Bill > HB2855

This bill modifies provisions related to workers' compensation, primarily by updating how permanent total disability benefits are calculated and administered, and by adjusting the tax rates for administering the workers' compensation system and funding the second injury fund. Specifically, it clarifies that permanent total disability benefits are paid for the lifetime of the employee at the rate in effect on the date of injury, with specific percentages of average weekly earnings tied to different injury dates, and that these benefits do not survive to dependents or the estate upon the employee's death. The bill also introduces a process for changing attorney information on a claimant's case file and outlines specific benefit structures for occupational diseases due to toxic exposure, including different provisions for mesothelioma. Furthermore, it changes how the tax rate for administering the workers' compensation chapter is rounded, from a half of a percentage point to a tenth of a percentage point, and similarly adjusts the rounding for the surcharge rate for the second injury fund. The bill also includes provisions for a supplemental surcharge for the second injury fund from 2014 to 2026.