California labor groups and employers have been meeting over the past few months in hopes of creating a plan to overhaul the state's workers' compensation plan. The groups say that they want to reduce costs in a way that would make the system more efficient, as well as leading to higher benefits for workers with permanent job-related disabilities. The new provisions are expected to be introduced in the Legislature next week, before they adjourn at the end of August.
See "Deal on California workers' compensation overhaul appears likely", Marc Lifsher, Los Angeles Times, August 8, 2012