97.

 The Labor Commissioner, his deputies and representatives shall not be bound by any rule requiring the consent of the spouse of a married claimant or claimant who is in an established civil union as defined in Part 1.5 (commencing with Section 320) of the Family Code, the filing of a lien for record before it is assigned, or prohibiting the assignment of a claim for penalty before the claim has been incurred or any other technical rule with reference to the validity of assignments.

139.3.

 (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, to the extent those services are paid pursuant to Division 4 (commencing with Section 3200), it is unlawful for a physician to refer a person for clinical laboratory, diagnostic nuclear medicine, radiation oncology, physical therapy, physical rehabilitation, psychometric testing, home infusion therapy, or diagnostic imaging goods or services whether for treatment or medical-legal purposes if the physician or his or her immediate family has a financial interest with the person or in the entity that receives the referral.

(b) For purposes of this section and Section 139.31, the following shall apply:

(1) “Diagnostic imaging” includes, but is not limited to, all X-ray, computed axial tomography magnetic resonance imaging, nuclear medicine, positron emission tomography, mammography, and ultrasound goods and services.

(2)“Immediate family” includes the physician’s spouse and or spouse in a civil union, children of the physician, the parents of the physician, and the spouses of the physician’s children of the physician.

(3) “Physician” means a physician as defined in Section 3209.3.

(4) A “financial interest” includes, but is not limited to, any type of ownership, interest, debt, loan, lease, compensation, remuneration, discount, rebate, refund, dividend, distribution, subsidy, or other form of direct or indirect payment, whether in money or otherwise, between a licensee and a person or entity to whom the physician refers a person for a good or service specified in subdivision (a). A financial interest also exists if there is an indirect relationship between a physician and the referral recipient, including, but not limited to, an arrangement whereby a physician has an ownership interest in any entity that leases property to the referral recipient. Any financial interest transferred by a physician to, or otherwise established in, any person or entity for the purpose of avoiding the prohibition of this section shall be deemed a financial interest of the physician.

(5) A “physician’s office” is either of the following:

(A) An office of a physician in solo practice.

(B) An office in which the services or goods are personally provided by the physician or by employees in that office, or personally by independent contractors in that office, in accordance with other provisions of law. Employees and independent contractors shall be licensed or certified when that licensure or certification is required by law.

(6) The “office of a group practice” is an office or offices in which two or more physicians are legally organized as a partnership, professional corporation, or not-for-profit corporation licensed according to subdivision (a) of Section 1204 of the Health and Safety Code for which all of the following are applicable:

(A) Each physician who is a member of the group provides substantially the full range of services that the physician routinely provides, including medical care, consultation, diagnosis, or treatment, through the joint use of shared office space, facilities, equipment, and personnel.

(B) Substantially all of the services of the physicians who are members of the group are provided through the group and are billed in the name of the group and amounts so received are treated as receipts of the group, and except that in the case of multispecialty clinics, as defined in subdivision (l) of Section 1206 of the Health and Safety Code, physician services are billed in the name of the multispecialty clinic and amounts so received are treated as receipts of the multispecialty clinic.

(C) The overhead expenses of, and the income from, the practice are distributed in accordance with methods previously determined by members of the group.

(c) (1) It is unlawful for a licensee to enter into an arrangement or scheme, such as a cross-referral arrangement, that the licensee knows, or should know, has a principal purpose of ensuring referrals by the licensee to a particular entity that, if the licensee directly made referrals to that entity, would be in violation of this section.

(2) It shall be unlawful for a physician to offer, deliver, receive, or accept any rebate, refund, commission, preference, patronage dividend, discount, or other consideration, whether in the form of money or otherwise, as compensation or inducement for a referred evaluation or consultation.

(d) No claim for payment shall be presented by an entity to any individual, third-party payor, or other entity for a good or service furnished pursuant to a referral prohibited under this section.

(e) A physician who refers to or seeks consultation from an organization in which the physician has a financial interest shall disclose this interest to the patient or if the patient is a minor, to the patient’s parents or legal guardian in writing at the time of the referral.

(f) No insurer, self-insurer, or other payor shall pay a charge or lien for any good or service resulting from a referral in violation of this section.

(g) A violation of subdivision (a) shall be a misdemeanor. The appropriate licensing board shall review the facts and circumstances of any conviction pursuant to subdivision (a) and take appropriate disciplinary action if the licensee has committed unprofessional conduct. Violations of this section may also be subject to civil penalties of up to five thousand dollars ($5,000) for each offense, which may be enforced by the Insurance Commissioner, Attorney General, or a district attorney. A violation of subdivision (c), (d), (e), or (f) is a public offense and is punishable upon conviction by a fine not exceeding fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) for each violation and appropriate disciplinary action, including revocation of professional licensure, by the Medical Board of California or other appropriate governmental agency.

139.5.

 (a) The administrative director shall establish a vocational rehabilitation unit, which shall include appropriate professional staff, and which shall have the following duties:

(1) To foster, review, and approve vocational rehabilitation plans developed by a qualified rehabilitation representative of the employer, insurer, state agency, or employee. Plans agreed to by the employer and employee do not require approval by the vocational rehabilitation unit unless the employee is unrepresented.

(2) To develop rules and regulations, to be promulgated by the administrative director, providing for a procedure in which an employee may waive the services of a qualified rehabilitation representative where the employee has been enrolled and made substantial progress toward completion of a degree or certificate from a community college, California State University, or the University of California and desires a plan to complete the degree or certificate. These rules and regulations shall provide that this waiver as well as any plan developed without the assistance of a qualified rehabilitation representative must be approved by the rehabilitation unit.

(3) To develop rules and regulations, to be promulgated by the administrative director, which would expedite and facilitate the identification, notification and referral of industrially injured employees to vocational rehabilitation services.

(4) To coordinate and enforce the implementation of vocational rehabilitation plans.

(5) To develop a fee schedule, to be promulgated by the administrative director, governing reasonable fees for vocational rehabilitation services provided on and after January 1, 1991. The initial fee schedule promulgated under this paragraph shall be designed to reduce the cost of vocational rehabilitation services by 10 percent from the level of fees paid during 1989. On or before July 1, 1994, the administrative director shall establish the maximum aggregate permissible fees that may be charged for counseling. Those fees shall not exceed four thousand five hundred dollars ($4,500) and shall be included within the sixteen thousand dollar ($16,000) cap. The fee schedule shall permit up to (A) three thousand dollars ($3,000) for vocational evaluation, evaluation of vocational feasibility, initial interview, vocational testing, counseling and research for plan development, and preparation of the Division of Workers’ Compensation Form 102, and (B) three thousand five hundred dollars ($3,500) for plan monitoring, job seeking skills, and job placement research and counseling. However, in no event shall the aggregate of (A) and (B) exceed four thousand five hundred dollars ($4,500).

(6) To develop standards, to be promulgated by the administrative director, for governing the timeliness and the quality of vocational rehabilitation services.

(b) The salaries of the personnel of the vocational rehabilitation unit shall be fixed by the Department of Personnel Administration.

(c) When an employee is determined to be medically eligible and chooses to participate in a vocational rehabilitation program, he or she shall continue to receive temporary disability indemnity payments only until his or her medical condition becomes permanent and stationary and, thereafter, may receive a maintenance allowance. Rehabilitation maintenance allowance payments shall begin after the employee’s medical condition becomes permanent and stationary, upon a request for vocational rehabilitation services. Thereafter, the maintenance allowance shall be paid for a period not to exceed 52 weeks in the aggregate, except where the overall cap on vocational rehabilitation services can be exceeded under this section or Section 4642 or subdivision (d) or (e) of Section 4644.

