The proposed bill, General Assembly Proposed Bill No. 1028, seeks to amend the current workers' compensation law by modifying the provisions related to mental or emotional impairments. Specifically, it aims to remove the existing exemption that prevents employees from receiving benefits for such impairments unless they are directly linked to a physical injury or occupational disease. This change is intended to broaden the scope of workers' compensation benefits to include mental or emotional impairments that may arise from an employee's work environment or job-related stressors.

The bill is introduced by Senator Osten and has been referred to the Committee on Labor and Public Employees. By allowing employees to claim benefits for mental or emotional impairments related to their employment, the legislation acknowledges the importance of mental health in the workplace and aims to provide necessary support for affected workers.