S.B. No. 653 AN ACT relating to increasing the amount of burial benefits required to be paid by an insurance carrier under the workers' compensation system. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 408.186(a), Labor Code, is amended to read as follows: (a) If the death of an employee results from a compensable injury, the insurance carrier shall pay to the person who incurred liability for the costs of burial the lesser of: (1) the actual costs incurred for reasonable burial expenses; or (2) $10,000 [$6,000]. SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies to a claim for workers' compensation burial benefits based on a compensable injury that occurs on or after the effective date of this Act. A claim based on a compensable injury that occurs before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the compensable injury occurred, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. ______________________________ ______________________________ President of the Senate Speaker of the House I hereby certify that S.B. No. 653 passed the Senate on April 1, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays 1. ______________________________ Secretary of the Senate I hereby certify that S.B. No. 653 passed the House on May 18, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 138, Nays 1, one present not voting. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House Approved: ______________________________ Date ______________________________ Governor