§23-5-8a. Transfer of powers and duties of the Office of Administrative Law Judges to the Workers’ Compensation Board of Review; powers of the Workers’ Compensation Board of Review in relation to review of objections; effective July 1, 2022.
(a) The Workers’ Compensation Office of Administrative Law Judges, referred to as the Office of Judges, shall terminate on or before October 1, 2022, as provided in §23-5-8b of this code. All powers and duties of the Office of Judges to review objections, protests, or any other matter authorized by this chapter, shall be transferred to the Workers’ Compensation Board of Review on July 1, 2022: Provided, That any objection or other matter filed pursuant to this chapter and pending before the Office of Judges upon its termination, in which a final decision has not been issued, shall also be transferred to the Workers’ Compensation Board of Review as provided in §23-5-8b of this code.
(b) Pursuant to §23-5-11a(n) of this code, the Workers’ Compensation Board of Review shall employ hearing examiners and other personnel that are necessary for the proper conduct of a system of administrative review of objections to decisions of the Insurance Commissioner, private carriers, and self-insured employers, whichever is applicable, made pursuant to the provisions of §23-5-1a of this code and issued after June 30, 2022. All hearing examiners hired by the Workers’ Compensation Board of Review shall be persons who have been admitted to the practice of law in this state and shall also have had at least four years of experience as an attorney. The chair of the Workers’ Compensation Board of Review shall supervise hearing examiners and other personnel of the board, which collectively shall be referred to in this chapter as the Workers’ Compensation Board of Review.
(c) The Workers’ Compensation Board of Review has the power to hear and determine all objections in accordance with the provisions of this article, establish a procedure for the hearing of objections, take oaths, examine witnesses, issue subpoenas, establish the amount of witness fees, keep records, and make reports that are necessary for reviewing objections, and exercise any additional powers, including the delegation of powers to hearing examiners that are necessary for the proper conduct of a system of administrative review of objections. The chair of the Workers’ Compensation Board of Review shall make reports that are requested of him or her by the Insurance Commissioner.
(d) Effective upon termination of the Office of Judges, the Insurance Commissioner shall have oversight and administrative authority over the Workers’ Compensation Board of Review as heretofore provided to the Insurance Commissioner over the Office of Judges.
(e) This section becomes effective on July 1, 2022.
