Inman Call Workers’ Comp Bill ‘Unconstitutional’
Part of workers’ compensation bill has constitutional problems, Oklahoma House Democrats say
House Democratic leader says having open claims eventually going to district court is ‘blatantly unconstitutional.’
By Michael McNutt | Published: March 22, 2013
Parts of a bill proposing to change Oklahoma’s workers’ compensation court system to an administrative system are “blatantly unconstitutional,” the minority leader of the House of Representatives said Thursday.
If passed in its present form, Senate Bill 1062, which is to be heard by a House committee, would violate the state’s constitution by sending open claims after Nov. 1, 2017, to the district courts of Oklahoma and Tulsa counties, said House Minority Leader Scott Inman, D-Del City. These courts do not handle workers’ compensation cases now.
“Once those cases have been filed under the current judicial system, to then take those out we believe violates the constitutional rights of those injured workers,” he said.