Senator Scott Pruitt Comments On MITF Agreement

OKLAHOMA CITY- Broken Arrow State Senator Scott Pruitt, a leader in the effort to reform Oklahoma's workers' compensation system, today commented on the legislative agreement to fix the ailing Multiple Injury Trust Fund.

"Throughout this process we remembered that many injured workers were counting on us to stabilize the Multiple Injury Trust Fund," said Pruitt. "I would like to commend everyone involved with the negotiations for their diligence and their willingness to openly and honestly discuss the complex issues surrounding workers' compensation. In the end we came up with a bill that funds the obligations to MITF recipients, increases benefits to injured workers, and provides for significant medical cost savings."

Pruitt was especially complimentary of the process that resulted in this agreement.

"Through these negotiations a bipartisan group of legislators with diverse interests was able to come to agreement that benefits all Oklahomans," said Pruitt. "I would be remiss if I did not commend Governor Keating and Senator Taylor for their patience and willingness to let us deliberately work through these negotiations. They showed patience, and Oklahoma is better for it."

Pruitt also believes that these negotiations can serve as a springboard to further workers' compensation agreements.

"While we have addressed the immediate problem, work still lies ahead. The increased understanding found in this group should well lead to future process reforms that will address the frequency of litigious claims," said Pruitt.