California Forms WC Reform Committee

California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi commended lawmakers July 9 for moving workers‘ compensation bills into a Legislative Conference Committee, and consequently moving the reform of the system closer to passage. The Senate Labor and Industrial Relations Committee and the Assembly Insurance Committee forwarded all workers‘ comp bills, including those contained in the Garamendi Reform Plan, to the conference committee, which will convene later in this session. "This is a good move for this much needed legislation," Garamendi said. "The conference committee allows legislators to combine good ideas from all of the bills into legislation that will bring substantial, immediate reform to this ailing system." Garamendi has worked with the legislature since taking office in January to bring about reform of the $29 billion system.