BILL ANALYSIS Ó SB 623 Page 1 Date of Hearing: July 8, 2015 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Jimmy Gomez, Chair SB 623 (Lara) - As Amended April 14, 2015 ----------------------------------------------------------------- |Policy |Insurance |Vote:|10 - 0 | |Committee: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------------+-------------------------------+-----+-------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------------+-------------------------------+-----+-------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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 Page 2 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 Page 3