Bill Text: CA SB416 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Employment: workers’ compensation.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2019-09-13 - In Assembly. Held at Desk. [SB416 Detail]
Download: California-2019-SB416-Amended.html
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Amended
IN
Assembly
September 05, 2019 |
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Amended
IN
Assembly
August 13, 2019 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Bill
No. 416
| Introduced by Senator Hueso |
February 20, 2019 |
An act to amend Sections 3212, 3212.1, 3212.2, 3212.5, 3212.6, 3212.85, 3212.9, and 3213.2 of the Labor Code, relating to worker’s compensation.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 416, as amended, Hueso.
Employment: workers’ compensation.
Existing law establishes a workers’ compensation system to compensate employees for injuries sustained arising out of and in the course of their employment. Existing law designates illnesses and conditions that constitute a compensable injury for various employees, such as members of the Department of the California Highway Patrol, firefighters, and certain peace officers. These injuries include, but are not limited to, hernia, pneumonia, heart trouble, cancer, meningitis, and exposure to biochemical substances, when the illness or condition develops or manifests itself during a period when the officer or employee is in service of the employer, as specified.
This bill would expand the coverage of the above provisions relating to compensable injuries,
injuries to include all persons defined as peace officers under certain provisions of law, except as specified. To the extent that the bill would apply the provisions to additional local peace officers, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
Existing law provides that, in the case of certain officers and employees of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and each security officer employed at the Atascadero State Hospital, the term “injury” includes heart trouble that develops or manifests itself during a period while the officer or employee is in the service of the department or hospital, and establishes a disputable presumption that heart trouble that so develops or manifests itself arose out of and in the course of the employment.
This bill would expand the coverage of this provision to include all security
peace officers employed by the State Department of State Hospitals.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program:Bill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 3212 of the Labor Code is amended to read:3212.
In the case of persons defined as peace officers in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2 of the Penal Code, except for those peace officers described in subdivision (b) of Section 830.1 of, and Section 830.39 of, the Penal Code, whether volunteer, partly paid, or fully paid, and in the case of active firefighting members of the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection whose duties require firefighting or of any county forestry or firefighting department or unit, whether voluntary, fully paid, or partly paid, and in the case of members of the warden service of the Wildlife Protection Branch of the Department of Fish andThe hernia, heart trouble, or pneumonia so developing or manifesting itself in those cases shall be presumed to arise out of and in the course of the employment. This presumption is disputable and may be controverted by other evidence, but unless so controverted, the appeals board is bound to find in accordance with it. The presumption shall be extended to a member or person
following termination of service for a period of three calendar months for each full year of the requisite service, but not to exceed 60 months in any circumstance, commencing with the last date actually worked in the specified capacity.
The hernia, heart trouble, or pneumonia so developing or manifesting itself in those cases shall not be attributed to any disease existing prior to that development or manifestation.
SEC. 2.
Section 3212.1 of the Labor Code is amended to read:3212.1.
(a) This section applies to all of the following:(1) Active firefighting members, whether volunteers, partly paid, or fully paid, of all of the following fire departments:
(A) A fire department of a city, county, city and county, district, or other public or municipal corporation or political subdivision.
(B) A fire department of the University of California and the California State University.
(C) The Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
(D) A county forestry or firefighting department or unit.
(2) Active firefighting members of a fire department that serves a United States Department of Defense installation and who are certified by the Department of Defense as meeting its standards for firefighters.
(3) Active firefighting members of a fire department that serves a National Aeronautics and Space Administration installation and who adhere to training standards established in accordance with Article 4 (commencing with Section 13155) of Chapter 1 of Part 2 of Division 12 of the Health and Safety Code.
(4) Peace officers, as defined in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2 of the Penal Code, who are primarily engaged in
active law enforcement activities, except for those peace officers described in Section 830.39 of the Penal Code.
(5) (A) Fire and rescue services coordinators who work for the Office of Emergency Services.
(B) For purposes of this paragraph, “fire and rescue services coordinators” means coordinators with any of the following job classifications: coordinator, senior coordinator, or chief coordinator.
(b) The term “injury,” as used in this division, includes cancer, including leukemia, that develops or manifests itself during a period in which any member described in subdivision (a) is in the service of the department or unit, if the member demonstrates that the member was exposed, while in the
service of the department or unit, to a known carcinogen as defined by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, or as defined by the director.
(c) The compensation that is awarded for cancer shall include full hospital, surgical, medical treatment, disability indemnity, and death benefits, as provided by this division.
