Workers' compensation; expanding certain rights and remedies. Effective date.

SB 1013 expands workers' compensation rights in Oklahoma by clarifying when injured workers can pursue lawsuits against employers instead of relying solely on workers' compensation. It specifically allows lawsuits if an employer fails to pay required compensation or commits an intentional tort (defined as a deliberate act to cause injury, not just reckless conduct). The bill also clarifies contractor liability, specifying that general contractors providing workers' compensation insurance to subcontractors may be treated as employers, but this does not cover negligence in design work. These changes directly affect injured workers, their families, and construction employers who fail to secure proper coverage.