Florida Senate - 2014                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. PCS (314816) for SB 444
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Ì319214ÅÎ319214                         
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                  Comm: RCS            .                                
                  04/25/2014           .                                
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       The Committee on Appropriations (Galvano) recommended the
       following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment 
    2  
    3         Delete lines 228 - 279
    4  and insert:
    5  provided in s. 440.51. Payments of assessments shall be made by
    6  each carrier, self-insurer, and self-insured employer to the
    7  department for the Special Disability Trust Fund pursuant to
    8  department rule establishing such method of payment.
    9         2. The department shall estimate annually in advance the
   10  amount necessary for the administration of this subsection and
   11  the maintenance of this fund pursuant to this paragraph and
   12  shall make such assessment in the manner hereinafter provided.
   13  By July 1 of each year, the department shall calculate the
   14  assessment rate, which shall be based upon the net premiums
   15  written by carriers and self-insurers, the amount of premiums
   16  calculated by the department for self-insured employers, the sum
   17  of the anticipated disbursements and expenses of the Special
   18  Disability Trust Fund for the next calendar year, and the
   19  expected fund balance for the next calendar year. Such
   20  assessment rate shall take effect January 1 of the next calendar
   21  year. Such amount shall be prorated among insurance companies
   22  writing workers’ compensation insurance in the state, the self
   23  insurers, and self-insured employers.
   24         2. The annual assessment shall be calculated to produce
   25  during the next calendar year an amount which, when combined
   26  with that part of the balance anticipated to be in the fund on
   27  December 31 of the current calendar year which is in excess of
   28  $100,000, is equal to the average of:
   29         a. The sum of disbursements from the fund during the
   30  immediate past 3 calendar years, and
   31         b. Two times the disbursements of the most recent calendar
   32  year.
   33         c. Such assessment rate shall first apply on a calendar
   34  year basis for the period beginning January 1, 2012, and shall
   35  be included in workers’ compensation rate filings approved by
   36  the office which become effective on or after January 1, 2012.
   37  The assessment rate effective January 1, 2011, shall also apply
   38  to the interim period from July 1, 2011, through December 31,
   39  2011, and shall be included in workers’ compensation rate
   40  filings, whether regular or amended, approved by the office
   41  which become effective on or after July 1, 2011. Thereafter, the
   42  annual assessment rate shall take effect January 1 of the next
   43  calendar year and shall be included in workers’ compensation
   44  rate filings approved by the office which become effective on or
   45  after January 1 of the next calendar year. Assessments shall
   46  become due and be paid quarterly.
   47  
   48  Such amount shall be prorated among the insurance companies
   49  writing compensation insurance in the state and the self
   50  insurers.
   51         3. A reimbursement request that has been approved but
   52  remains unpaid as of June 30, 2014, shall be paid by October 31,
   53  2014 The net premiums written by the companies for workers’
   54  compensation in this state and the net premium written
   55  applicable to the self-insurers in this state are the basis for
   56  computing the amount to be assessed as a percentage of net
   57  premiums. Such payments shall be made by each carrier and self
   58  insurer to the department for the Special Disability Trust Fund
   59  in accordance with such regulations as the department
   60  prescribes.
   61         4. The Chief Financial Officer is authorized to receive and