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Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation
Workers' Comp Reforms
California’s workers’ compensation system has been the center of intense debate and legislative activity over the past several years. The most dramatic reforms in the history of California workers’ compensation began in 2003 with the adoption of evidence-based medicine guidelines, the application of those guidelines though a mandatory utilization review process, and the repeal of vocational rehabilitation. These were rapidly followed by the adoption of employer-selected medical provider networks and a new approach to permanent disability evaluation. This section describes the large-scale changes enacted in recent years.
Understanding the Effect of SB 899 (Stats 2004, Chap 34) on the Law of Apportionment, April 2007 
version
Understanding the Effect of SB 899 on the Law of Apportionment, 2005 version
Summary of workers' compensation reform legislation - SB 899 
version
Section-by-section review of SB 899 version
Reforms of 2003, October 2003
AB 227 version version and SB 228 version version
CHSWC and Assembly Bill 749
CHSWC and AB 749
CHSWC and AB 749 as amended - October 2002
Project description
Status: update in progress
Workers' compensation and the California economy
Workers' compensation and the California economy, April 2000
Update: Workers' compensation and the California economy, December 2000
Project description
Status: update in progress
Evaluation of workers' compensation cost and benefit changes since the beginning of the reforms (special study at the request of the Legislature)
Report workers' compensation costs and benefits after the implementation of reform legislation, August 1999
Executive summary impact of the 1993 reforms on payments of temporary and permanent disability
Summary estimating the workers' compensation reform impact on employer costs and employee benefits
Project description
Status: completed
Baseball Arbitration - provisions of labor code section 4065
Preliminary evidence on the implementation of 'Baseball Arbitration', November 1999
Project description
Status: completed
Evaluation of labor code section 5814 penalty provisions
Issue paper on labor code section 5814, April 2000
Background paper on labor code section 5814, March 1999
Project description
Status: completed