BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center                                                                                                        S.B. 458

                                                                                                                  By: Watson, Van de Putte

                                                                                                                                       State Affairs

                                                                                                                                            8/21/2007

                                                                                                                                              Enrolled

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Currently, artificial limbs are not treated by all workers' compensation carriers as a physical structure of the body.  Therefore, an accident resulting in a broken leg would be treatable under worker's compensation, but the same accident causing injury to an artificial leg would not cover repair or replacement of the artificial leg.  The goal of the worker's compensation system is to get workers healthy and back to work.

 

S.B. 458 ensures that workers' compensation carriers treat artificial limbs as natural limbs.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 401.011, Labor Code, by amending Subdivision (19) to redefine "health care" and adding Subdivisions (34-a) and (35-a) to define "orthotic device" and "prosthetic device."

 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 1305.004(b), Insurance Code, to make conforming changes.

 

SECTION 3.  Effective date: September 1, 2007.