The employee also shall receive additional living expenses necessitated by the vocational rehabilitation services, together with all reasonable and necessary vocational training, at the expense of the employer, but in no event shall the expenses, counseling fees, training, maintenance allowance, and costs associated with, or arising out of, vocational rehabilitation services incurred after the employee’s request for vocational rehabilitation services, except temporary disability payments, exceed sixteen thousand dollars ($16,000). The administrative director shall adopt regulations to ensure that the continued receipt of vocational rehabilitation maintenance allowance benefits is dependent upon the injured worker’s regular and consistent attendance at, and participation in, his or her vocational rehabilitation program.

(d) The amount of the maintenance allowance due under subdivision (c) shall be two-thirds of the employee’s average weekly earnings at the date of injury payable as follows:

(1) The amount the employee would have received as continuing temporary disability indemnity, but not more than two hundred forty-six dollars ($246) a week for injuries occurring on or after January 1, 1990.

(2) At the employee’s option, an additional amount from permanent disability indemnity due or payable, sufficient to provide the employee with a maintenance allowance equal to two-thirds of the employee’s average weekly earnings at the date of injury subject to the limits specified in subdivision (a) of Section 4453 and the requirements of Section 4661.5. In no event shall temporary disability indemnity and maintenance allowance be payable concurrently.

If the employer disputes the treating physician’s determination of medical eligibility, the employee shall continue to receive that portion of the maintenance allowance payable under paragraph (1) pending final determination of the dispute. If the employee disputes the treating physician’s determination of medical eligibility and prevails, the employee shall be entitled to that portion of the maintenance allowance payable under paragraph (1) retroactive to the date of the employee’s request for vocational rehabilitation services. These payments shall not be counted against the maximum expenditures for vocational rehabilitation services provided by this section.

(e) No provision of this section nor of any rule, regulation, or vocational rehabilitation plan developed or promulgated under this section nor any benefit provided pursuant to this section shall apply to an injured employee whose injury occurred prior to January 1, 1975. Nothing in this section shall affect any plan, benefit, or program authorized by this section as added by Chapter 1513 of the Statutes of 1965 or as amended by Chapter 83 of the Statutes of 1972.

(f) The time within which an employee may request vocational rehabilitation services is set forth in Sections 5405.5, 5410, and 5803.

(g) An offer of a job within state service to a state employee in State Bargaining Unit 1, 4, 15, 18, or 20 at the same or similar salary and the same or similar geographic location is a prima facie offer of vocational rehabilitation under this statute.

(h) It shall be unlawful for a qualified rehabilitation representative or rehabilitation counselor to refer any employee to any work evaluation facility or to any education or training program if the qualified rehabilitation representative or rehabilitation counselor, or a spouse, spouse in a civil union, employer, coemployee, or any party with whom he or she has entered into contract, express or implied, has any proprietary interest in or contractual relationship with the work evaluation facility or education or training program. It shall also be unlawful for any insurer to refer any injured worker to any rehabilitation provider or facility if the insurer has a proprietary interest in the rehabilitation provider or facility or for any insurer to charge against any claim for the expenses of employees of the insurer to provide vocational rehabilitation services unless those expenses are disclosed to the insured and agreed to in advance.

(i) Any charges by an insurer for the activities of an employee who supervises outside vocational rehabilitation services shall not exceed the vocational rehabilitation fee schedule, and shall not be counted against the overall cap for vocational rehabilitation or the limit on counselor’s fees provided for in this section. These charges shall be attributed as expenses by the insurer and not losses for purposes of insurance rating pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 11730) of Chapter 3 of Division 2 of the Insurance Code.

(j) Any costs of an employer of supervising vocational rehabilitation services shall not be counted against the overall cap for vocational rehabilitation or the limit on counselor’s fees provided for in this section.

233.

 (a) Any employer who provides sick leave for employees shall permit an employee to use in any calendar year the employee’s accrued and available sick leave entitlement, in an amount not less than the sick leave that would be accrued during six months at the employee’s then current rate of entitlement, to attend to an illness of a child, parent, spouse, spouse in a civil union, or domestic partner of the employee. All conditions and restrictions placed by the employer upon the use by an employee of sick leave also shall apply to the use by an employee of sick leave to attend to an illness of his or her child, parent, spouse, spouse in a civil union, or domestic partner. This section does not extend the maximum period of leave to which an employee is entitled under Section 12945.2 of the Government Code or under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 2606 et seq.), regardless of whether the employee receives sick leave compensation during that leave.

(b) As used in this section:

(1) “Child” means a biological, foster, or adopted child, a stepchild, a legal ward, a child of a domestic partner, child of a spouse in a civil union, or a child of a person standing in loco parentis.

(2) “Employer” means any person employing another under any appointment or contract of hire and includes the state, political subdivisions of the state, and municipalities.

(3) “Parent” means a biological, foster, or adoptive parent, a stepparent, or a legal guardian.

(4) “Sick leave” means accrued increments of compensated leave provided by an employer to an employee as a benefit of the employment for use by the employee during an absence from the employment for any of the following reasons:

(A) The employee is physically or mentally unable to perform his or her duties due to illness, injury, or a medical condition of the employee.

(B) The absence is for the purpose of obtaining professional diagnosis or treatment for a medical condition of the employee.

(C) The absence is for other medical reasons of the employee, such as pregnancy or obtaining a physical examination.

“Sick leave” does not include any benefit provided under an employee welfare benefit plan subject to the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-406, as amended) and does not include any insurance benefit, workers’ compensation benefit, unemployment compensation disability benefit, or benefit not payable from the employer’s general assets.

(c) No employer shall deny an employee the right to use sick leave or discharge, threaten to discharge, demote, suspend, or in any manner discriminate against an employee for using, or attempting to exercise the right to use, sick leave to attend to an illness of a child, parent, spouse,spouse in a civil union, or domestic partner of the employee.

(d) Any employee aggrieved by a violation of this section shall be entitled to reinstatement and actual damages or one day’s pay, whichever is greater, and to appropriate equitable relief.

(e) Upon the filing of a complaint by an employee, the Labor Commissioner shall enforce the provisions of this section in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 79) of Division 1, including, but not limited to, Sections 92, 96.7, 98, and 98.1 to 98.8, inclusive. Alternatively, an employee may bring a civil action for the remedies provided by this section in a court of competent jurisdiction. If the employee prevails, the court may award reasonable attorney’s fees.

(f) The rights and remedies specified in this section are cumulative and nonexclusive and are in addition to any other rights or remedies afforded by contract or under other provisions of law.

300.

 (a) As used in this section, the phrase “assignment of wages” includes the sale or assignment of, or giving of an order for, wages or salary but does not include an order or assignment made pursuant to Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 5200) of Part 5 of Division 9 of the Family Code or Section 3088 of the Probate Code.

(b) No assignment of wages, earned or to be earned, is valid unless all of the following conditions are satisfied:

(1) The assignment is contained in a separate written instrument, signed by the person by whom the wages or salary have been earned or are to be earned, and identifying specifically the transaction to which the assignment relates.

(2) Where the assignment is made by a married person, the written consent of the spouse of the person making the assignment is attached to the assignment. No such consent is required of any married person (A) after entry of a judgment decreeing a legal separation from such person’s spouse or (B) if the married person and the spouse of the married person are living separate and apart after entry of an interlocutory judgment of dissolution of their marriage, if a written statement by the person making the assignment, setting forth such facts, is attached to or included in the assignment.

(3) Where the assignment is made by a minor, the written consent of a parent or guardian of the minor is attached to the assignment.

(4) Where the assignment is made by a person who is unmarried or who is an adult or who is both unmarried and an adult, a written statement by the person making the assignment, setting forth such facts, is attached to or included in the assignment.

(5) No other assignment exists in connection with the same transaction or series of transactions and a written statement by the person making the assignment to that effect is attached to or included in the assignment.

(6) A copy of the assignment and of the written statement provided for in paragraphs (2), (4), and (5), authenticated by a notary public, is filed with the employer, accompanied by an itemized statement of the amount then due to the assignee.

(7) At the time the assignment is filed with the employer, no other assignment of wages of the employee is subject to payment and no earnings withholding order against the employee’s wages or salary is in force.

(c) Under any assignment of wages, a sum not to exceed 50 per centum of the assignor’s wages or salary shall be withheld by, and be collectible from, the assignor’s employer at the time of each payment of such wages or salary.

(d) The employer is entitled to rely upon the statements of fact in the written statement provided for in paragraphs (2), (4), and (5) of subdivision (b), without the necessity of inquiring into the truth thereof, and the employer shall incur no liability whatsoever by reason of any payments made by the employer to an assignee under any assignment in reliance upon the facts so stated.

(e) An assignment of wages to be earned is revocable at any time by the maker thereof. Any power of attorney to assign or collect wages or salary is revocable at any time by the maker thereof. No revocation of such an assignment or power of attorney is effective as to the employer until the employer receives written notice of revocation from the maker.

(f) No assignment of wages, earned or to be earned, is valid under any circumstances if the wages or salary earned or to be earned are paid under a plan for payment at a central place or places established under the provisions of Section 204a.

(g) This section does not apply to deductions which the employer may be requested by the employee to make for the payment of life, retirement, disability or unemployment insurance premiums, for the payment of taxes owing from the employee, for contribution to funds, plans or systems providing for death, retirement, disability, unemployment, or other benefits, for the payment for goods or services furnished by the employer to the employee or the employee’s family at the request of the employee, or for charitable, educational, patriotic or similar purposes.

(h) No assignment of wages is valid unless at the time of the making thereof, such wages or salary have been earned, except for necessities of life and then only to the person or persons furnishing such necessities of life directly and then only for the amount needed to furnish such necessities.

1700.20b.

 To be eligible for a certificate of convenience, a person shall be either:

(a) The executor or administrator of the estate of a deceased person licensed to conduct the business of a talent agency.

(b) If no executor or administrator has been appointed, the surviving spouse, surviving spouse in a civil union, or heir otherwise entitled to conduct the business of such deceased licensee.

(c) The conservator of the estate of a person licensed to conduct the business of a talent agency.

Such estate certificate of convenience shall continue in force for a period of not to exceed 90 days, and shall be renewable for such period as the Labor Commissioner may deem appropriate, pending the disposal of the talent agency license or the procurement of a new license under the provisions of this chapter.

1735.

 No discrimination shall be made in the employment of persons upon public works because of the race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, marital or civil union status, or sex of such persons, except as provided in Section 12940 of the Government Code, and every contractor for public works violating this section is subject to all the penalties imposed for a violation of this chapter.

2800.2.

 (a) Any employer, employee association, or other entity otherwise providing hospital, surgical, or major medical benefits to its employees or members is solely responsible for notification of its employees or members of the conversion coverage made available pursuant to Part 6.1 (commencing with Section 12670) of Division 2 of the Insurance Code or Section 1373.6 of the Health and Safety Code.

(b) Any employer, employee association, or other entity, whether private or public, that provides hospital, medical, or surgical expense coverage that a former employee may continue under Section 4980B of Title 26 of the United States Code, Section 1161 et seq. of Title 29 of the United States Code, or Section 300bb of Title 42 of the United States Code, as added by the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (Public Law 99-272), and as may be later amended (hereafter “COBRA”), shall, in conjunction with the notification required by COBRA that COBRA continuation coverage will cease and conversion coverage is available, and as a part of the notification required by subdivision (a), also notify the former employee, spouse or spouse in a civil union, or former spouse of the availability of the continuation coverage under Section 1373.621 of the Health and Safety Code, and Sections 10116.5 and 11512.03 of the Insurance Code.

2803.

 When death, whether instantaneously or otherwise, results from an injury to an employee caused by the want of ordinary or reasonable care of an employer or of any officer, agent, a servant of the employer, the personal representative of such employee shall have a right of action therefor against such employer, and may recover damages in respect thereof, for and on behalf of the surviving spouse or surviving spouse in a civil union, children, dependent parents, and dependent brothers and sisters, in order of precedence as stated, but no more than one action shall be brought for such recovery.

3352.

 “Employee” excludes the following:

(a) Any person defined in subdivision (d) of Section 3351 who is employed by his or her parent, spouse or spouse in a civil union, or child.

(b) Any person performing services in return for aid or sustenance only, received from any religious, charitable, or relief organization.

(c) Any person holding an appointment as deputy clerk or deputy sheriff appointed for his or her own convenience, and who receives no compensation from the county or municipal corporation or from the citizens thereof for his or her services as the deputy. This exclusion is operative only as to employment by the county or municipal corporation and does not deprive any person so deputized from recourse against a private person employing him or her for injury occurring in the course of and arising out of the employment.

(d) Any person performing voluntary services at or for a recreational camp, hut, or lodge operated by a nonprofit organization, exempt from federal income tax under Section 101(6) of the Internal Revenue Code, of which he or she or a member of his or her family is a member and who receives no compensation for those services other than meals, lodging, or transportation.

(e) Any person performing voluntary service as a ski patrolman who receives no compensation for those services other than meals or lodging or the use of ski tow or ski lift facilities.

(f) Any person employed by a ski lift operator to work at a snow ski area who is relieved of and not performing any prescribed duties, while participating in recreational activities on his or her own initiative.

(g) Any person, other than a regular employee, participating in sports or athletics who receives no compensation for the participation other than the use of athletic equipment, uniforms, transportation, travel, meals, lodgings, or other expenses incidental thereto.

(h) Any person defined in subdivision (d) of Section 3351 who was employed by the employer to be held liable for less than 52 hours during the 90 calendar days immediately preceding the date of the injury for injuries, as defined in Section 5411, or during the 90 calendar days immediately preceding the date of the last employment in an occupation exposing the employee to the hazards of the disease or injury for injuries, as defined in Section 5412, or who earned less than one hundred dollars ($100) in wages from the employer during the 90 calendar days immediately preceding the date of the injury for injuries, as defined in Section 5411, or during the 90 calendar days immediately preceding the date of the last employment in an occupation exposing the employee to the hazards of the disease or injury for injuries, as defined in Section 5412.

(i) Any person performing voluntary service for a public agency or a private, nonprofit organization who receives no remuneration for the services other than meals, transportation, lodging, or reimbursement for incidental expenses.

(j) Any person, other than a regular employee, performing officiating services relating to amateur sporting events sponsored by any public agency or private, nonprofit organization, who receives no remuneration for these services other than a stipend for each day of service no greater than the amount established by the Department of Personnel Administration as a per diem expense for employees or officers of the state. The stipend shall be presumed to cover incidental expenses involved in officiating, including, but not limited to, meals, transportation, lodging, rule books and courses, uniforms, and appropriate equipment.

(k) Any student participating as an athlete in amateur sporting events sponsored by any public agency, public or private nonprofit college, university or school, who receives no remuneration for the participation other than the use of athletic equipment, uniforms, transportation, travel, meals, lodgings, scholarships, grants-in-aid, or other expenses incidental thereto.

(l) Any law enforcement officer who is regularly employed by a local or state law enforcement agency in an adjoining state and who is deputized to work under the supervision of a California peace officer pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 832.6 of the Penal Code.

