2696-s.e

AN ACT Relating to chemically related illness; adding new sections to chapter 51.32 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 51.04 RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 51.32 RCW to read as follows:

(1) By July 1, 1994, the department shall establish interim criteria and procedures for management of claims involving chemically related illness to ensure consistency and fairness in the adjudication of these claims. The criteria and procedures shall apply to employees covered by the state fund and employees of self-insured employers. The department shall adopt final criteria and procedures by December 31, 1994, and report the criteria and procedures as required under section 5 of this act.

(2) The special procedures developed by the department shall include procedures to determine which claims involving chemically related illness require expert management. The department shall assign claims managers with special training or expertise to manage these claims.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 51.04 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The department of labor and industries and the department of health shall be the colead agencies for an advisory committee that shall consult with and advise the participating agencies on issues relating to chemically related illness. The committee shall include three members representing persons with chemically related illnesses, and one representative of each of the following: The department of labor and industries, the department of health, the state board of health, the state health care authority, the department of social and health services, the office of the insurance commissioner, the department of ecology, the department of agriculture, the employment security department, each caucus of the senate and house of representatives, the governor's office, physicians licensed to practice medicine, osteopathic physicians and surgeons, self-insured employers, state fund employers, workers of self-insured employers, and workers of state fund employers. The committee should review and make recommendations regarding the criteria and procedures developed by the department under section 1 of this act, the responsibilities of the several agencies for providing services to persons with chemically related illness, the coordination between chemically related occupational disease and other chemically related illness public health issues, and any other issues related to providing services to persons with chemically related illnesses that the committee may choose to review.

(2) This section shall expire June 30, 1995.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 51.32 RCW to read as follows:

The department shall work with the department of health to establish one or more centers for research and clinical assessment of chemically related illness.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. A new section is added to chapter 51.32 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The department shall conduct research on chemically related illnesses, which may include contracting with an appropriate entity or entities. The workers' compensation advisory committee and a scientific advisory committee, established to provide scientific oversight of research projects, shall review proposals for projects funded under this section. If possible, the department shall include a research project that encourages regional cooperation in addressing chemically related illness issues.

(2) Expenditures for research projects shall be within legislative appropriations from the medical aid fund, with self-insured employers and the state fund each paying a pro rata share, based on the number of worker hours, of the authorized expenditures.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. In consultation with the workers' compensation advisory committee, the department of labor and industries and the department of health shall jointly make an interim report to the governor and the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 31, 1994, and a final report by June 30, 1995, on:

(1) The status of the department of labor and industries' final criteria and procedures for management of claims involving chemically related illness;

(2) The status of research projects authorized under section 4 of this act;

(3) A plan by the department of health for including accurate occupational information in all relevant current and developing automated health data bases;

(4) A state board of health plan to make occupational diseases reportable conditions;

(5) Other initiatives related to chemically related illness; and

(6) Any recommendations for legislation.