Honorable Larry Phillips, Chair, House Committee on Homeland Security & Public Safety
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB1388 by Bohac (Relating to certain diseases or illnesses suffered by firefighters and emergency medical technicians.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend the Government Code relating to certain diseases or illnesses suffered by firefighters and emergency medical technicians (EMT). The bill would amend the criteria for the presumption of a firefighter or emergency medical technician to have suffered the disability or death during the course and scope of employment. The bill would require a statement, to be included in the rebuttal, describing the evidence reviewed before making the determination that a cause not associated with the individual's services caused the disease or illness. The bill prescribes content requirements of a certain insurance carrier's notice of refusal to pay benefits under Section 409.021.
Local Government Impact
The bill could have an impact on the number of incidents of work-related disability or death benefits for certain local pension systems; however, these costs cannot be determined. The impact of the bill would vary widely by each entity depending on the number of cases eligible for benefits under the provisions of the bill, the entity's disability and death benefits policy, and the individual's medical condition.
The Texas Municipal League (TML) reported estimates are difficult to develop and vary widely depending on an individual's medical condition. TML reported that the number of these injuries, diseases and deaths vary widely from year to year.