(m) Any law enforcement officer who is regularly employed by the Oregon State Police, the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety, or the Arizona Department of Public Safety and who is acting as a peace officer in this state pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 830.32 of the Penal Code.

(n) Any person, other than a regular employee, performing services as a sports official for an entity sponsoring an intercollegiate or interscholastic sports event, or any person performing services as a sports official for a public agency, public entity, or a private nonprofit organization, which public agency, public entity, or private nonprofit organization sponsors an amateur sports event. For purposes of this subdivision, “sports official” includes an umpire, referee, judge, scorekeeper, timekeeper, or other person who is a neutral participant in a sports event.

3370.

 (a) Each inmate of a state penal or correctional institution shall be entitled to the workers’ compensation benefits provided by this division for injury arising out of and in the course of assigned employment and for the death of the inmate if the injury proximately causes death, subject to all of the following conditions:

(1) The inmate was not injured as the result of an assault in which the inmate was the initial aggressor, or as the result of the intentional act of the inmate injuring himself or herself.

(2) The inmate shall not be entitled to any temporary disability indemnity benefits while incarcerated in a state prison.

(3) No benefits shall be paid to an inmate while he or she is incarcerated. The period of benefit payment shall instead commence upon release from incarceration. If an inmate who has been released from incarceration, and has been receiving benefits under this section, is reincarcerated in a city or county jail, or state penal or correctional institution, the benefits shall cease immediately upon the inmate’s reincarceration and shall not be paid for the duration of the reincarceration.

(4) This section shall not be construed to provide for the payment to an inmate, upon release from incarceration, of temporary disability benefits which were not paid due to the prohibition of paragraph (2).

(5) In determining temporary and permanent disability indemnity benefits for the inmate, the average weekly earnings shall be taken at not more than the minimum amount set forth in Section 4453.

(6) Where a dispute exists respecting an inmate’s rights to the workers’ compensation benefits provided herein, the inmate may file an application with the appeals board to resolve the dispute. The application may be filed at any time during the inmate’s incarceration.

(7) After release or discharge from a correctional institution, the former inmate shall have one year in which to file an original application with the appeals board, unless the time of injury is such that it would allow more time under Section 5804 of the Labor Code.

(8) The percentage of disability to total disability shall be determined as for the occupation of a laborer of like age by applying the schedule for the determination of the percentages of permanent disabilities prepared and adopted by the administrative director.

(9) This division shall be the exclusive remedy against the state for injuries occurring while engaged in assigned work or work under contract. Nothing in this division shall affect any right or remedy of an injured inmate for injuries not compensated by this division.

(b) The Department of Corrections shall present to each inmate of a state penal or correctional institution, prior to his or her first assignment to work at the institution, a printed statement of his or her rights under this division, and a description of procedures to be followed in filing for benefits under this section. The statement shall be approved by the administrative director and be posted in a conspicuous place at each place where an inmate works.

(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this division, the Department of Corrections shall have medical control over treatment provided an injured inmate while incarcerated in a state prison, except, that in serious cases, the inmate is entitled, upon request, to the services of a consulting physician.

(d) Paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) of subdivision (a) shall also be applicable to an inmate of a state penal or correctional institution who would otherwise be entitled to receive workers’ compensation benefits based on an injury sustained prior to his or her incarceration. However, temporary and permanent disability benefits which, except for this subdivision, would otherwise be payable to an inmate during incarceration based on an injury sustained prior to incarceration shall be paid to the dependents of the inmate. If the inmate has no dependents, the temporary disability benefits which, except for this subdivision, would otherwise be payable during the inmate’s incarceration shall be paid to the State Treasury to the credit of the Uninsured Employers Fund, and the permanent disability benefits which would otherwise be payable during the inmate’s incarceration shall be held in trust for the inmate by the Department of Corrections during the period of incarceration.

For purposes of this subdivision, “dependents” means the inmate’s spouse or spouse in a civil union, or children, including an inmate’s former spouse or former spouse in a civil union due to divorce and the inmate’s children from that marriage or civil union.

(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this division, an employee who is an inmate, as defined in subdivision (e) of Section 3351 who is eligible for vocational rehabilitation services as defined in Section 4635 shall only be eligible for direct placement services.

3501.

 (a) A child under the age of 18 years, or over that age but physically or mentally incapacitated from earning shall be conclusively presumed to be wholly dependent for support upon a deceased employee-parent with whom that child is living at the time of injury resulting in death of the parent or for whose maintenance the parent was legally liable at the time of injury resulting in death of the parent, there being no surviving totally dependent parent.

(b) A spouse or spouse in a civil union to whom a deceased employee is married at the time of death shall be conclusively presumed to be wholly dependent for support upon the deceased employee if the surviving spouse or surviving spouse in a civil union earned thirty thousand dollars ($30,000) or less in the twelve months immediately preceding the death.

3503.

 No person is a dependent of any deceased employee unless in good faith a member of the family or household of the employee, or unless the person bears to the employee the relation of husband or, wife or spouse in a civil union, child, posthumous child, adopted child or stepchild, grandchild, father or mother, father-in-law or mother-in-law, grandfather or grandmother, brother or sister, uncle or aunt, brother-in-law or sister-in-law, nephew or niece.

4402.

 (a) “Asbestosis” means any pathology, whether or not combined with preexisting pathology, which results in disability or need for medical treatment from inhalation of asbestos fibers.

(b) “Asbestos worker” means any person whose occupation subjected him or her to an exposure to asbestos fibers.

(c) “Asbestos workers’ benefits” means temporary total disability benefits, permanent total disability benefits, death benefits, and medical benefits.

(d) “Dependents” means, and is limited to, a surviving spouse or spouse in a civil union who at the time of injury was dependent on the deceased asbestos worker for half or more of his or her support, and minor children of the deceased asbestos worker.

4600.6.

 Any workers’ compensation insurer, third-party administrator, or other entity seeking certification as a health care organization under subdivision (e) of Section 4600.5 shall be subject to the following rules and procedures:

(a) Each application for authorization as an organization under subdivision (e) of Section 4600.5 shall be verified by an authorized representative of the applicant and shall be in a form prescribed by the administrative director. The application shall be accompanied by the prescribed fee and shall set forth or be accompanied by each and all of the following:

(1) The basic organizational documents of the applicant, such as the articles of incorporation, articles of association, partnership agreement, trust agreement, or other applicable documents and all amendments thereto.

(2) A copy of the bylaws, rules, and regulations, or similar documents regulating the conduct of the internal affairs of the applicant.

(3) A list of the names, addresses, and official positions of the persons who are to be responsible for the conduct of the affairs of the applicant, which shall include, among others, all members of the board of directors, board of trustees, executive committee, or other governing board or committee, the principal officers, each shareholder with over 5 percent interest in the case of a corporation, and all partners or members in the case of a partnership or association, and each person who has loaned funds to the applicant for the operation of its business.

(4) A copy of any contract made, or to be made, between the applicant and any provider of health care, or persons listed in paragraph (3), or any other person or organization agreeing to perform an administrative function or service for the plan. The administrative director by rule may identify contracts excluded from this requirement and make provision for the submission of form contracts. The payment rendered or to be rendered to the provider of health care services shall be deemed confidential information that shall not be divulged by the administrative director, except that the payment may be disclosed and become a public record in any legislative, administrative, or judicial proceeding or inquiry. The organization shall also submit the name and address of each provider employed by, or contracting with, the organization, together with his or her license number.

