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SB 430

AN ACT concerning workers compensation; relating to coverage under the act, notice, benefits, liability limitations, definitions, evidentiary standards, hearings, admission of evidence, procedures, settlements and other matters; providing coverage for members of the Kansas national guard under the workers compensation act; limiting reduction to awards for functional impairment on the basis of preexisting impairment to preexisting impairment to the same physical structure as the body part injured; limiting reductions to benefits based on retirement benefits; defining registered mail; requiring a judicial determination of dependency for immediate payment of death benefit; increasing the maximum amount of death benefits; extending the time period for payments to dependent children when in schools; providing for a yearly adjustment to the maximum death benefit to commence in 2027; increasing the minimum weekly payment for permanent total disability; adding certain functional impairment requirements to the determination of permanent total disability; increasing the minimum weekly payment amount for temporary total disability; providing that loss of use of a scheduled member shall be the percentage of functional impairment the employee sustained on account of the injury; reducing the percentage of functional impairment required for eligibility for permanent partial general disability compensation; increasing employers' maximum liability for permanent total disability, temporary total disability, permanent or temporary partial disability and permanent partial disability and providing for a yearly adjustment in such maximum liability limits to commence in 2027; applying an employer's credit for voluntary payments of unearned wages to any award; increasing the maximum employer liability for unauthorized medical care; increasing the evidentiary standard for future medical treatment after maximum medical improvement in certain circumstances; limiting proceedings for post-award medical benefits; creating a presumption that no costs or attorney fees be awarded when requests for post-award medical benefits are provided within 30 days; defining money for purposes of the average weekly wage; excluding the first week of employment in the calculation of an employee's average weekly wage under certain circumstances; allowing payment of certain benefits by electronic funds transfer or payment card; increasing employer liability for expenses of claimant for required examinations; establishing procedures for neutral healthcare examinations and for the exchange of medical reports between parties; providing for the admission of medical reports without necessity of additional foundation subject to compliance with certain procedures; extending deadlines for notice to an employer by an employee of injury; eliminating the three-year deadline for a claimant's motion to extend time for proceeding to avoid dismissal for lack of prosecution; prohibiting an award from including future medical treatment unless a specified standard of proof is met; clarifying certain language referencing a claimant; providing a procedure for expedited settlement on written stipulations by means of a form established by the director of workers compensation; allowing the record of hearings by digital recording and transcription by either a court reporter or a notary public; providing that certified reporters fees be taxed as costs if no record is taken; providing for the workers compensation fund to implead a principal as a party in a proceeding; providing for certain other changes to the workers compensation act; amending K.S.A. 44-501, 44-508, 44-510b, 44-510c, 44-510d, 44-510e, 44-510f, 44-510h, 44-510k, 44-511, 44-512, 44-515, 44-516, 44-519, 44-520, 44-523, 44-525, 44-526, 44-531, 44-534a, 44-552 and 44-566a and repealing the existing sections.

(printable version)

Senate - Final Action - Passed; - 02/21/2024

On roll call the vote was:

Yea - (40):

Alley, Baumgardner, Billinger, Blasi, Bowers, Claeys, Corson, Dietrich, Doll, Erickson, Fagg, Faust-Goudeau, Francisco, Gossage, Haley, Holland, Holscher, Kerschen, Kloos, Longbine, Masterson, McGinn, O'Shea, Olson, Peck, Petersen, Pettey, Pittman, Pyle, Reddi, Ryckman, Shallenburger, Steffen, Straub, Sykes, Thompson, Tyson, Ware, Warren, Wilborn,

Nay - (0):

Present and Passing - (0):

Absent and Not Voting - (0):

Not Voting - (0):