OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Gov. Mary Fallin has signed a bill to overhaul the state's workers' compensation system, a top priority for Republican legislative leaders who say the state's current system is a detriment to business and industry in the state.
Fallin signed the bill on Monday that changes Oklahoma's current court-based system to an administrative structure, saying it will dramatically reduce the costs to businesses.
T he bill was fiercely opposed by Democrats, who complain that the cost savings come at the expense of injured workers, whose benefits are slashed by roughly $120 million as a result of the bill.
The House also approved a bill Monday to convert the nonprofit CompSource Oklahoma into an independent mutual company. The agency writes about one-third of Oklahoma's workers' compensation policies.
