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Rep. Keith Wheeler |
SPRINGFIELD – House Democrats this week pushed
through poorly-written legislation that would put the State of Illinois into
the worker’s compensation insurance business. State Representative Keith Wheeler
(R-Oswego) issued the following statement in response to the party line vote
approving House Bill 2622:
Specifically, House Bill 2622 would create
a state-run nonprofit corporation to offer workers compensation insurance to
employers; this despite the fact that Illinois already has the most competitive
workers’ compensation insurance market in the nation, with over 330 private
companies already operating in the state.
“HB 2622 would put the taxpayers of
Illinois on the hook for an initial $10 million start-up loan for the creation
of a not-for-profit workers’ compensation insurance company; $3 million of
which comes right off the top to cover overhead costs. The bill sponsor
presented no business plan and no information for how they would seek paying
clients. Our state’s inability to pass a balanced budget and live within its
means is well documented. There is absolutely nothing to indicate that this $10
million investment would deliver the results for Illinois’ jobs climate
promised by the sponsor.”
“We need real reforms that drive down the
actual cost of workers’ compensation insurance for Illinois job creators;
beginning with stronger causation standards that curb fraud and abuse of the
system. This alone would go far in moving the needle to reduce the astronomical
costs our businesses pay.”