Lawmakers dig into workers' comp issues

Preparing for what likely will be a difficult debate during the 2017 legislative session, the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee next week will start delving into workers' compensation insurance issues.

The committee is scheduled Dec. 13 to receive a presentation on the workers' compensation system, after state regulators in October approved a 14.5 percent rate increase for businesses.

That increase, which is currently tangled in a legal battle, stemmed heavily from a Florida Supreme Court decision that found unconstitutional strict limits on attorneys' fees in workers' compensation cases.

Also this week, the House will hold two training meetings for its members about workers' compensation issues.

Those meetings are scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Tuesday and 11:15 a.m. Wednesday.

Business groups are pressuring lawmakers to pass legislation during the 2017 session to hold down insurance rates.