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Chamber Priority Bill Provides Unemployment Insurance Solution; Health Care Matters Take Center Stage

By Mike Ripley, vice president of health care policy and employment law During the Great Recession from 2007-2011, the state paid out on average $1.1 billion per year in unemployment insurance (UI) benefits, with 2009 being the worst year with more than $1.8 billion in benefits paid. In 2011, the Indiana General Assembly passed legislation that put all employers [...]

2020-03-27T15:02:58-04:00March 27th, 2020|

Health Care: Senate Version of ‘Gag Clause’ Favorably Amended Before Big Vote

SB 5 – Health Provider Contracts and Pricing Authored by Sen Ed Charbonneau (R-Valparaiso) Prohibits health provider contracts from including provisions that prohibit providers from disclosing the pricing for health care services. States that a violation by the issuer of a health provider contract is an unfair or deceptive act or practice in the business of insurance. Chamber position: Support [...]

2020-01-31T14:41:22-05:00January 31st, 2020|

Key Wage Assignment Fix and Unemployment Insurance Changes

By Mike Ripley, vice president of health care policy and employment law * PDF version available for printing * At the Chamber’s request, Sen. Phil Boots (R-Crawfordsville) carried SB 99, which allowed for a wage assignment for the rental of uniforms. The U.S. Southern District Court determined that while the Indiana code permits deductions for the “purchase” of uniforms, [...]

2019-05-15T11:04:25-04:00May 15th, 2019|

Worker’s Comp Benefit Increase Seems Dead; E-Cigarette Tax and Wage Assignment Bills on Hold; Substance Misuse Program Follow-up

House Bill 1182 (Worker’s Compensation), authored by Rep. Matt Lehman (R-Berne), achieved final passage this week with a successful concurrence vote along party lines, 65-29. This Chamber-supported bill does two important things: 1) clarifies who is responsible for worker’s compensation for volunteer firefighters (it’s not employers but the fire department); and 2) increases the burial amount an employer must [...]

2019-04-05T13:02:01-04:00April 5th, 2019|

Indiana Chamber Hosting Five Business Education Seminars in May

(INDIANAPOLIS) — The Indiana Chamber of Commerce is offering a number of business education events in May on topics that run the gamut from leadership skills and supervising people, to forklift safety, worker’s compensation and environmental permitting and reporting. The first two in the May lineup are part of the new ADVANCE Leadership Series, starting with a seminar on [...]

2019-04-03T10:19:10-04:00April 3rd, 2019|

Worker’s Comp Bill Passes Senate Unanimously; All Eyes on Conference Committee for Possible Benefit Increase

House Bill 1182 – Worker’s Compensation Author: Rep Matt Lehman (R-Berne) Provides for worker’s compensation purposes that an employee who leaves work to serve as a volunteer firefighter or member of a volunteer emergency medical services association is considered an employee of the firefighting unit while in the performance of duties as a volunteer firefighter or volunteer member. Increases [...]

2019-03-22T13:17:37-04:00March 22nd, 2019|

Worker’s Compensation Bill Passes Senate Pensions and Labor Unanimously

House Bill 1182 – Worker’s Compensation Author: Rep Matt Lehman (R-Berne) Provides for worker’s compensation purposes that an employee who leaves work to serve as a volunteer firefighter or member of a volunteer emergency medical services association is considered an employee of the firefighting unit while in the performance of duties as a volunteer firefighter or volunteer member. Increases [...]

2019-03-15T12:32:01-04:00March 15th, 2019|

Chamber Concerns Addressed in State Revenue Bill; Worker’s Comp Benefit Increase and Virtual Education Bills Pass 

Senate Bill 565 (Department of State Revenue), authored by Sen. Travis Holdman (R-Markle), passed the full Senate on Tuesday. This is the Department of Revenue’s (DOR) “agency bill” that largely includes items to help it do its job, but a couple added provisions were of concern to the Chamber. Those were remedied on Monday with a second reading amendment [...]

2019-02-27T10:37:53-05:00February 27th, 2019|

Bill Deadline Next Week; Worker’s Comp Benefit Increase Amended, Now Expected to Clear Senate

Monday is the last day for bills originating in the House to pass the full House. Meanwhile, Tuesday marks the same milestone for Senate bills. Among the most significant still awaiting final action: Senate Bill 565 – Department of State Revenue Authored by Sen. Travis Holdman (R-Markle) Contains numerous changes to the administrative procedures governing the operations of the Department of Revenue. [...]

2019-02-22T13:47:08-05:00February 22nd, 2019|

Worker’s Comp Benefit Increase Heard in Committee, Fails on Tie Vote; IOSHA Bill Responding to Worker’s Death Moves in Committee

Senate Bill 358 – Worker’s Compensation Authored by Sen. Karen Tallian (D-Portage)    Increases benefits for injuries and disablements by 10% each year for three years, beginning on July 1, 2019. Chamber Position: Oppose The Latest: The chairman of the Senate Pensions and Labor Committee, Sen. Phil Boots (R-Crawfordsville), took a vote on the bill and it failed 5-5. [...]

2019-02-15T14:43:56-05:00February 15th, 2019|