Amendment ID: S2033-1

Amendment 1

Equitable Compensation Commission

Mr. Tarr moves to amend the bill by inserting at the end thereof the following new sections:-

"Section 4:- Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, there shall be a special commission to study equitable compensation for bodily disfigurement of employees in the commonwealth. The commission shall review alternative methods of implementing equitable compensation of injuries subject to subsection (k) of section 36 of chapter 152, including sums  of specific dollar amounts, sums equal to the average weekly wage in the commonwealth, and other methods which may be considered. The commission shall hold at least 1 public hearing as part of such a review. The commission shall report its findings and proposed legislation, if any, to the clerks of the senate and the house of representatives within 180 days of the effective date of this act.

The special commission shall consist of 7 members. Members shall be appointed by the governor, 1 of whom shall be the director of industrial accidents, or his designee; 2 of whom shall be representatives from organized labor, 1 of whom shall be a representative of Associated Industries of Massachusetts, Inc ., 1 whom shall be a representative of the Massachusetts chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business,  1 of whom shall be an economist with experience in workers’ compensation and evaluation of permanent bodily impairments, and one of whom shall be an attorney with substantial experience in workers’ compensation and scar-based disfigurement.  The special commission shall file its report along with any recommendations within 180 of the effective date of this act with the clerks of the senate and the house of representatives, the joint committee on labor and workforce development and the house and senate committees on ways and means.

Section 5. Section 1 shall take effect 30 days after said report has been filed."