Early this morning, the Missouri Senate passed legislation that would fix the state's ailing Second Injury Fund.
The fund is designed to help disabled workers who suffer a second work-related injury. It began running out of money after lawmakers eight years ago capped the surcharge businesses have to pay into it. Senate Bill 1, sponsored by State Senator Scott Rupp (R, Wentzville), would temporarily increase the surcharge.
"It got to the point where we just had to get everyone in a room and say, 'you will not make everyone happy, we have to do this,' and not everyone is happy," Rupp told reporters. "But it's good for the taxpayers, it's good for injured workers, (and) it's good for the state."
The bill would also place most of the state's occupational disease claims back within the workers' compensation system. It now goes to the Missouri House for final approval. If it passes there, Rupp says he's been told by Governor Nixon's staff that he will sign it into law.
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