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Sen. Tim Barnes and Rep. Joe Pitts lead the charge to fix Tennessee’s worker compensation law

Delays provisions that would have put small business owners out of work

Small business owners can breathe a sigh of relief today thanks to Clarksville Democrat Sen. Tim Barnes’ efforts to delay additional workers’ compensation requirements until March 2011.

State senators voted 32-0 Friday to pass Senate Bill 7001, which delays a law passed last year that began forcing contractors to carry workers’ compensation for themselves, subcontractors and any other workers who weren’t covered. The increased costs threaten to put small contractors out of work.

“The act that went into effect is having a devastating effect on small, independent contractors,” Sen. Barnes said.

Barnes and Rep. Joe Pitts, D-Clarksville, had attempted to stop the original bill, sponsored by Republicans Sen. Bill Ketron and Rep. Jason Mumpower, and avoid enacting the requirements altogether. Nearly 100 of the 250 members of the Tennessee chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) said they would be put out of business by the increased costs in an already difficult economy.

Once small business owners began voicing their concerns, lawmakers quickly joined Barnes in trying to undo the additional requirements. Those lawmakers included Ketron, who turned around and sponsored the bill that Barnes helped draft and co-sponsored.

“Rep. Pitts and I worked very hard last session to delay the implementation of this act. Although we couldn’t find the support to get it passed last session, I’m please that during the break we were able to get enough support to give these small businesses the relief they so desperately need,” Sen. Barnes said.

The vote came during a special session called by Gov. Phil Bredesen primarily to discuss education. Gov. Bredesen included the workers’ compensation bill in the special session to help quickly delay the regulation.

The House version, sponsored by Rep. Pitts, is in committee and is expected to pass.

“The passage of this measure represents a major victory in this fight to help small business owners and contractors,” Pitts said. “We have a long way to go toward solving this problem, but I am confident we will get it done.”

About Senator Tim Barnes

Senator Tim Barnes represents Cheatham, Houston and Montgomery Counties. Contact him at sen.tim.barnes@capitol.tn.gov or (615) 741-2374 or 305 War Memorial Building, Nashville, TN 37243-0217.

About State Representative Joe Pitts

Joe Pitts serves in the Tennessee House of Representatives, representing District 67. A native of Clarksville Tennessee, Joe is a Northwest High School graduate (Class of 1976) and a 1980 graduate of Austin Peay State University. He is married to Cynthia, an author and director of a women’s ministry, and they have five children.

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3 COMMENTS

  1. Thank you Rep. Pitts and Sen. Barnes for your service to the great state of Tennessee.

    Your efforts last year to stop the bill, were well appreicated, however, I am curious that this bill only “delays” the bill passed last year. Does this mean that this issue will raise it shead again in future years?

    I am not one to promote just passing the problem off to furture legislature, and know that sometimes delaying a bill is a compromise, and provides another opportunity later to stop the bill’s intended action. Can anyone shed some light on this?

    I will email barnes and Pitts and post there respopnses.

  2. As usually Rep. Pitts responded to my email quickly (same day,) and I am not even in his distrcit. Here is what he said –

    Our legislation to suspend Public Chapter 1041 is designed to buy us some time to fix the problem in the workers compensation insurance. There are several proposals under consideration and the resolve to address the problem in 2010 is strong among the members of the General Assembly.

    Thanks for asking and please let me know if I can help in the future.

    Joe

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