Tens of thousands of Missourians who have suffered disabling injuries at work are closer to getting their benefits from the Second Injury Fund. The Missouri Senate has approved its plan to pump millions of dollars into the fund for the next six or seven years to settle all valid claims.
Sponsor Scott Rupp of Wentzville says two intense weeks of negotiations have produced a measure that will pump millions of dollars into the insolvent fund to pay tens of thousands of claims that have gone without payment or processing for several years because the legislature in 2005 froze employer taxes at a level too low to support the fund.
The bill has a clause putting it into effect as soon as the governor signs it. Rupp says that should cause money to flow into the fund during the last half of this year so some long-standing claims can be paid.