CHAMPAIGN — A workers' compensation reform bill approved Tuesday will save Illinois employers $500 million to $750 million a year and allow them "to hire workers and improve their plants and improve their exports," Gov. Pat Quinn said at a bill-signing re-enactment at Champaign's Kraft Foods plant.

But area Republican lawmakers ridiculed the legislation, calling it "watered down" and saying that the doctors, hospitals and others in health care will shoulder increased costs.

"'Reform' is probably the most popular word used in Springfield," said state Rep. Jason Barickman, R-Champaign. "I don't think the bill that passed brings any substantial reform to the business community that needs it and has been demanding it.

"The medical community took the brunt of this legislation, directly and negatively."

Barickman and Sen. Shane Cultra, R-Onarga, said the reform bill (HB 1698) makes no changes to the causation provisions of the workers' compensation laws.

"The extremely watered-down measure lacks the much needed causation provisions that any meaningful workers' compensation reforms would contain," Cultra said. "To significantly reduce workers' compensation costs, we would need to stipulate that the primary cause of injury must be related to a work site."

But Rep. John Bradley, D-Marion, who sponsored the bill in the House, said "we ruffled feathers and that's probably a good thing because that's how you get things done, and it's usually a pretty good sign that you did it right."

Representatives of two major business groups who accompanied Quinn to Champaign on Tuesday praised the bill and the governor.

"There are critics of this bill ... who say this didn't go far enough," said Greg Baise, president of the Illinois Manufacturers' Association. "But it improves the system, it will save money and it will make Illinois a better place for great companies like Kraft, and that's what we're supposed to be about when we're in Springfield."

David Vite, president of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, said Quinn and the Legislature this spring "took the dysfunction out of Illinois government."

He said employers will save 10 to 20 percent on workers' compensation premiums as a result of the bill, which cleared the Senate with bipartisan support but was opposed in the House by all but one GOP lawmaker.

On other issues, Quinn:

— Was noncommittal about a proposed casino in Danville.

"I like Danville. I like Vermilion County. I know the people there. I've been coming down there doing petition drives for many years. The people in Danville helped us start the Citizens Utility Board," he said. "There are a lot of ways to grown an economy. I think that we should be careful that we don't just focus on one thing."

He told Sen. Mike Frerichs, D-Champaign, on Tuesday that he would be willing to meet with a group of supporters of the Danville casino at his Chicago office in July.

— Said he'll sign the state budget on Thursday, the day before the start of the new fiscal year. He indicated he'll ask lawmakers to budget more money for elementary and secondary state aid. "They cut that pretty badly," he said.

— Hinted he will not approve a bill sponsored by Frerichs that extends existing state health care contracts, including one with Urbana-based Health Alliance, for two more years. Signing the bill would undo recent reforms to state procurement laws.

"I follow the procurement code," Quinn said.