(5) A statement describing the organization, its method of providing for health services, and its physical facilities. If applicable, this statement shall include the health care delivery capabilities of the organization, including the number of full-time and part-time physicians under Section 3209.3, the numbers and types of licensed or state-certified health care support staff, the number of hospital beds contracted for, and the arrangements and the methods by which health care will be provided, as defined by the administrative director under Sections 4600.3 and 4600.5.

(6) A copy of the disclosure forms or materials that are to be issued to employees.

(7) A copy of the form of the contract that is to be issued to any employer, insurer of an employer, or a group of self-insured employers.

(8) Financial statements accompanied by a report, certificate, or opinion of an independent certified public accountant. However, the financial statements from public entities or political subdivisions of the state need not include a report, certificate, or opinion by an independent certified public accountant if the financial statement complies with any requirements that may be established by regulation of the administrative director.

(9) A description of the proposed method of marketing the organization and a copy of any contract made with any person to solicit on behalf of the organization or a copy of the form of agreement used and a list of the contracting parties.

(10) A statement describing the service area or areas to be served, including the service location for each provider rendering professional services on behalf of the organization and the location of any other organization facilities where required by the administrative director.

(11) A description of organization grievance procedures to be utilized as required by this part, and a copy of the form specified by paragraph (3) of subdivision (j).

(12) A description of the procedures and programs for internal review of the quality of health care pursuant to the requirements set forth in this part.

(13) Evidence of adequate insurance coverage or self-insurance to respond to claims for damages arising out of the furnishing of workers’ compensation health care.

(14) Evidence of adequate insurance coverage or self-insurance to protect against losses of facilities where required by the administrative director.

(15) Evidence of adequate workers’ compensation coverage to protect against claims arising out of work-related injuries that might be brought by the employees and staff of an organization against the organization.

(16) Evidence of fidelity bonds in such amount as the administrative director prescribes by regulation.

(17) Other information that the administrative director may reasonably require.

(b) (1) An organization, solicitor, solicitor firm, or representative may not use or permit the use of any advertising or solicitation that is untrue or misleading, or any form of disclosure that is deceptive. For purposes of this chapter:

(A) A written or printed statement or item of information shall be deemed untrue if it does not conform to fact in any respect that is or may be significant to an employer or employee, or potential employer or employee.

(B) A written or printed statement or item of information shall be deemed misleading whether or not it may be literally true, if, in the total context in which the statement is made or the item of information is communicated, the statement or item of information may be understood by a person not possessing special knowledge regarding health care coverage, as indicating any benefit or advantage, or the absence of any exclusion, limitation, or disadvantage of possible significance to an employer or employee, or potential employer or employee.

(C) A disclosure form shall be deemed to be deceptive if the disclosure form taken as a whole and with consideration given to typography and format, as well as language, shall be such as to cause a reasonable person, not possessing special knowledge of workers’ compensation health care, and the disclosure form therefor, to expect benefits, service charges, or other advantages that the disclosure form does not provide or that the organization issuing that disclosure form does not regularly make available to employees.

(2) An organization, solicitor, or representative may not use or permit the use of any verbal statement that is untrue, misleading, or deceptive or make any representations about health care offered by the organization or its cost that does not conform to fact. All verbal statements are to be held to the same standards as those for printed matter provided in paragraph (1).

(c) It is unlawful for any person, including an organization, subject to this part, to represent or imply in any manner that the person or organization has been sponsored, recommended, or approved, or that the person’s or organization’s abilities or qualifications have in any respect been passed upon, by the administrative director.

(d) (1) An organization may not publish or distribute, or allow to be published or distributed on its behalf, any advertisement unless (A) a true copy thereof has first been filed with the administrative director, at least 30 days prior to any such use, or any shorter period as the administrative director by rule or order may allow, and (B) the administrative director by notice has not found the advertisement, wholly or in part, to be untrue, misleading, deceptive, or otherwise not in compliance with this part or the rules thereunder, and specified the deficiencies, within the 30 days or any shorter time as the administrative director by rule or order may allow.

(2) If the administrative director finds that any advertisement of an organization has materially failed to comply with this part or the rules thereunder, the administrative director may, by order, require the organization to publish in the same or similar medium, an approved correction or retraction of any untrue, misleading, or deceptive statement contained in the advertising.

(3) The administrative director by rule or order may classify organizations and advertisements and exempt certain classes, wholly or in part, either unconditionally or upon specified terms and conditions or for specified periods, from the application of subdivision (a).

(e) (1) The administrative director shall require the use by each organization of disclosure forms or materials containing any information regarding the health care and terms of the workers’ compensation health care contract that the administrative director may require, so as to afford the public, employers, and employees with a full and fair disclosure of the provisions of the contract in readily understood language and in a clearly organized manner. The administrative director may require that the materials be presented in a reasonably uniform manner so as to facilitate comparisons between contracts of the same or other types of organizations. The disclosure form shall describe the health care that is required by the administrative director under Sections 4600.3 and 4600.5, and shall provide that all information be in concise and specific terms, relative to the contract, together with any additional information as may be required by the administrative director, in connection with the organization or contract.

(2) All organizations, solicitors, and representatives of a workers’ compensation health care provider organization shall, when presenting any contract for examination or sale to a prospective employee, provide the employee with a properly completed disclosure form, as prescribed by the administrative director pursuant to this section for each contract so examined or sold.

(3) In addition to the other disclosures required by this section, every organization and any agent or employee of the organization shall, when representing an organization for examination or sale to any individual purchaser or the representative of a group consisting of 25 or fewer individuals, disclose in writing the ratio of premium cost to health care paid for contracts with individuals and with groups of the same or similar size for the organization’s preceding fiscal year. An organization may report that information by geographic area, provided the organization identifies the geographic area and reports information applicable to that geographic area.

(4) Where the administrative director finds it necessary in the interest of full and fair disclosure, all advertising and other consumer information disseminated by an organization for the purpose of influencing persons to become members of an organization shall contain any supplemental disclosure information that the administrative director may require.

(f) When the administrative director finds it necessary in the interest of full and fair disclosure, all advertising and other consumer information disseminated by an organization for the purpose of influencing persons to become members of an organization shall contain any supplemental disclosure information that the administrative director may require.

(g) (1) An organization may not refuse to enter into any contract or may not cancel or decline to renew or reinstate any contract because of the race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, marital or civil union status, sexual orientation, or age of any contracting party, prospective contracting party, or person reasonably expected to benefit from that contract as an employee or otherwise.

(2) The terms of any contract shall not be modified, and the benefits or coverage of any contract shall not be subject to any limitations, exceptions, exclusions, reductions, copayments, coinsurance, deductibles, reservations, or premium, price, or charge differentials, or other modifications because of the race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, marital or civil union status, sexual orientation, or age of any contracting party, potential contracting party, or person reasonably expected to benefit from that contract as an employee or otherwise; except that premium, price, or charge differentials because of the sex or age of any individual when based on objective, valid, and up-to-date statistical and actuarial data are not prohibited. Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit an organization to charge different rates to individual employees within the same group solely on the basis of the employee’s sex.

(3) It shall be deemed a violation of subdivision (a) for any organization to utilize marital or civil union status, living arrangements, occupation, gender, beneficiary designation, ZIP Codes or other territorial classification, or any combination thereof for the purpose of establishing sexual orientation. Nothing in this section shall be construed to alter in any manner the existing law prohibiting organizations from conducting tests for the presence of human immunodeficiency virus or evidence thereof.

(4) This section shall not be construed to limit the authority of the administrative director to adopt or enforce regulations prohibiting discrimination because of sex, marital or civil union status, or sexual orientation.

