BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3702

By: Davis, Yvonne

Business & Industry

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties have expressed concern that injured employees are not fully aware of an employee's right to choose a treating doctor in a case involving workers' compensation. H.B. 3702 seeks to address this issue by providing for such notice. 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 3702 amends the Labor Code to require the notice of injured employee rights and responsibilities adopted by the injured employee public counsel under the Texas Workers' Compensation Act to 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. The bill requires the public counsel to adopt the notice not later than December 1, 2017.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.