Arkansas § 11-9-207 - Powers and duties.

§ 11-9-207. Powers and duties.

In addition to its other duties and powers, the Workers' Compensation Commission is given and granted full power and authority: To hear and determine all claims for compensation, including claims based upon injuries which occurred outside the State of Arkansas for which compensation is payable under this chapter; To require and order medical services for and examinations of injured employees and to employ special medical examiners and advisors who shall be paid not to exceed twenty-five dollars ($25.00) per day and reasonable traveling expenses; To approve claims for medical services and attorney's fees; To excuse failure to give notice either of injury or death of any employee; To approve agreements, make, modify, or rescind awards, and make and enter findings of fact and rulings of law; To enter orders in appealed cases; To determine the time for the payment of compensation and order the reimbursement of employers for amounts advanced; To assess penalties; To prescribe rules governing the representation of employees, employers, and carriers in respect to claims before the commission; To issue subpoenas, administer oaths, and take testimony, by deposition or otherwise; To make surveys and to determine the existence and prevalence of occupational disease hazards within this state, to determine the measures necessary to eliminate or reduce these hazards, and to add to the schedule of occupational diseases subject to appropriate conditions and after public hearing; To make available all records in connection with all cases of personal injury to the Secretary of the Department of Labor and Licensing. The secretary may propose rules for the prevention of injuries and transmit the rules to the commission. The commission may recommend proposed rules for prevention of injuries to the secretary; To have and exercise all other powers and duties conferred or imposed by this chapter; and To transfer the excess of income over expenses from the commission's annual educational conference to Kids' Chance of Arkansas, Inc., a nonprofit charitable organization designed to provide scholarships to children of workers who have been killed or become permanently and totally disabled from a compensable injury, including any accumulation from prior years' conferences. In addition to the other powers and duties granted to the commission in this section and otherwise provided by law, the commission is authorized to establish and impose reasonable fees to recover the cost of preparation of various informative materials distributed by the commission. The fees shall be established by rule of the commission. Funds derived from fees shall be deposited into the Workers' Compensation Fund to be used to defray expenses incurred in preparation and distribution of materials.