HBA-MPM H.B. 159 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 159
By: Garcia
Business & Industry
4/5/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current workers' compensation law in Texas provides that workers injured on
the job receive a weekly impairment income benefit or weekly supplemental
income benefit of no greater than 70 percent of the state average weekly
wage rounded to the nearest dollar.  Some argue that workers deserve better
workers' compensation benefits than mandated by current law.  House Bill
159 provides that an injured worker receive no more than 100 percent of the
state average weekly wage. 

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 159 amends the Labor Code to provide that in the computation of
workers' compensation benefits, a weekly impairment income benefit or
weekly supplemental income benefit may not exceed 100 percent rather than
70 percent of the state average weekly wage rounded to the nearest whole
dollar. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.