Like Sisyphus perpetually pushing the boulder uphill, Colorado companies for years have tried to fill up a workers’ compensation fund only to have lawmakers swoop in and raid it.
The goal has been to pump up the account — used to pay a limited number of major medical claims among others — to the point where it sustains itself. Twice employers have nearly reached that goal, only to see it evaporate.
It’s got to stop, says Sen. Mike Kopp, R-Littleton.
He’s pushing legislation to allow employers to pay the dwindling number of claims as they come in, rather than pay higher rates aimed at topping out the account.
Senate Bill 37, which has gained bipartisan support, would save companies anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars a year, depending on their size.
“My argument all along is that businesses have paid into this fund once, twice and (are starting) again a third time essentially for the same benefit,” Kopp said.
The proposal passed the Senate unanimously Tuesday, though some senators expressed concerns that a catastrophic claim could leave the state footing the bill. The legislation now heads to the House for consideration.
It’s the only bill lawmakers are considering this year that would lower a tax or fee, said Sen. Moe Keller, D-Wheat Ridge, who supported the legislation on the Senate floor.
Keller chairs the powerful Joint Budget Committee, which spends its days scrambling to find a way to bridge an $800 million gap in next year’s budget.
The panel has had to lean on numerous cash funds like the workers’ comp fund in its quest, but Keller said she sees the need for the legislation.
“I appreciate what you’re trying to do, and I think it’s fair,” Keller told Kopp during debate.
Jessica Fender: 303-954-1244 or jfender@denverpost.com
