Schwarzenegger Terminates First Two Comp Bills
By Robert Warne - January 27, 2004After warming up his pen by signing six new bills into law, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger took a breather and abstained from autographing two work comp bills Jan. 22.
The first bill was AB 900 by Assemblyman Jerome Horton. It would have allowed the California horseracing industry to cash in a portion of certain bets placed to pay for workers’ compensation.
Despite agreeing with the creative concept of providing additional takeout for the horse racing industry to help defray work comp costs, the Governor pointed out several flaws in the bill and was resigned to put it out to pasture.
In his statement to the Assembly he said, “Pending before you is my comprehensive workers’ compensation reform proposal, which I have asked you to act on and send to me by March 1. Narrowly-drawn solutions should be considered as part of the comprehensive reform efforts.”
Maybe under another administration AB 968 by Assemblyman Lou Correa would have flown, but Schwarzenegger wasn’t about to beef up a presumption for something that is already compensable.
AB 968 would have expanded the presumptive for employees who experience any adverse reaction, injury, disability or death as a result of a vaccination or medication administered not at the request or direction of their employer.
The Governor said he supports protecting health care providers, first responders, law-enforcement personnel and other employees engaged in the fight against bioterrorists, but that these employees can already file a claim if they experience adverse effects from a vaccination or medication they were directed by their employer to receive or take.
He told the Assembly that, “as we work to reform California’s ailing workers’ compensation system, it is critical that we ensure that those injuries compensated by employers are related to employment.” | 
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