Bill: SB 22, 87(R) - 2021

Committee

Senate State Affairs

2nd Chamber Committee

House Business & Industry

Vote Recommendation

Vote Recommendation Economic Freedom Property Rights Personal Responsibility Limited Government Individual Liberty
No Neutral Neutral Neutral Negative Neutral

Author(s)

Drew Springer
Carol Alvarado
Paul Bettencourt
César J Blanco
Donna Campbell
Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa
Nathan Johnson
Eddie Lucio Jr.
Angela Paxton
Beverly Powell
Judith Zaffirini

Co-Author(s)

Brandon Creighton
Bryan Hughes
Jose Menendez

Sponsor(s)

Dustin Burrows
Terry Canales
Nicole Collier
Todd Hunter
Jarred Patterson

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

The bill would have an indeterminate cost to the state to provide workers compensation benefits to certain state employees on the presumption of those employees having contracted SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19 during the course and scope of employment. The provisions of the bill would also apply to previously denied claims from impacted employees related to SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19. The fiscal implications of the bill cannot be determined due to the inability to determine resubmission and subsequent approval of previously denied claims and in determining the future number of claims that may occur over from COVID-19. 

Bill Analysis

SB 22 would create a rebuttable presumption that when a detention officer, corrections employee, peace officer, firefighter, or emergency medical technician meeting certain conditions contracts SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19 which results in their death or total or partial disability, they contracted the disease during the course and scope of their employment.

Vote Recommendation Notes

First responders and other frontline public employees provide a valuable service to their fellow Texans. Still, medical evidence rather than presumption, should guide the determination as to how a person contracted a disease during a declared disaster. For these reasons, we oppose SB 22.


Source URL (retrieved on 03/29/2024 09:03 AM): http://reports.texasaction.com/bill/87r/sb22?print_view=true