Henry-Hiett agreement quickly falls apart

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)_ A fragile agreement between Democratic Gov. <b><a class="headlinelink" href="http://www.kotv.com/main/home/searchKOTV.asp?mainSearch=Brad">Brad</a></b> <b><a class="headlinelink" href="http://www.kotv.com/main/home/searchKOTV.asp?mainSearch=Henry

Saturday, May 28th 2005, 11:22 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)_ A fragile agreement between Democratic Gov. Brad Henry and Republican House Speaker Todd Hiett on workers' compensation reform fell apart Friday and Hiett joined the call for a special session to address the issue.

Hiett said he and the governor had reached an ``agreement in principle'' on the issue and a 150-page workers' compensation bill was being printed.

But he said Republican lawmakers, including GOP senators and House members, complained that they would not have time to digest the bill's contents before adjournment Friday afternoon.

The agreement, Hiett said, ``just comes too late'' on such a complicated issue.

``We were off to the races this morning. We just couldn't get to the finish line,'' Henry said after lawmakers adjourned.

The governor called a special session, which will reconvene Tuesday to consider the workers' comp issue.

Under workers' compensation systems, employers buy insurance to cover on-the-job injuries. Critics of Oklahoma's system say rates are too high, hurting economic development.

On Thursday, Democratic Senate President Pro Tem Mike Morgan asked Henry to call a special session, saying it would be difficult to get a workers' comp bill passed on the session's final day. His sentiments were shared by Sen. Glenn Coffee, R-Oklahoma City, leader of the Republican minority.

Hiett said failure to get his No. 1 priority item enacted during the regular session was a major disappointment, ``but I haven't given up.''

``This is something that must happen. Whether it happens in a special session or the next session _ we must reform our workers' compensation system,'' he said.

Hiett said he believes Oklahoma's high workers' compensation rates are the biggest obstacle to bringing new industry to the state.

On Thursday, Morgan said a compromise plan under consideration would save employers $100 million in insurance costs, but Republicans and Democrats remained divided on the issue of physician choice.

Morgan said Democrats would never agree on taking away the right of injured workers to choose their physicians. He said Republicans had proposed that employers have that right.

Another sticking point, Hiett said, was the issue of attorneys' fees. Proposals by House and Senate Republicans sought to cut down on legal costs, which they said are responsible for the state's high workers' compensation rates.