Enacts the "occupational safety and health funding act"

Summary of specific provisions

§ 1 - names the "Occupational Safety and Health Funding Act".

§ 2 - amends Section 97-c of the State Finance Law by adding language in subsections 1, 2, 3 and 4 that requires dedicated funding for the occupational safety and health training and education and occupational health clinic programs fund. It also adds language to subsection 5 that indexes future increases to the funding to increases in the maximum rate for workers' compensation benefits pursuant to Paragraph (a) of subdivision 6 of section 15 of the workers' compensation law.

§ 3 - calls for an immediate effective date

Justification

Occupational clinics provide much needed health care to workers and occupational safety and health training and education, provides necessary services to reduce the number of injured workers. These programs have long been subject to budget cuts that create uncertainty and jeopardize the effectiveness in reducing injuries and care for injured workers. This bill would safeguard these programs from future funding cuts and would capture the increased assessment based funds that will be made available as a result of future maximum benefit increases.

Hopefully this legislation along with the recent reforms to the Workers' Compensation system in the 2013-14 Enacted Budget will help provide economies to the system by providing education and training to drive down work related injuries and promote workplace safety.

Prior legislative history

2009-2010 Session - S. 2249 referred to Finance, no further action. 2013-14 Session - S. 4467 - referred to Finance 2015 Session - S.3929 - referred to Finance

Fiscal implications

Undetermined.

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately.