S.4413

S. 4413

April 28, 2026

Mr. Sanders (for himself, Ms. Baldwin, Ms. Alsobrooks, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Booker, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Kim, Mr. Markey, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Padilla, Mr. Schiff, Mr. Van Hollen, and Ms. Warren) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

A BILL

To amend the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to expand coverage under the Act, to increase protections for whistleblowers, to increase penalties for high gravity violations, to adjust penalties for inflation, to provide rights for victims or their family members, and for other purposes.

1. Short title; table of contents; TITLE I—COVERAGE OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEES, AUTHORIZED EMPLOYEE REPRESENTATIVES, VOLUNTARY EMERGENCY RESPONDERS, AND APPLICATION OF ACT; 101. Coverage of public employees; 102. Authorized employee representatives; 103. Application of Act; TITLE II—INCREASING WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTIONS; 201. Enhanced protections from retaliation; TITLE III—IMPROVING REPORTING, INSPECTION, AND ENFORCEMENT; PART A—DUTIES AND STANDARDS; 301. General duty of employers; 302. Occupational safety and health standards; PART B—INSPECTIONS, INVESTIGATIONS, AND RECORDKEEPING; 311. Posting of employee rights; 312. Employer reporting of work-related injuries, illness, deaths, and hospitalizations; prohibition on discouraging employee reporting; 313. No loss of employee pay for inspections; 314. Investigations of fatalities and significant incidents; 315. Recordkeeping; PART C—CITATIONS; 321. Period for issuance of a citation; 322. Prohibition on unclassified citations; PART D—RIGHTS OF VICTIMS AND FAMILIES; 331. Rights of Victims and Families; PART E—PROCEDURE FOR ENFORCEMENT; 341. Right to contest citations and penalties; 342. Correction of serious, willful, or repeated violations pending contest and procedures for a stay; 343. Inaction by the Review Commission; 344. Conforming amendments; PART F—PENALTIES; 351. Civil penalties; 352. Criminal penalties; 353. Prejudgment interest; TITLE IV—STATE PLANS; 401. Concurrent enforcement authority and review of State occupational safety and health plans; 402. Evaluation of repeated violations in State plans; TITLE V—NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH; 501. Health hazard evaluations by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; 502. Training and employee education; TITLE VI—EFFECTIVE DATE; 601. Effective date

Rights of Victims and Families