H-3556.2 _______________________________________________
HOUSE BILL 2696
_______________________________________________
State of Washington 53rd Legislature 1994 Regular Session
By Representatives Flemming, Heavey, Backlund, Veloria, Thibaudeau, Campbell, Valle, Wineberry, Holm, Roland, Johanson, Pruitt, J. Kohl, Jones, L. Johnson, King, Karahalios, Conway and Springer
Read first time 01/21/94. Referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor.
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:
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 department of social and health services, the employment security department, each caucus of the senate and house of representatives, the governor's office, physicians licensed to practice medicine, osteopathic physician and surgeons, business, and labor. The committee's review should include the development of the criteria and procedures required in 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.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 51.32 RCW to read as follows:
The department shall work with the University of Washington and 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 contract with an appropriate entity or entities to conduct research on chemically related illnesses. A scientific advisory committee shall be established to provide scientific oversight of research 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 and be funded in equal parts from the medical aid fund, the accident fund, and a special assessment on self-insured employers.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. The department of labor and industries and the department of health shall jointly report to the governor and the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 31, 1994, on the status of the department of labor and industries' final criteria and procedures for management of claims involving chemically related illness, research projects, and other initiatives related to chemically related illness, and any recommendations for legislation.
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