Bill Text: TX HB741 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Engrossed
Bill Title: Relating to rights and benefits under the Texas workers' compensation system.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2019-05-15 - Referred to Business & Commerce [HB741 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HB741-Engrossed.html
By: Davis of Dallas, Ramos | H.B. No. 741 |
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relating to rights and benefits | ||
under the Texas workers' | ||
compensation system. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 404.109, Labor Code, is amended to read | ||
as follows: | ||
Sec. 404.109. INJURED EMPLOYEE RIGHTS; NOTICE. (a) The | ||
public counsel shall adopt, in the form and manner prescribed by the | ||
public counsel and after consultation with the commissioner of | ||
workers' compensation, a notice of injured employee rights and | ||
responsibilities to be distributed by the division as provided by | ||
commissioner or commissioner of insurance rules. | ||
(b) The notice adopted under Subsection (a) must inform an | ||
injured employee that the employee has the right to choose a | ||
treating doctor, including a doctor of medicine, osteopathic | ||
medicine, optometry, dentistry, podiatry, or chiropractic who is | ||
licensed and authorized to practice. | ||
(c) A right or responsibility included in the notice adopted | ||
under Subsection (a) [ |
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requirements of this subtitle and division rules. | ||
(d) This section may not be construed as establishing an | ||
entitlement to benefits to which the claimant is not otherwise | ||
entitled under this subtitle. | ||
SECTION 2. Section 408.183(b-1), Labor Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
(b-1) Notwithstanding Subsection (b), an eligible spouse | ||
who remarried is eligible for death benefits for life if the | ||
employee was a first responder, as defined by Section 504.055, or an | ||
individual described by Section 615.003(1), Government Code, or | ||
Section 501.001(5)(F) of this code, who suffered death in the | ||
course and scope of employment or while providing services as a | ||
volunteer. This subsection applies regardless of the date on which | ||
the death of the first responder or other individual occurred. | ||
SECTION 3. The public counsel of the office of injured | ||
employee counsel shall adopt the notice required under Section | ||
404.109, Labor Code, as amended by this Act, not later than December | ||
1, 2019. | ||
SECTION 4. The change in law made by this Act to Section | ||
408.183(b-1), Labor Code, applies only to an eligible spouse who | ||
remarries on or after the effective date of this Act. An eligible | ||
spouse who remarried before that date is governed by the law as it | ||
existed immediately before the effective date of this Act, and the | ||
former law is continued in effect for that purpose. | ||
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |