Bill

HB 541

87(R) - 2021
House Business & Industry
House Business & Industry
Labor
Firefighters
Health

Contact the Author

Jarred Patterson

Phone:

512-463-0694

Capitol Office:

Room E2.716

Email:

Vote Recommendation

Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral

Author(s)

Jarred Patterson
Dustin Burrows
Terry Canales
Nicole Collier
Todd Hunter

Co-Author(s)

Eddie Morales

Bill Caption

Relating to certain claims for benefits, compensation, or assistance by certain public safety employees and survivors of certain public safety employees.

Fiscal Notes

Passage of the bill would require the approval of workers' compensation claims related to SARS­CoV­2 or COVID­19 that is the basis for a disaster declared by the Governor for detention officers, corrections employees, firefighters, peace officers, or EMTs. It is unknown how many of these employees with previously denied claims would refile their claims or how many new claims would be filed in the future. Therefore, the fiscal impact of the bill cannot be determined.


Bill Analysis

HB 541 stipulates that if a public safety employee contracts SARSCoV2 or COVID-19 under certain circumstances, resulting in the employee's death or total or partial disability, the employee is presumed to have contracted the virus or disease during the course and scope of employment for workers' compensation purposes. 

Vote Recommendation Notes

As filed, HB 541 was an overly broad bill that presumed any death or disability a public safety employee suffered as a result of SARS-CoV-2 or Covid-19 happened on the job. The committee substitute narrowed the original language, and Texas Action is therefore neutral on HB 541.

Contact the Author

Jarred Patterson

Phone:

512-463-0694

Capitol Office:

Room E2.716

Email: