HB6184 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB097 21507 JLS 69605 b

97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
HB6184

Introduced , by Rep. Dan Brady

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

820 ILCS 305/11

from Ch. 48, par. 138.11

Amends the Workers' Compensation Act. Provides that an employee may overcome the rebuttable presumption that intoxication was the proximate cause of an injury by the preponderance of admissible evidence that intoxication was not the proximate course (rather than the sole proximate cause or proximate cause) of the accidental injuries.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning employment.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Workers' Compensation Act is amended by changing Section 11 as follows:

(820 ILCS 305/11) (from Ch. 48, par. 138.11)

Sec. 11. The compensation herein provided, together with the provisions of this Act, shall be the measure of the responsibility of any employer engaged in any of the enterprises or businesses enumerated in Section 3 of this Act, or of any employer who is not engaged in any such enterprises or businesses, but who has elected to provide and pay compensation for accidental injuries sustained by any employee arising out of and in the course of the employment according to the provisions of this Act, and whose election to continue under this Act, has not been nullified by any action of his employees as provided for in this Act.

Accidental injuries incurred while participating in voluntary recreational programs including but not limited to athletic events, parties and picnics do not arise out of and in the course of the employment even though the employer pays some or all of the cost thereof. This exclusion shall not apply in the event that the injured employee was ordered or assigned by his employer to participate in the program.

Notwithstanding any other defense, accidental injuries incurred while the employee is engaged in the active commission of and as a proximate result of the active commission of (a) a forcible felony, (b) aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol, other drug or drugs, or intoxicating compound or compounds, or any combination thereof, or (c) reckless homicide and for which the employee was convicted do not arise out of and in the course of employment if the commission of that forcible felony, aggravated driving under the influence, or reckless homicide caused an accident resulting in the death or severe injury of another person. If an employee is acquitted of a forcible felony, aggravated driving under the influence, or reckless homicide that caused an accident resulting in the death or severe injury of another person or if these charges are dismissed, there shall be no presumption that the employee is eligible for benefits under this Act. No employee shall be entitled to additional compensation under Sections 19(k) or 19(l) of this Act or attorney's fees under Section 16 of this Act when the employee has been charged with a forcible felony, aggravated driving under the influence, or reckless homicide that caused an accident resulting in the death or severe injury of another person and the employer terminates benefits or refuses to pay benefits to the employee until the termination of any pending criminal proceedings.

Accidental injuries incurred while participating as a patient in a drug or alcohol rehabilitation program do not arise out of and in the course of employment even though the employer pays some or all of the costs thereof.

Any injury to or disease or death of an employee arising from the administration of a vaccine, including without limitation smallpox vaccine, to prepare for, or as a response to, a threatened or potential bioterrorist incident to the employee as part of a voluntary inoculation program in connection with the person's employment or in connection with any governmental program or recommendation for the inoculation of workers in the employee's occupation, geographical area, or other category that includes the employee is deemed to arise out of and in the course of the employment for all purposes under this Act. This paragraph added by this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly is declarative of existing law and is not a new enactment.

No compensation shall be payable if (i) the employee's intoxication is the proximate cause of the employee's accidental injury or (ii) at the time the employee incurred the accidental injury, the employee was so intoxicated that the intoxication constituted a departure from the employment. Admissible evidence of the concentration of (1) alcohol, (2) cannabis as defined in the Cannabis Control Act, (3) a controlled substance listed in the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, or (4) an intoxicating compound listed in the Use of Intoxicating Compounds Act in the employee's blood, breath, or urine at the time the employee incurred the accidental injury shall be considered in any hearing under this Act to determine whether the employee was intoxicated at the time the employee incurred the accidental injuries. If at the time of the accidental injuries, there was 0.08% or more by weight of alcohol in the employee's blood, breath, or urine or if there is any evidence of impairment due to the unlawful or unauthorized use of (1) cannabis as defined in the Cannabis Control Act, (2) a controlled substance listed in the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, or (3) an intoxicating compound listed in the Use of Intoxicating Compounds Act or if the employee refuses to submit to testing of blood, breath, or urine, then there shall be a rebuttable presumption that the employee was intoxicated and that the intoxication was the proximate cause of the employee's injury. The employee may overcome the rebuttable presumption by the preponderance of the admissible evidence that the intoxication was not the sole proximate cause or proximate cause of the accidental injuries. Percentage by weight of alcohol in the blood shall be based on grams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood. Percentage by weight of alcohol in the breath shall be based upon grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath. Any testing that has not been performed by an accredited or certified testing laboratory shall not be admissible in any hearing under this Act to determine whether the employee was intoxicated at the time the employee incurred the accidental injury.

All sample collection and testing for alcohol and drugs under this Section shall be performed in accordance with rules to be adopted by the Commission. These rules shall ensure:

(1) compliance with the National Labor Relations Act regarding collective bargaining agreements or regulations promulgated by the United States Department of Transportation;

(2) that samples are collected and tested in conformance with national and State legal and regulatory standards for the privacy of the individual being tested, and in a manner reasonably calculated to prevent substitutions or interference with the collection or testing of reliable sample;

(3) that split testing procedures are utilized;

(4) that sample collection is documented, and the documentation procedures include:

(A) the labeling of samples in a manner so as to reasonably preclude the probability of erroneous identification of test result; and

(B) an opportunity for the employee to provide notification of any information which he or she considers relevant to the test, including identification of currently or recently used prescription or nonprescription drugs and other relevant medical information;

(5) that sample collection, storage, and transportation to the place of testing is performed in a manner so as to reasonably preclude the probability of sample contamination or adulteration; and

(6) that chemical analyses of blood, urine, breath, or other bodily substance are performed according to nationally scientifically accepted analytical methods and procedures.

The changes to this Section made by Public Act 97-18 this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly apply only to accidental injuries that occur on or after September 1, 2011.

(Source: P.A. 97-18, eff. 6-28-11; 97-276, eff. 8-8-11; revised 9-15-11.)