Senate Bill 229 proposes a significant restructuring of the adjudicatory functions related to workers' compensation claims by transferring these responsibilities from the Division of Hearings and Appeals (DHA) in the Department of Administration to the Department of Workforce Development (DWD). The bill includes the repeal of several statutes and amendments to existing laws, specifically deleting references to the "division" and replacing them with "department" to ensure that all adjudicatory duties are centralized under the DWD. This consolidation aims to streamline the process and enhance the efficiency of handling workers' compensation claims in Wisconsin.

In addition to the transfer of functions, the bill outlines new procedures for determining the necessity of treatment for injured employees and the reasonableness of prescription drug charges. It allows the DWD to seek expert opinions on treatment necessity but does not mandate it, while also clarifying that the department will deny payment for unnecessary treatments. Furthermore, the bill specifies that disputes over prescription drug charges will be managed by the DWD, reinforcing its role in confirming compromises and stipulations. Overall, these changes are designed to improve the clarity and effectiveness of the workers' compensation system by centralizing decision-making and responsibilities within the DWD.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 40.65(2)(b)3, 40.65, 40.65(2)(b)4, 102.01(2)(ad), 102.01, 102.01(2)(dm), 102.04(2r)(b), 102.04, 102.07(8)(c), 102.07, 102.12, 102.13(1)(c), 102.13, 102.13(1)(d)2, 102.13(1)(d)3, 102.13(1)(f), 102.13(2)(a), 102.13(3), 102.13(4), 102.13(5), 102.14(title), 102.14, 102.14(1), 102.14(2), 102.15(1)(b), 102.15, 102.16(1), 102.16, 102.16(1m)(a), 102.16(1m)(b), 102.16(1m)(c), 102.16(2)(a)