(d) The cancer so developing or manifesting itself in these cases shall be presumed to arise out of and in the course of the employment. This presumption is disputable and may be controverted by evidence that the primary site of the cancer has been established and that the carcinogen to which the member has demonstrated exposure is not reasonably linked to the disabling cancer. Unless so controverted, the appeals board is bound to find in accordance
with the presumption. This presumption shall be extended to a member following termination of service for a period of three calendar months for each full year of the requisite service, but not to exceed 120 months in any circumstance, commencing with the last date actually worked in the specified capacity.
(e) The amendments to this section enacted during the 1999 portion of the 1999–2000 Regular Session shall be applied to claims for benefits filed or pending on or after January 1, 1997, including, but not limited to, claims for benefits filed on or after that date that have previously been denied, or that are being appealed following denial.
(f) This section shall be known, and may be cited, as the William Dallas Jones Cancer Presumption Act of 2010.
SEC. 3.
Section 3212.2 of the Labor Code is amended to read:3212.2.
In the case of officers and employees in the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation having custodial duties, each officer and employee in the Department of Youth Authority having group supervisory duties, and eachThe compensation awarded for heart trouble shall include full hospital, surgical, medical treatment, disability indemnity, and death benefits, as provided by the workers’ compensation laws of this state.
The heart trouble so developing or manifesting itself in those cases shall be presumed to arise out of and in the course of the employment. This presumption is disputable and may be controverted by other evidence, but unless so controverted, the appeals board is bound to find in accordance with it. This presumption shall be extended to a member following termination of service for a period of three calendar months for each full year of the requisite service, but not to exceed 60 months in any circumstance, commencing with the last date actually worked in the specified
capacity.
SEC. 4.
Section 3212.5 of the Labor Code is amended to read:3212.5.
(a) This section applies to peace officers as defined in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2 of the Penal Code, except for those peace officers described in subdivision (b) of Section 830.1 of, subdivision (b) or (d) of Section 830.2 of, or Section 830.39 or 830.5 of, the Penal Code.(b) If a peace officer is employed upon a regular, full-time salary, the term “injury” as used in this division includes heart trouble and pneumonia that develops or manifests itself during a period while that peace officer is employed in that capacity. The compensation that is awarded for heart trouble or pneumonia shall include full
hospital, surgical, medical treatment, disability indemnity, and death benefits as provided by the provisions of this division.
(c) The heart trouble or pneumonia so developing or manifesting itself shall be presumed to arise out of and in the course of the employment; provided, however, that the peace officer shall have served five years or more in that capacity before the presumption shall arise as to the compensability of heart trouble so developing or manifesting itself. This presumption is disputable and may be controverted by other evidence, but unless so controverted, the appeals board is bound to find in accordance with it. This presumption shall be extended to a peace officer following termination of service for a period of three calendar months for each full year of the requisite service, but not to exceed 60 months in any
circumstance, commencing with the last date actually worked in the specified capacity.
(d) The heart trouble or pneumonia so developing or manifesting itself shall not be attributed to any disease existing prior to that development or manifestation.
SEC. 5.
Section 3212.6 of the Labor Code is amended to read:3212.6.
(a) This section applies to the following:(1) A person defined as a peace officer in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2 of the Penal Code, whose principal duties consist of active law enforcement service, except for those peace officers described in subdivision (b) of Section 830.1 of, or Section 830.39 or 830.5 of, the Penal Code.
(2) A prison or jail guard or correctional officer who is employed by a public agency, when that person is employed upon a regular, full-time salary, or in the case of members of fire departments of any city, county, or
district, or other public or municipal corporations or political subdivisions, when those members are employed on a regular fully paid basis, and in the case of active firefighting members of the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection whose duties require firefighting and first-aid response services, or of any county forestry or firefighting department or unit, where those members are employed on a regular fully paid basis, except for those whose principal duties are clerical or otherwise do not clearly fall within the scope of active law enforcement, firefighting, or emergency first-aid response service such as stenographers, telephone operators, and other
office workers.
(b) The term “injury” includes tuberculosis that develops or manifests itself during a period while that member or person is in the service of that department or office. The compensation that is awarded for the tuberculosis shall include full hospital, surgical, medical treatment, disability indemnity, and death benefits as provided by the provisions of this division.
(c) The tuberculosis so developing or manifesting itself shall be presumed to arise out of and in the course of the employment. This presumption is disputable and may be controverted by other evidence, but unless so controverted, the appeals board is bound to find in accordance with it. This presumption shall be extended to the member or person following termination of service for a period
of three calendar months for each full year of the requisite service, but not to exceed 60 months in any circumstance, commencing with the last date actually worked in the specified capacity.
(d) A public entity may require applicants for employment in firefighting positions who would be entitled to the benefits granted by this section to be tested for infection for tuberculosis.
SEC. 6.
Section 3212.85 of the Labor Code is amended to read:3212.85.
(a) This section applies to peace officers described in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2 of the Penal Code, except for those peace officers described in Section 830.39 of the Penal Code, and members of a fire department.(b) The term “injury,” as used in this division, includes illness or resulting death due to exposure to a biochemical substance that develops or occurs during a period in which any peace officer or member described in subdivision (a) is in the service of the department or unit.
(c) The compensation that is awarded for injury pursuant to
this section shall include full hospital, surgical, medical treatment, disability indemnity, and death benefits, as provided by this division.
(d) The injury that develops or manifests itself in these cases shall be presumed to arise out of, and in the course of, the employment. This presumption is disputable and may be controverted by other evidence. Unless controverted, the appeals board is bound to find in accordance with the presumption. This presumption shall be extended to a peace officer or member following termination of service for a period of three calendar months for each full year of the requisite service, but not to exceed 60 months in any circumstance, commencing with the last date actually worked in the specified capacity.
(e) For purposes of this section,
the following definitions apply:
(1) “Biochemical substance” means any biological or chemical agent that may be used as a weapon of mass destruction, including, but not limited to, any chemical warfare agent, weaponized biological agent, or nuclear or radiological agent, as these terms are defined in Section 11417 of the Penal Code.
(2) “Members of a fire department” includes, but is not limited to, an apprentice, volunteer, partly paid, or fully paid member of any of the following:
(A) A fire department of a city, county, city and county, district, or other public or municipal corporation or political subdivision.
(B) A fire department of the University of
California and the California State University.
(C) The Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
(D) A county forestry or firefighting department or unit.
SEC. 7.
Section 3212.9 of the Labor Code is amended to read:3212.9.
(a) This section applies to a peace officer described in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2 of the Penal Code, except for those peace officers defined in Section 830.39 or 830.5 of the Penal Code, when that person is employed on a regular, full-time salary, or in the case of a member of a fire department of any city, county, or district, or other public or municipal corporation or political subdivision, or any county forestry or firefighting department or unit, when those members are employed on a regular full-time salary, except those whose principal duties are clerical or otherwise do not clearly fall within the scope of active law enforcement or firefighting, such as stenographers, telephone operators, and other office workers.(b) The term “injury” includes meningitis that develops or manifests itself during a period while that person is in the service of that department, office, or unit. The compensation that is awarded for the meningitis shall include full hospital, surgical, medical treatment, disability indemnity, and death benefits as provided by the provisions of this division.
(c) The meningitis so developing or manifesting itself shall be presumed to arise out of and in the course of the employment. This presumption is disputable and may be controverted by other evidence, but unless so controverted, the appeals board is bound to find in accordance with it. This presumption shall be extended to a person following termination of
service for a period of three calendar months for each full year of the requisite service, but not to exceed 60 months in any circumstance, commencing with the last date actually worked in the specified capacity.
SEC. 8.
Section 3213.2 of the Labor Code is amended to read:3213.2.
(a) This section applies to a peace officer described in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2 of the Penal Code, except for those peace officers described in Section 830.39 of the Penal Code who has been employed for at least five years as a peace officer on a regular, full-time salary and has been required to wear a duty belt as a condition of employment.(b) The term “injury,” as used in this division, includes lower back impairments. The compensation that is awarded for lower back impairments shall include full hospital, surgical, medical treatment, disability indemnity, and death benefits as provided by the
provisions of this division.
(c) The lower back impairment so developing or manifesting itself in the peace officer shall be presumed to arise out of and in the course of the employment. This presumption is disputable and may be controverted by other evidence, but unless so controverted, the appeals board is bound to find in accordance with it. This presumption shall be extended to a person following termination of service for a period of three calendar months for each full year of the requisite service, but not to exceed 60 months in any circumstance, commencing with the last date actually worked in the specified capacity.
(d) For purposes of this section, “duty belt” means a belt used for the purpose of holding a gun, handcuffs, baton, and other items related to law
enforcement.
If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