(h) (1) An organization may not use in its name any of the words “insurance,” “casualty,” “health care service plan,” “health plan,” “surety,” “mutual,” or any other words descriptive of the health plan, insurance, casualty, or surety business or use any name similar to the name or description of any health care service plan, insurance, or surety corporation doing business in this state unless that organization controls or is controlled by an entity licensed as a health care service plan or insurer pursuant to the Health and Safety Code or the Insurance Code and the organization employs a name related to that of the controlled or controlling entity.

(2) Section 2415 of the Business and Professions Code, pertaining to fictitious names, does not apply to organizations certified under this section.

(3) An organization or solicitor firm may not adopt a name style that is deceptive, or one that could cause the public to believe the organization is affiliated with or recommended by any governmental or private entity unless this affiliation or endorsement exists.

(i) Each organization shall meet the following requirements:

(1) All facilities located in this state, including, but not limited to, clinics, hospitals, and skilled nursing facilities, to be utilized by the organization shall be licensed by the State Department of Health Services, if that licensure is required by law. Facilities not located in this state shall conform to all licensing and other requirements of the jurisdiction in which they are located.

(2) All personnel employed by or under contract to the organization shall be licensed or certified by their respective board or agency, where that licensure or certification is required by law.

(3) All equipment required to be licensed or registered by law shall be so licensed or registered and the operating personnel for that equipment shall be licensed or certified as required by law.

(4) The organization shall furnish services in a manner providing continuity of care and ready referral of patients to other providers at any time as may be appropriate and consistent with good professional practice.

(5) All health care shall be readily available at reasonable times to all employees. To the extent feasible, the organization shall make all health care readily accessible to all employees.

(6) The organization shall employ and utilize allied health manpower for the furnishing of health care to the extent permitted by law and consistent with good health care practice.

(7) The organization shall have the organizational and administrative capacity to provide services to employees. The organization shall be able to demonstrate to the department that health care decisions are rendered by qualified providers, unhindered by fiscal and administrative management.

(8) All contracts with employers, insurers of employers, and self-insured employers and all contracts with providers, and other persons furnishing services, equipment, or facilities to or in connection with the workers’ compensation health care organization, shall be fair, reasonable, and consistent with the objectives of this part.

(9) Each organization shall provide to employees all workers’ compensation health care required by this code. The administrative director shall not determine the scope of workers’ compensation health care to be offered by an organization.

(j) (1) Every organization shall establish and maintain a grievance system approved by the administrative director under which employees may submit their grievances to the organization. Each system shall provide reasonable procedures in accordance with regulations adopted by the administrative director that shall ensure adequate consideration of employee grievances and rectification when appropriate.

(2) Every organization shall inform employees upon enrollment and annually thereafter of the procedures for processing and resolving grievances. The information shall include the location and telephone number where grievances may be submitted.

(3) Every organization shall provide forms for complaints to be given to employees who wish to register written complaints. The forms used by organizations shall be approved by the administrative director in advance as to format.

(4) The organization shall keep in its files all copies of complaints, and the responses thereto, for a period of five years.

(k) Every organization shall establish procedures in accordance with regulations of the administrative director for continuously reviewing the quality of care, performance of medical personnel, utilization of services and facilities, and costs. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, there shall be no monetary liability on the part of, and no cause of action for damages shall arise against, any person who participates in quality of care or utilization reviews by peer review committees that are composed chiefly of physicians, as defined by Section 3209.3, for any act performed during the reviews if the person acts without malice, has made a reasonable effort to obtain the facts of the matter, and believes that the action taken is warranted by the facts, and neither the proceedings nor the records of the reviews shall be subject to discovery, nor shall any person in attendance at the reviews be required to testify as to what transpired thereat. Disclosure of the proceedings or records to the governing body of an organization or to any person or entity designated by the organization to review activities of the committees shall not alter the status of the records or of the proceedings as privileged communications.

The above prohibition relating to discovery or testimony does not apply to the statements made by any person in attendance at a review who is a party to an action or proceeding the subject matter of which was reviewed, or to any person requesting hospital staff privileges, or in any action against an insurance carrier alleging bad faith by the carrier in refusing to accept a settlement offer within the policy limits, or to the administrative director in conducting surveys pursuant to subdivision (o).

This section shall not be construed to confer immunity from liability on any workers’ compensation health care organization. In any case in which, but for the enactment of the preceding provisions of this section, a cause of action would arise against an organization, the cause of action shall exist notwithstanding the provisions of this section.

(l) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent an organization from utilizing subcommittees to participate in peer review activities, nor to prevent an organization from delegating the responsibilities required by subdivision (i) as it determines to be appropriate, to subcommittees including subcommittees composed of a majority of nonphysician health care providers licensed pursuant to the Business and Professions Code, as long as the organization controls the scope of authority delegated and may revoke all or part of this authority at any time. Persons who participate in the subcommittees shall be entitled to the same immunity from monetary liability and actions for civil damages as persons who participate in organization or provider peer review committees pursuant to subdivision (i).

(m) Every organization shall have and shall demonstrate to the administrative director that it has all of the following:

(1) Adequate provision for continuity of care.

(2) A procedure for prompt payment and denial of provider claims.

(n) Every contract between an organization and an employer or insurer of an employer, and every contract between any organization and a provider of health care, shall be in writing.

(o) (1) The administrative director shall conduct periodically an onsite medical survey of the health care delivery system of each organization. The survey shall include a review of the procedures for obtaining health care, the procedures for regulating utilization, peer review mechanisms, internal procedures for assuring quality of care, and the overall performance of the organization in providing health care and meeting the health needs of employees.

(2) The survey shall be conducted by a panel of qualified health professionals experienced in evaluating the delivery of workers’ compensation health care. The administrative director shall be authorized to contract with professional organizations or outside personnel to conduct medical surveys. These organizations or personnel shall have demonstrated the ability to objectively evaluate the delivery of this health care.

(3) Surveys performed pursuant to this section shall be conducted as often as deemed necessary by the administrative director to assure the protection of employees, but not less frequently than once every three years. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the survey team to visit each clinic, hospital, office, or facility of the organization.

(4) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the medical survey team to review peer review proceedings and records conducted and compiled under this section or in medical records. However, the administrative director shall be authorized to require onsite review of these peer review proceedings and records or medical records where necessary to determine that quality health care is being delivered to employees. Where medical record review is authorized, the survey team shall ensure that the confidentiality of the physician-patient relationship is safeguarded in accordance with existing law and neither the survey team nor the administrative director or the administrative director’s staff may be compelled to disclose this information except in accordance with the physician-patient relationship. The administrative director shall ensure that the confidentiality of the peer review proceedings and records is maintained. The disclosure of the peer review proceedings and records to the administrative director or the medical survey team shall not alter the status of the proceedings or records as privileged and confidential communications.

(5) The procedures and standards utilized by the survey team shall be made available to the organizations prior to the conducting of medical surveys.

(6) During the survey, the members of the survey team shall offer such advice and assistance to the organization as deemed appropriate.

(7) The administrative director shall notify the organization of deficiencies found by the survey team. The administrative director shall give the organization a reasonable time to correct the deficiencies, and failure on the part of the organization to comply to the administrative director’s satisfaction shall constitute cause for disciplinary action against the organization.

(8) Reports of all surveys, deficiencies, and correction plans shall be open to public inspection, except that no surveys, deficiencies or correction plans shall be made public unless the organization has had an opportunity to review the survey and file a statement of response within 30 days, to be attached to the report.

(p) (1) All records, books, and papers of an organization, management company, solicitor, solicitor firm, and any provider or subcontractor providing medical or other services to an organization, management company, solicitor, or solicitor firm shall be open to inspection during normal business hours by the administrative director.

