Oklahoma 2023 Regular Session

Oklahoma House Bill HB1738 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

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1		-	An Act
2		-	ENROLLED HOUSE
3		-	BILL NO. 1738 By: Townley and Deck of the
4		-	House
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	3	+	ENGR. S. A. TO ENGR. H. B. NO. 1738 Page 1 1
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	28	+	ENGROSSED SENATE AMENDMENTS
	29	+	TO
	30	+	ENGROSSED HOUSE
	31	+	BILL NO. 1738 By: Townley of the House
5	32
6	33		and
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8	35		Alvord of the Senate
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13		-
14		-
15		-	An Act relating to workers' compensation; amending
16		-	85A O.S. 2021, Section 47, which relates to death
17		-	benefits for certain survivors; increasing death
18		-	benefit amount; providing for modification of
19		-	benefits based upon events occurring on or after
20		-	effective date; and providing an effective date .
	40	+	[ workers' compensation - death benefits for
	41	+	survivors - death benefit amount - effective date ]
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25		-	SUBJECT: Workers' compensation
	46	+	AMENDMENT NO. 1. Page 2, line 18, insert after the word “wage” and
	47	+	before the period “.” the words “for claims with a
	48	+	date of accident occurring on or after the
	49	+	effective date of this act ”
	50	+
	51	+	AMENDMENT NO. 2. Page 2, line 22, insert after the word “wage” and
	52	+	before the semicolon “;” the words “for claims
	53	+	with a date of accident occurring on or after the
	54	+	effective date of this act ”
	55	+
	56	+	AMENDMENT NO. 3. Page 5, line 3, insert a new Section 2 to read
	57	+
	58	+	“SECTION 2. This act shall become effective January 1, 2024. ”
	59	+
	60	+	and amend the title to conform
	61	+
	62	+	AMENDMENT NO. 4. Page 1, restore the amended title
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	93	+	Passed the Senate the 18th day of April, 2023.
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	97	+	Presiding Officer of the Senate
	98	+
	99	+
	100	+	Passed the House of Representatives the ____ day of __________,
	101	+	2023.
	102	+
	103	+
	104	+
	105	+	Presiding Officer of the House
	106	+	of Representatives
	107	+
	108	+	ENGR. H. B. NO. 1738 Page 1 1
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	133	+	ENGROSSED HOUSE
	134	+	BILL NO. 1738 By: Townley of the House
	135	+
	136	+	and
	137	+
	138	+	Alvord of the Senate
	139	+
	140	+
	141	+
	142	+
	143	+	[ workers' compensation - death benefits for
	144	+	survivors - death benefit amount - effective date ]
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26	148
27	149		BE IT ENACTED BY THE P EOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHO MA:
28		-
29	150		SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 85 A O.S. 2021, Section 47, is
30	151		amended to read as follows:
31		-
32	152		Section 47. A. Time of death. If death does not result within
33	153		one (1) year from the date of the accident or within the first three
34	154		(3) years of the period for compensation payments fixed by the
35	155		compensation judgment, a rebuttable presumption shall arise that the
36	156		death did not result from the injury.
37		-
38	157		B. Common law spouse. A common l aw spouse shall not be
39	158		entitled to benefits under this section u nless he or she obtains an
40	159		order from the Workers ' Compensation Commission ruling that a common
41	160		law marriage existed between the decedent and the surviving spouse.
42	161		The ruling by the Commissio n shall be exclusive in regard to
43	162		benefits under this section re gardless of any district court
44	163		decision regarding the probate of the decedent's estate.
