N.D. House Votes Down Workers’ Comp Measures

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February 13, 2009 Friday 04:49 PM EST

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N.D. House Votes Down Workers' Comp Measures

Sean P Carr

BISMARCK, N.D.

North Dakota legislators overwhelmingly defeated a bill that would have allowed North Dakota businesses to purchase workers' compensation insurance on the open market, or to self-insure under certain conditions.

The defeat of H.B. 1408 maintains the monopoly on sales by the state's Workforce Safety and Insurance agency. North Dakota employers must purchase coverage from WSI. By an 86-7 vote, representatives agreed that the bill is not needed in the state due to its low workers' comp rates.

The bill was sponsored by state Rep. Dan Ruby, R-Dist. 38.

The House also voted down H.B. 1160, legislation submitted by the insurance department, which would have given the insurance commissioner regulatory authority over WSI's market conduct issues and financial examination matters.

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Attempts to reach Ruby and the North Dakota Insurance Department were not immediately successful.

The North Dakota Senate is considering H.B. 1036, which would limit the administration's authority to change actuarially recommended workers' compensation insurance rates. The bill is aimed at limiting wide fluctuations (BestWire, Jan. 19, 2009).

In November, voters approved a statewide referendum giving the governor more authority over the state's workers' compensation body. Measure No. 4 will allow the governor to appoint the agency's director and to place its employees into the state personnel system. It also will allow for the appointment of independent administrative law judges to conduct hearings and make final decisions (BestWire, Nov. 6, 2008).

(By Sean P. Carr, senior associate editor, BestWeek: [email protected])

February 14, 2009