| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to a presumption in regard to the eligibility of public |
|
|
safety employees who have contracted coronavirus disease |
|
|
(COVID-19) for certain benefits. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 607, Government Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 607.0541 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 607.0541. CORONAVIRUS DISEASE (COVID-19). A public |
|
|
safety employee who suffers from coronavirus disease (COVID-19) |
|
|
resulting in disability or death is presumed to have contracted the |
|
|
disease during the course and scope of employment as a public safety |
|
|
employee. |
|
|
SECTION 2. (a) Except as otherwise provided by this |
|
|
section, Section 607.0541, Government Code, as added by this Act, |
|
|
applies only to a claim for benefits or compensation filed on or |
|
|
after the effective date of this Act. A claim filed before that |
|
|
date is governed by the law as it existed on the date the claim was |
|
|
filed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
|
|
(b) A person who on or after February 1, 2020, but before the |
|
|
effective date of this Act, filed a claim for benefits or |
|
|
compensation related to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and whose |
|
|
claim was subsequently denied may file another claim on or after the |
|
|
effective date of this Act, and the changes in law made by this Act |
|
|
apply to that claim. |
|
|
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|
|
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|
|
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|
|
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|
|
Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |