North Carolina 2025-2026 Regular Session

North Carolina Senate Bill S703 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
2	2		SESSION 2025
3		-	S 1
4		-	SENATE BILL 703
	3	+	S D
	4	+	SENATE BILL DRS45321-LR-83A
	5	+
5	6
6	7
7	8		Short Title: Update 1987 Rates/Organs and Disfigurement. (Public)
8	9		Sponsors: Senators Britt, B. Newton, and Daniel (Primary Sponsors).
9		-	Referred to: ~~Rules and Operations of the Senate~~
10		-	~~March 26, 2025~~
11		-	~~S703 -v-1~~
	10	+	Referred to:
	11	+
	12	+	DRS45321 -LR-83A
12	13		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
13	14		AN ACT AMENDING THE WORKERS ' COMPENSATION ACT TO INCREASE CERTAIN 2
14	15		BENEFITS UNDER THE SCHEDULE OF INJURIES AND TO PROVIDE FOR 3
15	16		AUTOMATIC BENEFIT ADJUSTMENTS BASED UPON INCREASES IN THE 4
16	17		CONSUMER PRICE INDEX . 5
17	18		The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 6
18	19		SECTION 1. Effective July 1, 2026, G.S. 97-29 reads as rewritten: 7
19	20		"§ 97-29. Rates and duration of compensation for total incapacity. 8
20	21		(a) When an employee qualifies for total disability, the employer shall pay or cause to be 9
21	22		paid, as hereinafter provided by subsections (b) through (d) of this section, to the injured 10
22	23		employee a weekly compensation equal to sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66 2/3%) of his 11
23	24		average weekly wages, but not more than the amount established annually to be effective January 12
24	25		1 as provided herein, nor less than thirty dollars ($30.00) fifty dollars ($50.00) per week. 13
25	26		Beginning July 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, the North Carolina Industrial Commission shall 14
26	27		raise the maximum compensation herein in accordance with the percentage change in the June 15
27	28		Consumer Price Index computed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the June Consumer Price 16
28	29		Index for the prior year, provided that this percentage change is positive. The adjustment shall 17
29	30		be rounded to the nearest dollar ($1.00)." 18
30	31		SECTION 2. Effective July 1, 2026, G.S. 97-31 reads as rewritten: 19
31	32		"§ 97-31. Schedule of injuries; rate and period of compensation. 20
32	33		In cases included by the following schedule the compensation in each case shall be paid for 21
33	34		disability during the healing period and in addition the disability shall be deemed to continue for 22
34	35		the period specified, and shall be in lieu of all other compensation, including disfigurement, to 23
35	36		wit: 24
36	37		… 25
37	38		(21) In case of serious facial or head disfigurement, the Industrial Commission 26
38	39		shall award proper and equitable compensation not to exceed twenty thousand 27
39	40		dollars ($20,000). Fifty-six thousand dollars ($56,000). In case of enucleation 28
40	41		where an artificial eye cannot be fitted and used, the Industrial Commission 29
41	42		may award compensation as for serious facial disfigurement. Beginning July 30
42	43		1, 2026, and annually thereafter, the North Carolina Industrial Commission 31
43	44		shall raise the maximum compensation herein in accordance with the 32
44	45		percentage change in the June Consumer Price Index computed by the Bureau 33
45	46		of Labor Statistics and the June Consumer Price Index for the prior year, 34
46	47		provided that this percentage change is positive. The adjustment shall be 35
47		-	rounded to the nearest dollar ($1.00). 36 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
48		-	Page 2 Senate Bill 703-First Edition
	48	+	rounded to the nearest dollar ($1.00). 36
	49	+	FILED SENATE
	50	+	Mar 25, 2025
	51	+	S.B. 703
	52	+	PRINCIPAL CLERK General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
	53	+	Page 2 DRS45321-LR-83A
49	54		(22) In case of serious bodily disfigurement for which no compensation is payable 1
50	55		under any other subdivision of this section, but excluding the disfigurement 2
51	56		resulting from permanent loss or permanent partial loss of use of any member 3
52	57		of the body for which compensation is fixed in the schedule contained in this 4
53	58		section, the Industrial Commission may award proper and equitable 5
54	59		compensation not to exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000).twenty-eight 6
55	60		thousand dollars ($28,000). Beginning July 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, 7
56	61		the North Carolina Industrial Commission shall raise the maximum 8
57	62		compensation herein in accordance with the percentage change in the June 9
58	63		Consumer Price Index computed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the 10
59	64		June Consumer Price Index for the prior year, provided that this percentage 11
60	65		change is positive. The adjustment shall be rounded to the nearest dollar 12
61	66		($1.00). 13
62	67		(24) In case of the loss of or permanent injury to any important external or internal 14
63	68		organ or part of the body for which no compensation is payable under any 15
64	69		other subdivision of this section, the Industrial Commission may award proper 16
65	70		and equitable compensation not to exceed twenty thousand dollars 17
66	71		($20,000).fifty-six thousand dollars ($56,000). Beginning July 1, 2026, and 18
67	72		annually thereafter, the North Carolina Industrial Commission shall raise the 19
68	73		maximum compensation herein in accordance with the percentage change in 20
69	74		the June Consumer Price Index computed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics 21
70	75		and the June Consumer Price Index for the prior year, provided that this 22
71	76		percentage change is positive. The adjustment shall be rounded to the nearest 23
72	77		dollar ($1.00)." 24
73	78		SECTION 3. Except as otherwise provided, this act is effective when it becomes 25
74	79		law. 26