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| Montana Administrative Register Notice 2-55-41 | No. 23 12/08/2011 | |
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BEFORE THE STATE COMPENSATION INSURANCE FUND OF THE STATE OF
TO: All Concerned Persons 1. On January 27, 2012, the Montana State Fund proposes to amend the above-stated rules. 2. The 3. The rules proposed to be amended provide as follows, stricken matter interlined, new matter underlined: 2.55.320 METHOD FOR ASSIGNMENT OF CLASSIFICATIONS OF EMPLOYMENTS (1) and (2) remain the same. (3) The State Fund staff shall assign its insureds to classifications contained in the classifications section of the State Compensation Insurance Fund Policy Services Underwriting Manual effective July 1, AUTH: 39-71-2315, 39-71-2316, MCA IMP: 39-71-2311, 39-71-2316, MCA REASON: This amendment to ARM 2.55.320 is reasonably necessary at this time to reflect the updates to the State Fund's Underwriting Manual (manual), effective July 1, 2011. Under 39-71-2316(1)(e), MCA, after rules have been adopted, the State Fund is not subject to the rulemaking provisions of the Montana Administrative Procedure Act when changing classifications and premium rates. The manual is used by State Fund staff in their usual duties of assigning classifications to insured employers of the State Fund. Each of these classifications has a premium rate that is adopted by the State Fund board in accordance with the board's ratemaking authority. This amendment is made each year to adopt the current version of the manual, which includes new rates, values, and classification code updates effective July 1, 2011. The classification code updates may be those adopted by the Classification Review Committee established in Title 33, chapter 16, MCA, or by the State Fund board of directors. 2.55.327A CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY PREMIUM CREDIT PROGRAM (1) and (2) remain the same. (3) The following class codes are the construction codes eligible for the construction industry premium credit program: 3365 5059 5215 5445 5506 3719 5069 5221 5462 5507 5703 6229 7538 9534 3724 5102 5222 5472 5508 5705 6233 3726 5146 5223 5473 5511 6003 6251 7605 5020 5160 5348 5474 5535 6005 6252 5022 5183 5402 5478 5537 6017 6306 5037 5188 5403 5479 5551 6018 6319 5040 5190 5437 5480 5610 6045 6325 7855 5057 5213 5443 5491 5645 6204 6365 8227 (4) through (6) remain the same. AUTH: 39-71-2315, 39-71-2316, MCA IMP: 39-71-2211, 39-71-2311, 39-71-2316, 39-71-2330, MCA REASON: Section 39-71-2211, MCA, establishes a construction industry premium credit program. The statute provides that State Fund may adopt the plan filed by the advisory organization designated in 33-16-1023, MCA, which is the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI). Currently, telephone company employees classified under code 7600 perform the same variety of tasks performed by employees assigned to code 7601 and contractors assigned to codes 7611, 7612, and 7613. Research by NCCI showed great similarity in the nature of the work performed by the risks and exposure assigned to the reviewed codes; therefore, it was decided to delete codes 7601, 7611, 7612, 7613, and combine them in code 7600. Code 7600 is not included in the rule because it is not an eligible classification code for the construction industry premium credit program. The definition of "construction industry" contained in 39-71-116(8), MCA, requires the code to be in major group 23 in the North American Industry Classification System Manual. Code 7600 is in major group 51. NCCI's research also showed that the carpentry work for the two residential codes 5645 for one- or two-family homes, and 5651 for dwellings three stories or less, was so similar that it was decided to delete code 5651 and combine with code 5645. The changes were recommended by NCCI as part of its national research project to ensure that the classification system remains healthy, viable, and responsive to the needs of the workers' compensation industry. The class code changes were adopted by the Montana Classification Review Committee for use in Montana. The Montana State Fund believes these changes make sense given the similarity of tasks performed by these workers. The changes also simplify the class codes. 4. Concerned persons may submit their data, views, or arguments concerning the proposed action in writing to Nancy Butler, Montana State Fund, 5. If persons who are directly affected by the proposed action wish to express their data, views, or arguments, orally or in writing at a public hearing, they must make a written request for a hearing and submit this request along with any written comments to Nancy Butler at the above address no later than 5:00 p.m., January 10, 2012. 6. If the agency receives requests for a public hearing on the proposed action from either 10% or 25, whichever is less, of the persons who are directly affected by the proposed action; from the appropriate administrative rule review committee of the Legislature; from a governmental subdivision or agency; or from an association having not less than 25 members who will be directly affected, a hearing will be held at a later date. Notice of the hearing will be published in the Montana Administrative Register. Ten percent of those persons directly affected has been determined to be 2,700 persons based on 27,000 policyholders. 7. The 8. An electronic copy of this Notice of Proposed Amendment is available through the Secretary of State's web site at http://sos.mt.gov/ARM/Register. The Secretary of State strives to make the electronic copy of the notice conform to the official version of the notice, as printed in the Montana Administrative Register, but advises all concerned persons that if a discrepancy exists between the official printed text of the notice and the electronic version of the notice, only the official printed text will be considered. In addition, although the Secretary of State works to keep its web site accessible at all times, concerned persons should be aware that the web site may be unavailable during some periods, due to system maintenance or technical problems. 9. The bill sponsor contact requirements of 2-4-302, MCA, do not apply. /s/ Nancy Butler Nancy Butler, General Counsel Rule Reviewer /s/ Elizabeth Best Elizabeth Best Chair of the Board /s/ Michael P. Manion Michael P. Manion, Chief Legal Counsel and Rule Reviewer Certified to the Secretary of State November 28, 2011.
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