SB 818 of 1917

Senate Bill 818 (Luce-1917) Chapter 586, Statutes of 1917

The Labor Clarion described Senate Bill 818 as follows:

New Workmen’s Compensation act, proposed by the Industrial Accident Commission; many improvements, reduces waiting period to ten days, establishes limited choice of physician, abolishes action for damages but doubles compensation in cases of wilful [sic] and serious misconduct of employer.

(See Exhibit #9a, page 2)

The 1917 revision seems to have been necessary to clear up issues which had arisen from the practical administration of the 1913 Workmen's Compensation Act. (See Exhibits #4, page 6 and #7, page 8) It also seems to have been responding to various judicial decisions about the application and scope of the earlier Act. (See Exhibit #4, pages 8 through 10) The measure, like its predecessors, was considered very controversial and subject to intense opposition by industrial accident insurers as well as “reactionary elements” of the press and Legislature. (See Exhibits #6, page 4 and #8, page 25) Apparently days of debate were given over to the bill in the Assembly and Senate, which was extensively reported in the press. (See Exhibit C, #6, page 4)

Commenting specifically to the changes proposed by Senate Bill 818, a Report of the Industrial Accident Commission stated that:

New responsibilities have been created by the chapter in question, which will greatly increase the volume of business to be handled by the Commission. We refer particularly to the provisions of sections 10 and 29, the former of which gives to the Commission power to inspect and determine the adequacy of hospital and hospital facilities and the latter providing that security be furnished by employers for the payment of compensation.

(See Exhibit #4, page 6)

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