New workers’ comp bill introduced
Next the Ways & Means Committee took up another new bill, also from Nonini, on worker's compensation, attempting to retroactively change the law regarding a pending lawsuit. Again, the measure was introduced over the objection of minority Democrats on the committee. Rep. James Ruchti, D-Pocatello, an attorney, objected to a clause that seeks to state the "legislative intent" of a past Legislature from 1998. "I think that's troubling," he said. Rep. Bill Killen, D-Boise, said it would be "a grave error" to try "to pass a law that says we want to rewrite history."
The committee also voted unanimously to introduce a new version of the bill to eliminate the ethanol exemption from the state's fuel tax.