National – The National Safety Council announced its 2026 class of “CEOs Who ‘Get It,’” an annual recognition program honoring business leaders who demonstrate a sustained commitment to employee safety and health. According to the Council, the 2026 honorees were selected for advancing workplace safety cultures and implementing strategies aimed at reducing preventable injuries, improving employee well‑being, and addressing risks both on and off the job. The recognized CEOs will be featured in Safety+Health magazine and honored at a National Safety Council awards event scheduled for later this year.
Arizona – Appropriations Chairman David Livingston (R) introduced HB2813 to set rules for formal pharmacy management networks within workers’ compensation. The bill allows employers or insurers to use these networks to provide medications to injured workers and sets standards for reimbursement and required employee notifications. It also excludes informal networks from regulation and outlines key responsibilities for formal networks, including commission registration, open participation for licensed pharmacies, and prohibiting certain fees.
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Arizona legislators State Rep. Walt Blackman (R) and State Sen. Kevin Payne (R) introduced HB 2231 and SB 1215, companion bills designed to ensure that firefighters receive full workers’ compensation protections by correcting a punctuation error that insurers have exploited to deny cancer claims.
Florida – Sen. Jason Pizzo introduced SB 774, which would extend workers’ compensation coverage for post‑traumatic stress disorder to 911 public safety telecommunicators by classifying them as first responders for mental and nervous injury claims. The bill was approved unanimously in a 9‑0 vote by the Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee earlier this week and now heads to the Senate Appropriations Committee for further review.
Georgia – State Rep. Todd Jones (R) introduced HB 991, which aims to redefine who is covered under Georgia’s workers’ compensation system by excluding “gig” nurses from employee status. If passed, the bill would classify nurses and other health care providers who pick up on‑demand shifts through online as independent contractors, removing their eligibility for workers’ compensation benefits if they are injured on the job.
Iowa – Kick starting 2026, HF 978 was referred to Health and Human Services Committee. As a reminder, HF 978, if passed would allow individuals suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to use psilocybin, a psychedelic compound found in certain mushrooms, commonly known as "magic mushrooms." It outlines regulations for the cultivation, distribution, and use of psilocybin. Notably, the bill does not restrict the source of PTSD to work-related incidents.
Nebraska – LB 1056, introduced by Sen. Conrad, aims to strengthen protections for injured workers in Nebraska’s workers’ compensation system by requiring employers to cover all reasonable interpreter costs. The bill ensures workers who cannot readily communicate in English can fully understand and participate in their medical care, and it includes additional updates to benefits and administrative provisions within the workers’ compensation framework.
Texas - A Fort Worth firefighter injured in the line of duty received approval for additional medical treatments through the city’s workers’ compensation program after the claim received heightened public attention and administrative review. The case drew attention after initial denials of certain prescribed treatments, prompting city officials to escalate the matter, assign a dedicated case manager, and authorize the recommended care. Read more about the story here.
- HB 1306, enacted September 1, 2025, required the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) to adopt rules addressing workers’ compensation benefits for death investigation professionals. DWC this week announced the adoption of these rules, which take effect January 29, The adopted rule requires insurance carriers to expedite medical benefits and prioritize dispute resolution for death investigation professionals who sustain a serious bodily injury in the course of employment. It also requires notification to DWC and independent review organizations when a claim or appeal involves a death investigation professional. The rule was adopted without changes.
Utah – This week, Utah lawmakers introduced HB 281, a bill addressing the treatment of employee cannabis use under the state’s workers’ compensation law. The measure amends the workers’ compensation statute to establish a rebuttable presumption that cannabis use contributed to a workplace injury if an injured employee tests positive for THC or a THC analog, potentially resulting in a reduction of benefits unless the presumption is overcome. HB 281 also updates definitions and provisions related to cannabinoid testing within the workers’ compensation system.
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