By Dukes H.B. No. 2509
76R8382 T
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to business the administration of the workers'
1-3 compensation system for state employees.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 501.044, Labor Code, is amended to read
1-6 as follows:
1-7 Sec. 501.044. EFFECT OF SICK LEAVE; ANNUAL LEAVE. (a) An
1-8 employee may elect to use accrued sick leave before receiving
1-9 income benefits. If an employee elects to use sick leave, the
1-10 employee is not entitled to income benefits under this chapter
1-11 until the employee has exhausted the employee's accrued sick leave.
1-12 (b) An employee may make an election to use all or any
1-13 number of weeks of accrued annual leave after accrued sick leave is
1-14 exhausted. If an employee elects to use annual leave, the employee
1-15 is not entitled to income benefits under this chapter until the
1-16 elected number of weeks of leave have been exhausted.
1-17 SECTION 2. Subtitle A, Chapter 501, Subchapter C, Labor
1-18 Code, is amended by adding a new Section 501.048 to read as
1-19 follows:
1-20 Sec. 501.048. PAYMENT OF MEDICAL AND INDEMNITY BENEFITS.
1-21 Medical and income benefit payments made by the office are subject
1-22 to this subtitle and are exempt from the provisions of the Texas
1-23 Government Code, Chapter 2251.
1-24 SECTION 3. Section 412.042, Labor Code, is amended to read
2-1 as follows:
2-2 Sec. 412.042. Reports to the Legislature. (a) The director
2-3 shall report to the legislature at the beginning of each regular
2-4 session.
2-5 (b) The report required under this section shall be dated
2-6 January 1 of the year in which the regular session is held and must
2-7 include:
2-8 (1) [a list of all persons who have received benefits
2-9 under Chapter 501, the nature and cause of each injury, and the
2-10 amounts paid weekly in income benefits and for medical, hospital,
2-11 and other services;]
2-12 [(2)] a summary of administrative expenses;
2-13 (2) [(3)] a statement:
2-14 (A) showing the amount of the money appropriated
2-15 by the preceding legislature that remains unexpended on the date of
2-16 the report; and
2-17 (B) estimating the amount of that balance
2-18 necessary to administer Chapter 501 for the remainder of that
2-19 fiscal year; and
2-20 (C) an estimate, based on experience factors, of
2-21 the amount of money that will be required to administer Chapter 501
2-22 and pay for the compensation and services provided under Chapter
2-23 501 during the next succeeding biennium.
2-24 (c) The director shall report to the legislature a state
2-25 agency that fails to meet its obligation regarding the prevention
2-26 of accidents and injuries to state employees. [As amended by House
2-27 Bill 2133, 75th Legislature, effective date September 1, 1997.]
3-1 (d) The director shall maintain, and make available to the
3-2 legislature upon request, a list of all persons who have received
3-3 benefits under Chapter 501 of this subtitle, the nature and cause
3-4 of each injury, and the amounts paid weekly in income benefits and
3-5 for medical, hospital, and other services.
3-6 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
3-7 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the
3-8 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-9 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-10 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-11 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.