(2) To the extent feasible, all the records, books, and papers described in paragraph (1) shall be located in this state. In examining those records outside this state, the administrative director shall consider the cost to the organization, consistent with the effectiveness of the administrative director’s examination, and may upon reasonable notice require that these records, books, and papers, or a specified portion thereof, be made available for examination in this state, or that a true and accurate copy of these records, books, and papers, or a specified portion thereof, be furnished to the administrative director.

(q) (1) The administrative director shall conduct an examination of the administrative affairs of any organization, and each person with whom the organization has made arrangements for administrative, or management services, as often as deemed necessary to protect the interest of employees, but not less frequently than once every five years.

(2) The expense of conducting any additional or nonroutine examinations pursuant to this section, and the expense of conducting any additional or nonroutine medical surveys pursuant to subdivision (o) shall be charged against the organization being examined or surveyed. The amount shall include the actual salaries or compensation paid to the persons making the examination or survey, the expenses incurred in the course thereof, and overhead costs in connection therewith as fixed by the administrative director. In determining the cost of examinations or surveys, the administrative director may use the estimated average hourly cost for all persons performing examinations or surveys of workers’ compensation health care organizations for the fiscal year. The amount charged shall be remitted by the organization to the administrative director.

(3) Reports of all examinations shall be open to public inspection, except that no examination shall be made public, unless the organization has had an opportunity to review the examination report and file a statement or response within 30 days, to be attached to the report.

4706.5.

 (a) Whenever any fatal injury is suffered by an employee under such circumstances as to entitle the employee to compensation benefits, but for his or her death, and the employee does not leave surviving any person entitled to a dependency death benefit, the employer shall pay a sum to the Department of Industrial Relations equal to the total dependency death benefit that would be payable to a surviving spouse or spouse in a civil union with no dependent minor children.

(b) Where the deceased employee leaves no surviving dependent, personal representative, heir, or other person entitled to the accrued and unpaid compensation referred to in Section 4700, the accrued and unpaid compensation shall be paid by the employer to the Department of Industrial Relations.

(c) The payments to be made to the Department of Industrial Relations, as required by subdivisions (a) and (b), shall be deposited in the General Fund and shall be credited, as a reimbursement, to any appropriation to the Department of Industrial Relations for payment of the additional compensation for subsequent injury provided in Article 5 (commencing with Section 4750), in the fiscal year in which the Controller’s receipt is issued.

(d) The payments to be made to the Department of Industrial Relations, as required by subdivision (a), shall be paid to the department in a lump sum in the manner provided in subdivision (b) of Section 5101.

(e) The Department of Industrial Relations shall keep a record of all payments due the state under this section, and shall take such steps as may be necessary to collect those amounts.

(f) Each employer, or the employer’s insurance carrier, shall notify the administrative director, in such form as the administrative director may prescribe, of each employee death, except when the employer has actual knowledge or notice that the deceased employee left a surviving dependent.

(g) When, after a reasonable search, the employer concludes that the deceased employee left no one surviving who is entitled to a dependency death benefit, and concludes that the death was under such circumstances as to entitle the employee to compensation benefits, the employer may voluntarily make the payment referred to in subdivision (a). Payments so made shall be construed as payments made pursuant to an appeals board findings and award. Thereafter, if the appeals board finds that the deceased employee did in fact leave a person surviving who is entitled to a dependency death benefit, upon that finding, all payments referred to in subdivision (a) which have been made shall be forthwith returned to the employer, or if insured, to the employer’s workers’ compensation carrier that indemnified the employer for the loss.

4707.

 (a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), no benefits, except reasonable expenses of burial not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), shall be awarded under this division on account of the death of an employee who is an active member of the Public Employees’ Retirement System unless it is determined that a special death benefit, as defined in the Public Employees’ Retirement Law, or the benefit provided in lieu of the special death benefit in Sections 21547 and 21548 of the Government Code, will not be paid by the Public Employees’ Retirement System to the surviving spouse or children under 18 years of age, of the deceased, on account of the death, but if the total death allowance paid to the surviving spouse and children is less than the benefit otherwise payable under this division the surviving spouse and children are entitled, under this division, to the difference.

The amendments to this section during the 1977–78 Regular Session shall be applied retroactively to July 1, 1976.

(b) The limitation prescribed by subdivision (a) shall not apply to local safety members, or patrol members, as defined in Section 20390 of the Government Code, of the Public Employees’ Retirement System. This subdivision shall be applied retroactively.

4709.

 (a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, a dependent of a peace officer, as defined in Section 830.1, 830.2, 830.3, 830.31, 830.32, 830.33, 830.34, 830.35, 830.36, 830.37, 830.38, 830.39, 830.4, 830.5, or 830.6 of the Penal Code, who is killed in the performance of duty or who dies or is totally disabled as a result of an accident or an injury caused by external violence or physical force, incurred in the performance of duty, when the death, accident, or injury is compensable under this division or Division 4.5 (commencing with Section 6100) shall be entitled to a scholarship at any institution described in subdivision (l) of Section 69535 of the Education Code. The scholarship shall be in an amount equal to the amount provided a student who has been awarded a Cal Grant scholarship as specified in Article 3 (commencing with Section 69530) of Chapter 2 of Part 42 of the Education Code.

(b) A dependent of an officer or employee of the Department of Corrections or the Department of the Youth Authority described in Section 20017.77 of the Government Code who is killed in the performance of duty, or who dies or is totally disabled as a result of an accident or an injury incurred in the performance of duty, when the death, accident, or injury is caused by the direct action of an inmate, and is compensable under this division or Division 4.5 (commencing with Section 6100), shall also be entitled to a scholarship specified in this section.

(c) Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, a dependent of a firefighter employed by a county, city, city and county, district, or other political subdivision of the state, who is killed in the performance of duty or who dies or is totally disabled as a result of an accident or injury incurred in the performance of duty, when the death, accident, or injury is compensable under this division or Division 4.5 (commencing with Section 6100), shall also be entitled to a scholarship specified in this section.

(d) Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to allow the admittance of the dependent into a college or university unless the dependent is otherwise qualified to gain admittance to the college or university.

(e) The scholarship provided for by this section shall be paid out of funds annually appropriated in the Budget Act to the Student Aid Commission established by Article 2 (commencing with Section 69510) of Chapter 2 of Part 42 of the Education Code.

(f) The receipt of a scholarship provided for by this section shall not preclude a dependent from receiving a Cal Grant award pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 69530) of Chapter 2 of Part 42 of the Education Code, any other grant, or any fee waivers that may be provided by an institution of higher education. The receipt of a Cal Grant award pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 69530) of Chapter 2 of Part 42 of the Education Code, any other grant, or any fee waivers that may be provided by an institution of higher education shall not preclude a dependent from receiving a scholarship provided for by this section.

(g) The amendments made to this section during the 1995 portion of the 1995–96 Regular Session shall apply to a student receiving a scholarship on the effective date of the amendments unless that application would result in the student receiving a scholarship on less favorable terms or in a lesser amount, in which case the student shall continue to receive the scholarship on the same terms and conditions in effect prior to the effective date of the amendments.

(h) As used in this section, “dependent” means the children (natural or adopted) or, spouse or spouse in a civil union, at the time of the death or injury, of the peace officer, law enforcement officer, or firefighter.

