Arkansas 2025 Regular Session

Arkansas Senate Bill SB285 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
2	2	ANS191 02/24/2025 3:59:35 PM ANS191
3	3	State of Arkansas 1
4	4	95th General Assembly A Bill 2
5	5	Regular Session, 2025 SENATE BILL 285 3
6	6	4
7	7	By: Senator J. Payton 5
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10	10	For An Act To Be Entitled 8
11	11	AN ACT TO MODIFY THE COMPENSATION RESTRICTIONS UNDER 9
12	12	THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION LAW THAT RESULTED FROM 10
13	13	INITIATED ACT 4 OF 1948; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 11
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16	16	Subtitle 14
17	17	TO MODIFY THE COMPENSATION RESTRICTIONS 15
18	18	UNDER THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION LAW THAT 16
19	19	RESULTED FROM INITIATED ACT 4 OF 1948. 17
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21	21	BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 19
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23	23	SECTION 1. Arkansas Code § 11 -9-501(b), concerning the limits of 21
24	24	compensation payable to an injured employee for disability other than 22
25	25	permanent partial disability under the Workers' Compensation Law, is amended 23
26	26	to add an additional subdivision to read as follows: 24
27	27	(6)(A) For a disability or death which results from an injury 25
28	28	occurring on and after the effective date of this act, the maximum weekly 26
29	29	benefit payable shall be seventy percent (70%) of the average weekly wage of 27
30	30	the injured employee. 28
31	31	(B) The maximum annual salary total of weekly benefit 29
32	32	payments to an injured employee under subdivision (b)(6)(A) of this section 30
33	33	is one hundred twenty thousand dollars ($120,000). 31
34	34	32
35	35	SECTION 2. Arkansas Code § 11 -9-501(d), concerning the limits of 33
36	36	compensation payable to an employee for permanent partial disability under 34
37	37	the Workers' Compensation Law, is amended to read as follows: 35
38	38	(d)(1)(A) The permanent partial disability rate for compensation 36 SB285
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40	40	2 02/24/2025 3:59:35 PM ANS191
41	41	payable to an employee for permanent partial disability which results from an 1
42	42	injury occurring on or after July 1, 1986, shall not exceed sixty -six and 2
43	43	two-thirds percent (66⅔%) of the employee's average weekly wage, with a 3
44	44	twenty-dollar-per-week minimum, subject to a maximum of one hundred fifty -4
45	45	four dollars ($154). However, if the employee's total disability rate for 5
46	46	the injury would be two hundred five dollars and thirty -five cents ($205.35) 6
47	47	per week or greater, then the maximum permanent partial disability rate shall 7
48	48	be seventy-five percent (75%) of the employee's total disability rate. 8
49	49	(B) The permanent partial disability rate for compensation 9
50	50	payable to an employee for permanent partial disability which results from an 10
51	51	injury occurring on or after the effective date of this act shall not exceed 11
52	52	seventy percent (70%) of the employee's average weekly wage, with a twenty -12
53	53	dollar-per-week minimum, subject to a maximum annual salary total of weekly 13
54	54	benefit payments of one hundred twenty thousand dollars ($120,000) divided by 14
55	55	fifty-two (52) weeks. 15
56	56	(2)(A) The permanent partial disability rate provided herein 16
57	57	shall also apply to scheduled permanent injuries except those resulting in 17
58	58	amputation or permanent total loss of use of a member. 18
59	59	(B) The permanent partial disability rate for amputation 19
60	60	or permanent total loss of use of a member shall be the same as the 20
61	61	employee's total disability rate as specified in subsection (b) of this 21
62	62	section, subject to the maximum as set forth in subdivision (b)(4) of this 22
63	63	section. 23
64	64	(3) The provisions of this subsection shall apply only to those 24
65	65	injuries which occur on or after January 1, 1996. 25
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