HB 205 Workers' compensation; prompt payment, limitation on claims.

Chief patron: Simonds

Summary as introduced:
Workers' compensation; prompt payment; limitation on claims. Prohibits an employer or workers' compensation carrier from seeking recovery of a payment made to a health care provider for health care services rendered to a claimant, unless such recovery is sought less than one year from the date payment was made to the health care provider. Under current law, such prohibition only applies to services rendered after July 1, 2014.

The bill also prohibits a health care provider from submitting a claim to the Workers' Compensation Commission contesting the sufficiency of payment for health care services rendered to a claimant unless such claim is filed within one year of the date the last payment is received by the health care provider. Under current law, such prohibition only applies to services rendered after July 1, 2014.

01/30/24 Senate: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor
02/26/24 Senate: Reported from Commerce and Labor (14-Y 0-N 1-A)
02/28/24 Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (39-Y 0-N)
02/29/24 Senate: Read third time
02/29/24 Senate: Passed Senate (39-Y 0-N)

HB 531 Workers' compensation; injuries caused by repetitive and sustained physical stressors.

Chief patron: Krizek

Summary as introduced:
Workers' compensation; injuries caused by repetitive and sustained physical stressors. Provides that, for the purposes of the Virginia Workers' Compensation Act, "occupational disease" includes injuries or diseases from conditions resulting from repetitive and sustained physical stressors, including repetitive and sustained motions, exertions, posture stresses, contact stresses, vibrations, or noises. The bill provides that such injuries or diseases are covered under the Act and that such coverage does not require that such repetitive or sustained physical stress occurred over a particular time period, provided that the time period over which such physical stress occurred can be reasonably identified.

01/30/24 House: Reported from Labor and Commerce (12-Y 10-N)
01/30/24 House: Referred to Committee on Appropriations
01/31/24 House: Assigned App. sub: Compensation and Retirement
02/05/24 House: Subcommittee recommends continuing to 2025
02/05/24 House: Continued to 2025 in Appropriations

HB 974 Workers' compensation; employee may satisfy burden of proof by circumstantial evidence.

Chief patron: Keys-Gamarra

Summary as passed House:
Workers' compensation; presumption that certain injuries arose out of employment. Provides that in any claim for workers' compensation, where the employee suffers an unexplained fall in the course of employment, such employee may satisfy the burden of proof by circumstantial evidence, testimony of others, other evidence, or any combination thereof.

02/07/24 Senate: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor
02/26/24 Senate: Reported from Commerce and Labor (9-Y 6-N)
02/28/24 Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (39-Y 0-N)
02/29/24 Senate: Read third time
02/29/24 Senate: Passed Senate (20-Y 19-N)

HB 1226 Workers' compensation benefits; post-traumatic stress disorder incurred by firefighters, etc.

Chief patron: Rasoul

Summary as introduced:
Workers' compensation benefits; post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder, or depressive disorder incurred by law-enforcement officers and firefighters. Removes the provision in the Virginia Workers' Compensation Act that benefits for post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder, or depressive disorder incurred by law-enforcement officers and firefighters acting in the line of duty shall provided for a maximum of 52 weeks from the date of diagnosis.

02/06/24 House: Reported from Labor and Commerce with amendment(s) (21-Y 0-N)
02/06/24 House: Referred to Committee on Appropriations
02/07/24 House: Assigned App. sub: Compensation and Retirement
02/09/24 House: Subcommittee recommends continuing to 2025
02/09/24 House: Continued to 2025 in Appropriations

HB 1417 Contractors; workers' compensation requirements.

Chief patron: Kilgore

Summary as introduced:
Contractors; workers' compensation requirements. Removes the requirements that the governing body of a locality shall forward a signed certification to the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission and the Commission shall conduct periodic audits of selected contractors to whom such body has issued business licenses, thereby eliminating the need for commissioners of the revenue to send the Commission 61A forms.

02/06/24 Senate: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor
02/26/24 Senate: Reported from Commerce and Labor (15-Y 0-N)
02/28/24 Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (39-Y 0-N)
02/29/24 Senate: Read third time
02/29/24 Senate: Passed Senate (39-Y 0-N)

HB 1418 Administrative Process Act; exempts certain rules of the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission.

Chief patron: Kilgore

Summary as introduced:
Administrative Process Act; rules of the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission. Exempts certain rules of the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission from the requirements of the Administrative Process Act, provided the Commission provides an opportunity for public comment on the rules prior to adoption.

02/06/24 Senate: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor
02/26/24 Senate: Reported from Commerce and Labor (15-Y 0-N)
02/28/24 Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (39-Y 0-N)
02/29/24 Senate: Read third time
02/29/24 Senate: Passed Senate (39-Y 0-N)

SB 241 Workers' compensation; notice of right to dispute claim.

Chief patron: McPike

Summary as introduced:
Workers' compensation; notice of right to dispute claim. Requires that when an employee's workers' compensation claim is denied, an employer or insurer shall include in its letter denying benefits a notice that the employee has a right to dispute the claim denial through the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission.

02/27/24 House: Reported from Labor and Commerce (17-Y 4-N)
02/29/24 House: Read second time
03/01/24 House: Read third time
03/01/24 House: Passed House (70-Y 27-N)
03/01/24 House: VOTE: Passage (70-Y 27-N)

SB 520 Workers' compensation; injuries caused by repetitive and sustained physical stressors.

Chief patron: Williams Graves

Summary as introduced:
Workers' compensation; injuries caused by repetitive and sustained physical stressors. Provides that, for the purposes of the Virginia Workers' Compensation Act, "occupational disease" includes injuries or diseases from conditions resulting from repetitive and sustained physical stressors, including repetitive and sustained motions, exertions, posture stresses, contact stresses, vibrations, or noises. The bill provides that such injuries or diseases are covered under the Act and that such coverage does not require that such repetitive or sustained physical stress occurred over a particular time period, provided that the time period over which such physical stress occurred can be reasonably identified.

01/09/24 Senate: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor
01/22/24 Senate: Reported from Commerce and Labor (8-Y 6-N)
01/22/24 Senate: Rereferred to Finance and Appropriations
01/25/24 Senate: Impact statement from DPB (SB520)
01/31/24 Senate: Continued to 2025 in Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)

SB 593 Workers' compensation benefits; post-traumatic stress disorder incurred by firefighters, etc.

Chief patron: McPike

Summary as passed Senate:
Workers' compensation benefits; post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder, or depressive disorder incurred by law-enforcement officers and firefighters. Increases from 52 weeks to 104 weeks the maximum duration after the date of diagnosis that workers' compensation benefits are payable for post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder, or depressive disorder incurred by law-enforcement officers and firefighters acting in the line of duty.

02/15/24 House: Read first time
02/15/24 House: Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce
02/20/24 House: Reported from Labor and Commerce (22-Y 0-N)
02/20/24 House: Referred to Committee on Appropriations
02/26/24 House: Continued to 2025 in Appropriations

Counts: HB: 6 SB: 3