Agenda - Council - 04/27/1982 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Minnesota Harry A. Siebe., Jr. House of I Speaker of the House Representatives St. Paul, Minnesota 55155 I Telephone: 612.296.4227 I I I I I I I I I March 29, 1982 Mr. Lloyd G. Schnelle 15t53 Nowthen Boulevard, N.W. Ramsey, Minnesota 55303 Dear Mr. Schnelle: I appreciate your writing and expressing your concerns over the cost of workers' compensation insurance. I, too, have been concerned over the effects workers' compensation premiums have had on Minnesota's businesses. There has been a lot of debate over the issue of workers' compensation. Naturally, each side believes it has the "right answer." The legislative process is one of give and take on both sides of an issue. The end product is usually a compromise, in which everyone has given up something. Most major pieces of legislation are end products of this type of process, and workers' compensation was no exception. The House and Senate held endless hours of committee hearings and private negotiations with business and labor on the Markman report. What the Legislature passed and the Governor vetoed was truly the best compromise legislation we could put together. This bill mandated a 16% reduction in premiums, limited any pending rate increase to 2.3%, phased in a competitive state fund, encouraged injured workers to return to work, and altered eligibility and benefits. I believe the bill the Legislature passed did provide a direct reduction in workers' compensation premiums. The Governor did a disservice to Minnesota business by not signing this legislation, which would have mandated a 16% reduction and limited a pending rate increase to 2.3%. I IHAS:el i! Enclosed for your information is a summary of the workers' compensation legislation vetoed by Governor Quie. Please review it and see if you do not agree this legislation mandated a significant premium reduction, which you will not receive because of the Governor's veto.