HBA-MPM H.B. 2445 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2445 By: Davis, John Business & Industry 4/16/2001 Committee Report (Amended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Current workers' compensation law extends lifetime income benefits to a worker who is severely injured on the job and who meets certain criteria. In order to receive lifetime benefits, a worker must have suffered the loss of both hands or feet, the loss of one hand or foot above the joint, blindness, severe trauma to the brain, or paralysis. However, there is no provision for lifetime benefits for a worker who is severely burned, despite the fact that severe burns can be debilitating. House Bill 2445 provides lifetime income benefits to a worker who receives second and third degree burns over 40 percent of their body. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 2445 amends the Labor Code to extend lifetime workers' compensation benefits that are paid until the death of the employee to employees who suffer second and third degree burns over 40 percent of their body. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001. EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS Committee Amendment No. 1 extends lifetime workers' compensation benefits that are paid until the death of the employee to employees who suffer burns that result in at least 40 percent of the body being subject to debriding or grafting or third degree burns covering the majority of either both hands or of one hand and the head.