BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                     SB 623  


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          Date of Hearing:  July 8, 2015


                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS


                                 Jimmy Gomez, Chair


          SB 623  
          (Lara) - As Amended April 14, 2015


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          Urgency:  No  State Mandated Local Program:  NoReimbursable:  No


          SUMMARY:


          This bill expressly overrules regulations, which are contrary to  
          current statute, that provide that undocumented workers are not  
          eligible for certain workers' compensation benefits.   









                                                                     SB 623  


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          FISCAL EFFECT:


          Negligible fiscal effect to Department of Industrial Relations.  
          This bill is aligned with current practice and is declaratory of  
          existing law. The regulations it supersedes have never been  
          enforced.


          COMMENTS:


          1)Purpose.   This bill specifies an injured worker may not be  
            excluded from receiving workers compensation benefits from the  
            Uninsured Employers Benefits Trust Fund or the Subsequent  
            Injuries Benefits Trust Fund based on immigration status. It  
            addresses an inconsistency between state law and existing  
            regulations when an employer fails to provide workers  
            compensation insurance, to ensure that undocumented workers  
            have access to care and treatment for their injuries.


          2)Background.  Regulations limiting benefits to undocumented  
            workers were adopted pursuant to Proposition 187 in 1994, a  
            voter proposition which limited numerous state benefits to  
            undocumented workers.  Although Proposition 187 was  
            invalidated in federal court and the regulations have not been  
            enforced, they are still officially on the books.


          


          Analysis Prepared by:Lisa Murawski / APPR. / (916)  
          319-2081











                                                                     SB 623  


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