Bill > HB165

This bill amends Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS) 342.125 to remove a specific requirement for employees with occupational pneumoconiosis (a lung disease caused by coal dust exposure) when seeking to reopen a workers' compensation claim. Previously, an employee diagnosed with this disease had to prove two additional years of continuous exposure to coal dust hazards in order to reopen their claim. The bill eliminates this two-year employment requirement, making it easier for affected workers to seek review of their benefits. Now, an employee only needs to demonstrate the progression of their previously diagnosed occupational pneumoconiosis and the development of respiratory impairment due to the disease. The application for review must be made within one year of when the employee knew or reasonably should have known about the disease progression. When benefits are awarded through this review process, they will be reduced by any previously awarded retraining or income benefits. This change aims to provide more accessible support for workers suffering from coal dust-related lung diseases by removing an additional barrier to claim reopening.

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https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/25RS/hb165.html