Missouri’s State Senate recently passed legislation to reform the State’s Second Injury Fund. The Fund was set up as part of the state’s Worker’s Compensation system but has been essentially broke for a few years now. The Missouri Legislature passed a bill in 2005 that capped the amount that businesses had to put in the Fund. This led to Fund becoming essentially insolvent. “State Auditor Tom Schweich released a report in January showing that the fund had a balance of $3.2 million at the end of 2012 and unpaid obligations of $28.1 million, which increased pressure on lawmakers to move forward on legislation.”
The new legislation which increased the amount put into the Fund by businesses passed the Senate 32-2. The legislation now goes to the State’s House of Representatives for debate and vote. Thousands of injured Missourian workers are waiting for payment from this fund. Hopefully with this new legislation more injured Missourians can get the help they need.
http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2013/02/14/missouri-senate-passes-bill-to-fix.html
