Legislation ensuring injured workers are not forced into the political process by unethical attorneys deceptively withholding donations from workers’ compensation checks passed the House today.House Bill 1601, by Rep. Dan Sullivan, would make it illegal for an attorney to deduct or withhold any portion of a client’s judgment or settlement proceeds “for the purpose of donating or contributing funds or monies to a political fund, political action committee, campaign of any kind, or candidate for state, federal or local office.”
“Injured workers should receive all the money they are due without worry that their lawyers will take a portion of the claim to fund political operations,” said Sullivan, R-Tulsa.
Last August, The Oklahoman reported that roughly $1 million had been donated to the Working Oklahomans Alliance PAC over the last decade with most of that money coming from injured Oklahoma workers, including several who told the paper they did not know they had “donated” the money to the PAC.
The Working Oklahomans Alliance PAC is run by workers compensation attorneys. The Oklahoman reported that the lawyers involved with the fund raised money for the PAC by withholding a portion of their clients' workers' compensation awards.
Several injured workers interviewed by The Oklahoman said they had no knowledge of the donations.
“I consider this legislation to be critical to protecting the trust Oklahomans have in the political process,” said House Speaker Chris Benge, R-Tulsa. “The decision to donate to political activities is one that must be made by each individual, not a group of lawyers seeking to take advantage of a worker in a vulnerable position.”
The bill passed the House with a vote of 62-36 and will now move to the Senate, where the measure is co-authored by Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee, R-Oklahoma City.
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