House File 518 has made its way out of the Iowa House and onto the Senate floor, but if Senator Rich Taylor (D) has his way, it will go no further. The bill deals with changes to workers compensation insurance, and Taylor believes it will do irreparable harm to Iowa workers, employers, and taxpayers. He explains, “If we’re not covering injured workers with workers comp. insurance, then they’re going to become disabled, and they’re going to go on welfare, and then the taxpayers get to take care of them. So I think it’s very important that the insurance stays in place like it is, so that our injured workers don’t have to go on welfare, and they’re actually taken care of.”

Among the issues Taylor has with the legislation is that shoulder injuries will be treated as minor injuries akin to wrist sprains. The change would cut back the recovery time people with serious shoulder injuries would have before having to return to work. Taylor says that leaves the employee with the options of either returning to work not fully healed and risking further injury, or being terminated. To hear more about the current legislative session, listen to the two-part In Touch with Southeast Iowa interview with Taylor at KCIIRadio.com starting Tuesday.