By: Solomons, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Brimer) H.B. No. 34
         (In the Senate - Received from the House March 29, 2007;
  April 3, 2007, read first time and referred to Committee on State
  Affairs; April 30, 2007, reported adversely, with favorable
  Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 9, Nays 0;
  April 30, 2007, sent to printer.)
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 34 By:  Lucio
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the prohibition of certain payments or other
  inducements regarding a workers' compensation claim; providing an
  administrative violation.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 415, Labor Code, is
  amended by adding Section 415.0036 to read as follows:
         Sec. 415.0036.  ADMINISTRATIVE VIOLATION BY PERSON
  PERFORMING CERTAIN CLAIM SERVICES. (a)  This section applies to an
  insurance adjuster, case manager, or other person who has authority
  under this title to request the performance of a service affecting
  the delivery of benefits to an injured employee or who actually
  performs such a service, including peer reviews, performance of
  required medical examinations, or case management.
         (b)  A person described by Subsection (a) commits an
  administrative violation if the person offers to pay, pays,
  solicits, or receives an improper inducement relating to the
  delivery of benefits to an injured employee or improperly attempts
  to influence the delivery of benefits to an injured employee,
  including through the making of improper threats. This section
  applies to each person described by Subsection (a) who is a
  participant in the workers' compensation system of this state and
  to an agent of such a person.
         (c)  A violation under this section is a Class A
  administrative violation.
         SECTION 2.  (a)  The change in law made by this Act applies
  only to the punishment for a violation occurring on or after the
  effective date of this Act. For purposes of this section, a
  violation is committed before the effective date of this Act if any
  element of the violation occurs before the effective date.
         (b)  A violation committed before the effective date of this
  Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the violation was
  committed, and the former law is continued in effect for that
  purpose.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.
 
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