Mo. Senate amends workers' comp bill to include secondhand smoke

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Senate approved final amendments to a bill revamping the state's workers' compensation programs on Wednesday that could allow for claims to be made for illnesses arising from exposure to secondhand smoke. The bill prohibits workers' comp claims for other prolonged exposure to chemicals or inhalants, but Sen. Robert Schaaf, R-St. Joseph, won approval of an amendment to exempt exposure to second-hand smoke from the ban. Sen. Jack Goodman, R-Mt. Vernon, who sponsored the workers' comp bill, said he felt it necessary to prohibit other toxic exposure claims from being covered by workers' comp, saying such claims are better left to the courts due to the long amount of time it takes for symptoms to develop.