Legislation aimed at reducing the cost of workers' compensation insurance for Illinois employers has won Senate approval. One measure sponsored by Evanston Democratic Sen. Daniel Biss creates a government insurance company to compete in the policy-writing market. It was approved 32-20 Friday. It goes to the governor.
Another House-generated measure has become Senate Democrats' compromise on the issue that has been demanded by Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner. Its main component would be to require insurance companies that write workers' compensation insurance to get rates pre-approved by the state Insurance Department. It passed 35-19 and returns to the House for concurrence.
Rauner has insisted that workers' compensation insurance is too costly in Illinois. Democrats say they made reforms in Illinois that saved significant money that hasn't been passed onto employees.
