BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2143

By: Turner, John

Business & Industry

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Current law relating to workers' compensation benefits for post-traumatic stress disorder in first responders requires a diagnosis that the condition relates to a single event, although it has been noted, including by a certain report required by the 85th Legislature, that in reality the cause may often be multiple events. C.S.H.B. 2143 seeks to revise the applicable diagnosis requirements to provide for that possibility.

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. 2143 amends the Labor Code to specify that the circumstances under which a first responder employed by a political subdivision is eligible for workers' compensation benefits for post-traumatic stress disorder include a diagnosis that the disorder is caused by one or more events occurring in the course and scope of the first responder's employment and that the preponderance of evidence indicates that the event or events were a substantial contributing factor of the disorder.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 2143 differs from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways by conforming to certain bill drafting conventions.