Two Workers Comp Bills Vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger
The Governator has two Workers Comp bills Vetoed,that opponents said would have had dire effects on the current Workers Comp system in California. Instead of explaining the bills, I included the veto memos from the Governor to the California Senate and State Assembly.
I agree with the first one wholeheartedly. The Governor took a national viewpoint that is consistent with most states.
To the Members of the California State Assembly:
I am returning Assembly Bill 933 without my signature.
This bill would require a physician conducting utilization review in the workers’ compensation system to be licensed in California. Such a requirement would be inconsistent with how utilization review is conducted in other areas of medicine and not in line with best practices nationwide. The proponents of this measure have not demonstrated a need for this disparity in treatment.
For this reason, I am returning this bill without my signature.
Sincerely,
Arnold Schwarzenegger
To the Members of the California State Senate:
I am returning Senate Bill 145 without my signature.
This bill would prevent a workers’ compensation claim from being denied or impacted by an apportionment determination because the employee’s injury or death was related to the employee’s race, religious creed, color, national origin, age, gender, marital status, sex, or genetic characteristics. This measure, like Senate Bill 1115 (2008), which I previously vetoed, would significantly undermined the state’s workers’ compensation apportionment reforms of 2004. In addition, although this measure purports to address instances where a workers’ compensation claim was improperly denied when a hate crime was committed against an employee, this issue has been addressed by Assembly Bill 1093, which I signed last year.
For these reasons, I am unable to sign this bill.
Sincerely,
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Update – I wonder what the Governor would have thought of the upcoming SB 863 that was signed into law after his tenure.
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