BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

 

C.S.H.B. 1635

By: Patterson

Business & Industry

Committee Report (Substituted)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

There are concerns about whether first responders are facing unique difficulties in interacting with the state's workers' compensation system. C.S.H.B. 1635 seeks to require the Texas Department of Insurance workers' compensation research and evaluation group to conduct a study on claims involving first responders to analyze factors such as medical costs, return‑to‑work outcomes, and access to care.

 

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

 

C.S.H.B. 1635 amends the Labor Code to require the workers' compensation research and evaluation group of the Texas Department of Insurance to study workers' compensation claims involving first responders. The study must include an analysis of medical costs, return-to-work outcomes, access to and utilization of care, satisfaction with care, and health-related functional outcomes. The bill requires the group to issue a report on the study to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the legislature not later than December 1, 2022. The bill's provisions expire January 1, 2023.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

September 1, 2021.

 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

 

C.S.H.B. 1635 includes provisions relating to a one-time study on first responders' workers' compensation claims by the workers' compensation research and evaluation group and does not contain any provisions from the original, which adds an evaluation relating to first responder claims to the group's biennial reporting requirements.