Workers' comp reform, civil confinement law finally approved
JAMES P. HAYES New York State Assembly
The first few weeks of the 2007 legislative session in Albany have produced a number of key reforms to help improve the business climate and safety of families in Western New York and across the state.

Gov. Eliot Spitzer has provided key leadership in breaking down legislative gridlock to win badly needed reforms in the state budget process, government efficiency and criminal justice issues.

Two important reforms that will have a positive impact on our community were agreed to just last week: workers' compensation reform and a new civil confinement law to keep the worst of the worst sexually violent offenders in secure mental facilities after their prison terms have ended.

Workers' Compensation Reform: For more than a decade, businesses and injured workers have been telling Albany that the current workers' compensation program was broken and badly in need of a major overhaul.

Currently, the cost of the system to employers is among the highest in the nation and is one of the reasons why many businesses leave New York State.

Ironically, this highest-cost program pays some of the nation's lowest benefits to injured workers.

All of that has changed. Businesses will see the rates they pay into the system cut by 10-15 percent, which is a welcome reduction that will help these businesses stay in New York to grow and create more jobs in our economy.

Injured workers will see their maximum $400 weekly benefit rise to $600 a week over the next two years, then be indexed to inflation.

The savings in the program to cut costs and raise benefits will come from limiting the very costly lifetime benefit known as "permanent-partial" disability, capping that benefit to a maximum of 10 years.

Civil Confinement: Gov. Spitzer also won an agreement on a new law to confine sexually violent predators after their prison terms expire if they remain a continuing threat to society. As a strong and early proponent of civil confinement, I am pleased this new law will soon be on the books to protect children and families in our community.

Many thanks go out to the thousands of Amherst residents and local elected officials who joined in the fight (and signed petitions I circulated) demanding the Legislature pass a civil confinement measure in New York State.

It's been a very productive two months in Albany, but so much more needs to be done. The immediate challenge: a new state budget by April 1st.

As always, please feel free to contact me with your views about these issues - or any other issue involving state government.

Contact me at hayesj@assembly.state.ny.us or at 634-1895.