Heart Presumption Expansion Bill Advances for California State Hospital Workers

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May 16, 2025 | Sacramento, CA — MedLegalNews.com — Heart Presumption Expansion: A key California legislative committee in Sacramento has advanced a bill that would extend the heart trouble presumption to state hospital workers. At the same time, the committee placed several other workers’ compensation proposals on the suspense file, delaying their progress pending fiscal analysis.

The Heart Presumption Expansion recognizes the intense physical and psychological demands faced by state hospital staff, particularly those working in high-stress environments like psychiatric facilities. Proponents argue that these workers encounter similar occupational hazards as peace officers and firefighters, justifying comparable presumptive protections under workers’ compensation law.

The suspense file process is a critical step in the legislative cycle, allowing the Assembly Appropriations Committee to evaluate the potential fiscal impact of proposed bills on the state budget. This ensures that legislation with significant financial implications is carefully reviewed before proceeding to a floor vote.

With the advance of the Heart Presumption Expansion, California continues to address occupational health risks across diverse public service sectors while balancing fiscal responsibility in legislative decision-making.

Heart Presumption Expansion Bill Moves Forward

The Assembly Insurance Committee voted to advance AB 1831, authored by Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood). The bill seeks to grant state hospital employees, such as psychiatric technicians and nurses, the same legal heart presumption expansion protections that peace officers and firefighters currently receive under California workers’ compensation law.

Supporters argue that state hospital staff face extreme physical and emotional stress, which can elevate the risk of heart disease. By expanding the presumption, the bill would make it easier for these workers to access benefits when diagnosed with heart conditions.

“This is about fairness,” McKinnor stated during the hearing. “These workers face physical and emotional stress daily. They deserve equal protection under the law.”

If enacted, AB 1831 would establish a presumption that qualifying employees’ heart conditions arose out of employment, shifting the burden of proof to employers to rebut the claim with substantial evidence.

For more on the existing heart presumption laws for public safety workers, see the California Labor Code Section 3212.

Other Workers’ Comp Bills Sent to Suspense File

While the heart presumption expansion advanced, the committee moved several other significant workers’ compensation bills to the suspense file for further budget scrutiny by the Assembly Appropriations Committee:

  • AB 2042: Proposes updates to the Medical-Legal Fee Schedule (MLFS), which governs reimbursement rates for medical-legal evaluations in workers’ compensation cases. These updates aim to ensure that medical experts are fairly compensated, improving the quality and timeliness of evaluations critical to claim resolution.
  • AB 2222: Introduces a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for permanent disability benefits. This measure seeks to align compensation with inflation, ensuring that injured workers receiving long-term benefits do not experience a decline in purchasing power over time.
  • AB 1911: Seeks to enhance interpreter services within the workers’ compensation system, addressing ongoing concerns about language barriers that can impede fair and efficient case handling for non-English-speaking workers. The bill aims to establish clearer standards and qualifications for interpreters to improve access and accuracy during legal and medical proceedings.

These bills remain under review, with their fiscal impact to be analyzed before any further legislative action can proceed.

Fiscal Implications and Next Steps

The suspense file process in the California Legislature serves to manage bills that carry significant state budget implications. While some measures reemerge for further debate, others may stall if projected costs are deemed too high.

AB 1831, however, remains active and is headed to the Assembly Appropriations Committee for a detailed fiscal review. If the bill passes through appropriations, it will proceed to the Assembly floor for a full vote.

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