment insurance rates are administered by the Delaware Department of Labor and that the department would provide committee members with accurate rate figures after the meeting. Senator Fore also told the committee, "We're gonna get you that answer and come back to you on this."
There was one in-person public comment in support from Kennedy Cook; no remote commenters spoke. The committee did not hold a vote on SB 248 during the session. Vice Chair Jack Walsh said the bill backer was circulated for signatures and, after a motion and second, adjourned the Senate Labor Committee.
The next procedural step indicated in the meeting was circulation of the bill backer for signatures; no committee vote or final action on SB 248 was recorded at this meeting.