45		-	ENR. H. B. NO. 1738 Page 2
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46	190		C. Beneficiaries - Amounts. If an injury or occupational
47	191		illness causes death, weekly income benefits shall be payable as
48	192		follows:
49		-
50	193		1. If there is a surviving spouse, a lump-sum payment of One
51	194		Hundred Thousand Dollars ($ 100,000.00) and seventy percent (70%) of
52	195		the lesser of the deceased employee 's average weekly wage and the
53	196		state average weekly wage. In addition to the benefits theretofore
54	197		paid or due, two (2) years ' indemnity benefit in one lump sum shall
55	198		be payable to a surviving spouse upon remarriage;
56		-
57	199		2. If there is a surviving spouse and a one (1) child or
58	200		children, the child shall receive a lump-sum payment of Twenty -five
59	201		Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00) and fifte en percent (15%) of the
60	202		lesser of the deceased employe e's average weekly wage and the state
61	203		average weekly wage to each child. If there is more than one (1)
62	204		child but less than five (5) children, each child shall receive a
63	205		lump-sum payment of Twenty -five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00) and a
64	206		pro rata share of thirty percent (30%) of the deceased emp loyee's
65		-	average weekly wage for claims with a date of accident occurring on
66		-	or after the effective date of this act . If there are five (5) or
67		-	more than two children, each child shall receive a pro rata share of
68		-	Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) One Hundred Thousand Dollars
	207	+	average weekly wage. If there are five (5) or more than two
	208	+	children, each child shall receive a pro rata share of Fifty
	209	+	Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) One Hundred Thousand Dollars
69	210		($100,000.00) and a pro rata share of thirty percent (30%) of the
70		-	deceased employee's average weekly wage for claims with a date of
71		-	accident occurring on or after the effective date of this act ;
72		-
	211	+	deceased employee's average weekly wage;
73	212		3. If there is a child or children and no surviv ing spouse, a
74	213		lump-sum payment of Twenty -five Thousand Dollars ($25,0 00.00) and
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	215	+	ENGR. H. B. NO. 1738 Page 3 1
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75	240		fifty percent (50%) of the lesser of the deceas ed employee's average
76	241		weekly wage and the state average weekly wage to each child. If
77	242		there are more than two children, each chi ld shall receive a pro
78	243		rata share of one hundred percent (100%) of th e lesser of the
79	244		deceased employee's average weekly wage an d the state average weekly
80	245		wage. With respect to the lump-sum payment, if there are more than
81	246		six children, each child shall rec eive a pro rata share of One
82	247		Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($150,000 .00);
83		-
84	248		4. If there is no surviving spouse or children, eac h legal
85	249		guardian, if financially depende nt on the employee at the time of
86	250		death, shall receive twenty -five percent (25%) of the l esser of the
87	251		deceased employee's average weekly wage and the state av erage weekly
88	252		wage until the earlier of death, becoming eli gible for Social
89	253		Security, obtaining ful l-time employment, or five (5) years from the
90		-	date benefits under this section begin; and ~~ENR. H. B. NO. 1738 Page 3~~
	254	+	date benefits under this section begin; and
91	255		5. The employer shall pay the actual funeral expenses, not
92	256		exceeding the sum of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00).
93		-
94	257		D. The weekly income benefits payable to the surv iving spouse
95	258		under this section shall continue while the surviving spouse remains
96	259		unmarried. In no event shall this spousal weekly income benefit be
97	260		diminished by the award to other beneficiaries. The weekly income
98	261		benefits payable to any child under thi s section shall terminate on
99	262		the earlier of death, marriage, or reaching the age of eight een
100	263		(18). However, if the child turns eighteen (18) and is:
101	264
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102	290		1. Enrolled as a full-time student in high school or is being
103	291		schooled by other means pursuant to the Okl ahoma Constitution;
104		-
105	292		2. Enrolled as a full -time student in any accredited
106	293		institution of higher education or vocational or technology
107	294		education; or
108		-
109	295		3. Physically or mentally incapable of self-support,
110		-
111	296		then he or she may continue to receive weekly income b enefits under
112	297		this section until the earlier of reaching the age of twenty -three
113	298		(23) or, with respect to paragraphs 1 and 2 of this subsection, no
114	299		longer being enrolled as a student, and with respect to paragraph 3
115	300		of this subsection, becoming capable of self-support.
116		-
117	301		E. If any member of the class of beneficiaries who receive a
118	302		pro rata share of weekly income benefits becomes ineligible to
119	303		continue to receive benefits, the remaining members of the class
120	304		shall receive adjusted weekly income benefits equal to the new class
121	305		size.
122		-
123	306		F. To receive benefits under this section, a beneficiary or his
124	307		or her guardian, if applicable, shall file a proof of loss form with
125	308		the Commission. All questions of dependency shall be deter mined as
126	309		of the time of the injury. The employer shall initiate payment of
127	310		benefits within fifteen (15) days of the Commission 's determination
128	311		of the proper beneficiaries. The Commission shall app oint a
129	312		guardian ad litem to represent known and unknown mi nor children and
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130	339		the guardian ad litem s hall be paid a reasonable fee for his or her
131	340		services.
132		-
133		-	SECTION 2. This act shall become effective January 1, 2024. ENR. H. B. NO. 1738 Page 4
134		-	Passed the House of Representatives the 10th day of May, 2023.
	341	+	SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2023.
	342	+	Passed the House of Represent atives the 14th day of March, 2023.
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139	347		Presiding Officer of the House
	348	+
140	349		of Representatives
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143		-	Passed the Senate the ~~18th~~ day of ~~April~~, 2023.
	352	+	Passed the Senate the ___ day of __________, 2023.
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148	357		Presiding Officer of the Senate
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151		-	OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
152		-	Received by the Office of the Governor this ____________________
153		-	day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
154		-	By: _________________________________
155		-	Approved by the Governor of the State of Oklahoma th is _________
156		-	day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
157	360
158		-
159		-	_________________________________
160		-	Governor of the State of Oklahoma
161		-
162		-	OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE
163		-	Received by the Office of the Secretary of State this __________
164		-	day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
165		-	By: _________________________________