Title: State Assembly member, 9th District, and Democratic Insurance Commissioner-Elect, 2010
Resume: Prior to his election to the State Assembly, Jones served as a Sacramento City Council member for five and a half years. Before his election to the City Council, Jones worked for six years as a legal aid attorney with Legal Services of Northern California, providing free legal assistance to the poor. In 1995, Jones was one of only 13 Americans awarded the prestigious and competitive White House Fellowship, and he served in the Clinton Administration for three years, first as special assistant and then counsel to United States Attorney General Janet Reno.
Schools: Jones received his BA from DePauw University in 1984. In 1988 he earned both a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and his JD from Harvard Law School.
Awards: Jones has won a number of awards since assuming office in 2004. Among them are recognitions as Legislator of the Year by The Consumer Attorneys of California in 2005, by The Conference of Delegates of California Bar Association in 2006, and by the National Organization for Women in 2009. Other awards include being named the 2006 Environmental Champion by Environment California and receiving the Ronald M. George Equal Justice Award from Central California Legal Services, Inc. in 2007.
Committees: Jones is the chair of Assembly Budget Subcommittee #1 (Health and Human Services). He also sits on the Assembly Health Committee and the Assembly Judiciary Committee.
Certifications: Jones is a member of the California State Bar.
Favorite Book: Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin
Elected to the Assembly in 2004, Jones is a tireless advocate for holding the insurance industry accountable. He’s authored numerous bills targeting insurance abuses, including one that prevents carriers from requiring that disputes be adjudicated outside the state. He was elected insurance commissioner November 2, 2010. Representing Sacramento, Jones also served in city offices and in the Clinton Administration as special assistant and counsel to United States Attorney General Janet Reno. Jones attended DePauw University, Harvard Law School and Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.
What are the top three issues in California workers’ comp today?
- Ensuring a solvent, competitive market for California businesses, employees and SCIF.
- Updating the Permanent Disability Schedule.
- Fraud prevention, investigation and prosecution.
It’s no longer a question of if but when we enter a hard market, so what is in the future of State Compensation Insurance Fund? Will its market share climb back to historic levels? Do you think that further reforms are needed for the governance of State Fund, for example, does it make sense to have Senate confirmation for board members?
A hard market will often shrink the competitive market and drive up the percentage of business written by SCIF. I do believe that the State Fund needs additional reforms. The State Fund board makes investment decisions on nearly $20 billion in assets and State Fund board members receive $50,000 in compensation for their service. My Assembly Bill 1897 (2010) proposed that the state Senate confirm the governor’s appointees to the board.
Are medical provider networks a help or a hindrance? How should they be improved?
For medical provider networks to be effective, these networks must include a mix of doctors specializing in work-related injuries and doctors with expertise in general areas of medicine. They also must allow employees a choice of providers, which can be a problem, particularly in rural areas.
Is it realistic to deal for more cost-cutting reforms in exchange for increasing PD benefits?
The law requires the Permanent Disability Schedule to be updated and the next governor will need to address this issue. Cost-cutting reform proposals should also be evaluated, but not at the expense of injured workers.
Now that the federal health care bill has become law, what impact, if any, do you see that having on workers’ compensation and do you have any concerns?
I am a strong supporter of federal health care reform. By making health care available to many workers who were previously uninsured, unaddressed health problems may be resolved, which could lead to lower workers’ compensation claims and swifter returns to work after injury.
With the budget constraints is there any appetite for major reform or simply piecemeal changes to specific challenges?
The governor and legislative leaders face big challenges with the economy and the state’s budget picture. I expect any major reforms will have to wait until these key leaders have time to focus on this important matter.