By: Davis of Dallas, Ramos H.B. No. 741
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to rights and benefits
  under the Texas workers'
  compensation system.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 404.109, Labor Code, is amended to read
  as follows:
         Sec. 404.109.  INJURED EMPLOYEE RIGHTS; NOTICE. (a) The
  public counsel shall adopt, in the form and manner prescribed by the
  public counsel and after consultation with the commissioner of
  workers' compensation, a notice of injured employee rights and
  responsibilities to be distributed by the division as provided by
  commissioner or commissioner of insurance rules.
         (b)  The notice adopted under Subsection (a) must 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.
         (c)  A right or responsibility included in the notice adopted
  under Subsection (a) [this section] must be consistent with the
  requirements of this subtitle and division rules.
         (d)  This section may not be construed as establishing an
  entitlement to benefits to which the claimant is not otherwise
  entitled under this subtitle.
         SECTION 2.  Section 408.183(b-1), Labor Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (b-1)  Notwithstanding Subsection (b), an eligible spouse
  who remarried is eligible for death benefits for life if the
  employee was a first responder, as defined by Section 504.055, or an
  individual described by Section 615.003(1), Government Code, or
  Section 501.001(5)(F) of this code, who suffered death in the
  course and scope of employment or while providing services as a
  volunteer. This subsection applies regardless of the date on which
  the death of the first responder or other individual occurred.
         SECTION 3.  The public counsel of the office of injured
  employee counsel shall adopt the notice required under Section
  404.109, Labor Code, as amended by this Act, not later than December
  1, 2019.
         SECTION 4.  The change in law made by this Act to Section
  408.183(b-1), Labor Code, applies only to an eligible spouse who
  remarries on or after the effective date of this Act. An eligible
  spouse who remarried before that date is governed by the law as it
  existed immediately before the effective date of this Act, and the
  former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.