A package of bills that make the first significant changes in nearly 30 years to New Jersey's $1.8 billion workers' compensation insurance system have won final legislative approval.

The Assembly and Senate finished work on six reform bills, including one hat empowers workers' compensation judges to seek contempt-of-court orders against insurers or attorneys who delay benefit claims (S1913) and another (S1914) that makes failing to provide workers' compensation coverage a criminal offense.

Other pieces of the reform package require fast-tracked hearings on urgent medicals claims (S1916) and a bill (S1917) that gives labor unions and business organizations a voice on the insurer-dominated panel that sets the cost of workers' compensation insurance policies.

The measures were prompted by a series of articles in The Star Ledger that showed how uncooperative insurers and political entanglements have left thousands of workers waiting months and years for benefits. This package marks the first substantial reform to the workers' compensation system since 1979, when the current version was put in place.

The reform package is now awaiting final approval by Governor Jon Corzine. ATLA-NJ was actively involved with these bills throughout the legislative process.