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By: Bell of Kaufman, et al. |
H.B. No. 2488 |
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(Senate Sponsor - Alvarado) |
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(In the Senate - Received from the House April 23, 2025; |
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April 24, 2025, read first time and referred to Committee on |
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Business & Commerce; May 26, 2025, reported favorably by the |
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following vote: Yeas 11, Nays 0; May 26, 2025, sent to printer.) |
| Click here to see the committee vote |
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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to conducting certain contested case hearings under the |
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Texas workers' compensation system by remote communication. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 410, Labor Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 410.0055 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 410.0055. CONDUCTING CERTAIN CONTESTED CASE HEARINGS |
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BY REMOTE COMMUNICATION. (a) Notwithstanding Section 410.005(a), |
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the division may conduct a contested case hearing by |
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videoconference: |
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(1) on a determination by the division that good cause |
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exists for conducting the hearing in that manner; or |
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(2) on the mutual agreement of the parties. |
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(b) The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to |
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implement this section. |
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SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the commissioner of workers' compensation shall adopt |
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rules to implement Section 410.0055, Labor Code, as added by this |
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Act. |
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SECTION 3. Section 410.0055, Labor Code, as added by this |
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Act, applies to a contested case hearing requested on or after the |
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effective date of this Act. A contested case hearing requested |
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before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in |
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effect on the date the contested case hearing was requested, and the |
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former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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