CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

SENATE BILL 5271



58th Legislature
2003 2nd Special Session

Passed by the Senate June 11, 2003
  YEAS 25   NAYS 13


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President of the Senate
Passed by the House June 11, 2003
  YEAS 69   NAYS 21


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Speaker of the House of Representatives


CERTIFICATE

I, Milton H. Doumit, Jr., Secretary of the Senate of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is SENATE BILL 5271 as passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on the dates hereon set forth.


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Secretary
Approved 









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Governor of the State of Washington
FILED







Secretary of State
State of Washington


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SENATE BILL 5271
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Passed Legislature - 2003 2nd Special Session
State of Washington58th Legislature2003 Regular Session

By Senators Honeyford, Hewitt and Parlette; by request of Department of Labor & Industries

Read first time 01/21/2003.   Referred to Committee on Commerce & Trade.



     AN ACT Relating to claims for hearing loss due to occupational noise exposure; and amending RCW 51.28.055.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 51.28.055 and 1984 c 159 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section for claims filed for occupational hearing loss, claims for occupational disease or infection to be valid and compensable must be filed within two years following the date the worker had written notice from a physician: (((1))) (a) Of the existence of his or her occupational disease, and (((2))) (b) that a claim for disability benefits may be filed. The notice shall also contain a statement that the worker has two years from the date of the notice to file a claim. The physician shall file the notice with the department. The department shall send a copy to the worker and to the self-insurer if the worker's employer is self-insured. However, a claim is valid if it is filed within two years from the date of death of the worker suffering from an occupational disease.
     (2)(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, to be valid and compensable, claims for hearing loss due to occupational noise exposure must be filed within two years of the date of the worker's last injurious exposure to occupational noise in employment covered under this title or within one year of the effective date of this section, whichever is later.
     (b) A claim for hearing loss due to occupational noise exposure that is not timely filed under (a) of this subsection can only be allowed for medical aid benefits under chapter 51.36 RCW.
     (3) The department may adopt rules to implement this section.

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