By Julio Rausseo/Illinois Radio Network

CHICAGO – Reforms to workers compensation continues to be a pressing issue when it comes to putting together the state budget.

House Republican Minority leader Jim Durkin told members of the City Club of Chicago on Monday, that reforms to workers compensation can easily be addressed.

“There are many other issues we can deal with on comp., whether it’s going in and adopting AMA guidelines, looking at certain types of rates, but there are a host of things that we can still do within the work comp system, that I believe we can make incremental progress,” Durkin said.

Durkin acknowledged that certain issues are not negotiable with House Democrats including defining work related injuries as an injury that happens on the job rather than off.

“Causation seems to be something that is a sacred cow for many of my friends in Springfield. Practically, when it comes to the unions and also the trial lawyers,” Durkin said.

According to Steve Brown, press secretary for House speaker Michael Madigan, reforms to workers compensation have been taking place in Springfield. Brown touts House Bill 1257 passed last year, which focused on reforms in the insurance industry, through argues Gov. Rauner is quote, “focused on taking wages away from employees.”

Brown adds, that workers compensation reforms to the insurance industry has been a sticking point for House Republicans.

“We passed legislation last year that focuses on the insurance industry, which appears to be a blockade point. There’s a perfect compromise already there. Durkin could have voted for it several times,” Brown said.

House Bill 1257, which was passed last June, was referred to assignment by the Illinois Senate back in October.