(i) Eligibility for a scholarship under this section shall be limited to a person who demonstrates financial need as determined by the Student Aid Commission pursuant to Article 1.5 (commencing with Section 69503) of Chapter 2 of Part 42 of the Education Code. For purposes of determining financial need, the proceeds of death benefits received by the dependent, including, but not limited to, a continuation of income received from the Public Employees’ Retirement System, the proceeds from the federal Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Act, life insurance policies, proceeds from Sections 4702 and 4703.5, any private scholarship where receipt is predicated upon the recipient being the survivor of a deceased public safety officer, the scholarship awarded pursuant to Section 68120 of the Education Code, and any interest received from these benefits, shall not be considered.

4721.

 The surviving spouse, spouse in a civil union, or dependent minor children of an elected public official who is killed by assassination shall be entitled to a special death benefit which shall be in addition to any other benefits provided for by this division or Division 4.5 (commencing with Section 6100).

4722.

 (a) If the deceased elected public official is survived by a spouse with or without dependent minor children, such special death benefit shall be payable to the surviving spouse. If the deceased elected public official leaves no surviving spouse but one or more dependent minor children, benefits shall be paid to a guardian ad litem and trustee for such child or children appointed by the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board. In the absence of a surviving spouse and dependent minor children, the benefit shall be payable to any legally recognized dependent parent of the deceased elected public official.

4723.

 The person or persons to whom the special death benefit is payable pursuant to Section 4722 shall, within one year of the date of death of the elected public official, choose either of the following benefits:

(a) An annual benefit equal to one-half of the average annual salary paid to the elected public official in his or her elected capacity, less credit for any other death benefit provided for under existing law or by public funds, except benefits payable pursuant to this division or Division 4.5 (commencing with Section 6100). Payments shall be paid not less frequently than monthly, and shall be paid from the date of death until the spouse or spouse in a civil union dies or remarries or enters another civil union, or until the youngest minor dependent child reaches the age of 18 years, whichever occurs last. If payments are being made to a dependent parent or parents they shall continue during dependency.

(b) A lump-sum benefit of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000), less any other death benefit provided for under existing law or by public funds, except benefits payable pursuant to this division or Division 4.5 (commencing with Section 6100).

4728.

 (a) A dependent of an elected public official, who was intentionally killed while holding office, in retaliation for, or to prevent the performance of, an official duty, shall be entitled to a scholarship at any institution described in subdivision (k) of Section 69535 of the Education Code. The scholarship shall be in an amount equal to the amount provided a student who has been awarded a Cal Grant scholarship as specified in Article 3 (commencing with Section 69530) of Chapter 2 of Part 42 of the Education Code. Eligibility for a scholarship under this section shall be limited to a person who demonstrates financial need as determined by the Student Aid Commission pursuant to Article 1.5 (commencing with Section 69503) of Chapter 2 of Part 42 of the Education Code.

(b) The scholarship provided for by this section shall be paid out of funds annually appropriated in the Budget Act to the Student Aid Commission established by Article 2 (commencing with Section 69510) of Chapter 2 of Part 42 of the Education Code.

(c) The receipt of a scholarship provided for by this section shall not preclude a dependent from receiving a Cal Grant award pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 69530) of Chapter 2 of Part 42 of the Education Code, any other grant, or any fee waivers that may be provided by an institution of higher education. The receipt of a Cal Grant award pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 69530) of Chapter 2 of Part 42 of the Education Code, any other grant, or any fee waivers that may be provided by an institution of higher education shall not preclude a dependent from receiving a scholarship provided for by this section.

(d) This section shall apply to a student receiving a scholarship on the effective date of the section unless that application would result in the student receiving a scholarship on less favorable terms or in a lesser amount, in which case the student shall continue to receive the scholarship on the same terms and conditions in effect prior to the effective date of this section.

(e) As used in this section, “dependent” means the children (natural or adopted) or, spouse or spouse in a civil union, at the time of the death or injury, of the elected public official.

4856.

 (a) Whenever any local employee who is a firefighter, or peace officer as described in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2 of the Penal Code, is killed in the performance of his or her duty or dies as a result of an accident or injury caused by external violence or physical force incurred in the performance of his or her duty, the employer shall continue providing health benefits to the deceased employee’s spouse or spouse in a civil union under the same terms and conditions provided prior to the death, or prior to the accident or injury that caused the death, of the employee unless the surviving spouse or surviving spouse in a civil union elects to receive a lump-sum survivors benefit in lieu of monthly benefits. Minor dependents shall continue to receive benefits under the coverage provided the surviving spouse or surviving spouse in a civil union or, if there is no surviving spouse or surviving spouse in a civil union, until the age of 21 years. However, pursuant to Section 22811.5 of the Government Code, the surviving spouse or surviving spouse in a civil union may not add the new spouse, spouse in a civil union, or stepchildren as family members under the continued health benefits coverage of the surviving spouse or surviving spouse in a civil union.

(b) Subdivision (a) also applies to the employer of any local employee who is a firefighter, or peace officer as described in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2 of the Penal Code, who was killed in the performance of his or her duty or who died as a result of an accident or injury caused by external violence or physical force incurred in the performance of his or her duty prior to September 30, 1996.

4903.

 The appeals board may determine, and allow as liens against any sum to be paid as compensation, any amount determined as hereinafter set forth in subdivisions (a) through (i). If more than one lien is allowed, the appeals board may determine the priorities, if any, between the liens allowed. The liens which may be allowed hereunder are as follows:

(a) A reasonable attorney’s fee for legal services pertaining to any claim for compensation either before the appeals board or before any of the appellate courts, and the reasonable disbursements in connection therewith. No fee for legal services shall be awarded to any representative who is not an attorney, except with respect to those claims for compensation for which an application, pursuant to Section 5501, has been filed with the appeals board on or before December 31, 1991, or for which a disclosure form, pursuant to Section 4906, has been sent to the employer, or insurer or third-party administrator, if either is known, on or before December 31, 1991.

(b) The reasonable expense incurred by or on behalf of the injured employee, as provided by Article 2 (commencing with Section 4600) and, to the extent the employee is entitled to reimbursement under Section 4621, medical-legal expenses as provided by Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 4620) of Chapter 2 of Part 2.

(c) The reasonable value of the living expenses of an injured employee or of his or her dependents, subsequent to the injury.

(d) The reasonable burial expenses of the deceased employee, not to exceed the amount provided for by Section 4701.

(e) The reasonable living expenses of the spouse or spouse in a civil union, or minor children of the injured employee, or both, subsequent to the date of the injury, where the employee has deserted or is neglecting his or her family. These expenses shall be allowed in the proportion that the appeals board deems proper, under application of the spouse, spouse in a civil union, guardian of the minor children, or the assignee, pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 11477 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, of the spouse, spouse in a civil union, a former spouse, a former spouse in a civil union, or minor children. A collection received as a result of a lien against a workers’ compensation award imposed pursuant to this subdivision for payment of child support ordered by a court shall be credited as provided in Section 695.221 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

(f) The amount of unemployment compensation disability benefits that have been paid under or pursuant to the Unemployment Insurance Code in those cases where, pending a determination under this division there was uncertainty whether the benefits were payable under the Unemployment Insurance Code or payable hereunder; provided, however, that any lien under this subdivision shall be allowed and paid as provided in Section 4904.

(g) The amount of unemployment compensation benefits and extended duration benefits paid to the injured employee for the same day or days for which he or she receives, or is entitled to receive, temporary total disability indemnity payments under this division; provided, however, that any lien under this subdivision shall be allowed and paid as provided in Section 4904.

(h) The amount of indemnification granted by the California Victims of Crime Program pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 13959) of Chapter 5 of Part 4 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

(i) The amount of compensation, including expenses of medical treatment, and recoverable costs that have been paid by the Asbestos Workers’ Account pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 11 (commencing with Section 4401) of Part 1.