On and after January 1, 1974, any claim for benefits for death or total disability due to pneumoconiosis shall be filed pursuant to the applicable State workmen’s compensation law, except that during any period when miners or their surviving widows, children, parents, brothers, or sisters, as the case may be, are not covered by a State workmen’s compensation law which provides adequate coverage for pneumoconiosis, and in any case in which benefits based upon eligibility under paragraph (5) of section 921(c) of this title are involved.[1] they shall be entitled to claim benefits under this part.

The Secretary shall include a State workmen’s compensation law on such list during any period only if he finds that during such period under such law—

(1) For purposes of this section, a State workmen’s compensation law shall not be deemed to provide adequate coverage for pneumoconiosis during any period unless it is included in the list of State laws found by the Secretary to provide such adequate coverage during such period. The Secretary shall, no later than October 1, 1972, publish in the Federal Register a list of State workmen’s compensation laws which provide adequate coverage for pneumoconiosis and shall revise and republish in the Federal Register such list from time to time, as may be appropriate to reflect changes in such State laws due to legislation or judicial or administrative interpretation.

The Secretary shall include a State workmen’s compensation law on such list during any period only if he finds that during such period under such law—

(A) benefits must be paid for total disability or death of a miner due to pneumoconiosis, except that (i) such law shall not be required to provide such benefits where the miner’s last employment in a coal mine terminated before the Secretary’s approval of the State law pursuant to this section; and (ii) each operator of a coal mine shall secure the payment of benefits pursuant to section 933 of this title with respect to any miner whose last employment in a coal mine terminated before the Secretary’s approval of the State law pursuant to this section;

(B) the amount of such cash benefits is substantially equivalent to or greater than the amount of benefits prescribed by section 922(a) of this title;

(C) the standards for determining death or total disability due to pneumoconiosis are substantially equivalent to section 902(f) of this title and to those standards established under this part, and by the regulations of the Secretary promulgated under this part;

(D) any claim for benefits on account of total disability of a miner due to pneumoconiosis is deemed to be timely filed if such claim is filed within three years after a medical determination of total disability due to pneumoconiosis;

(E) there are in effect provisions with respect to prior and successor operators which are substantially equivalent to the provisions contained in section 932(i) of this title; and

(F) there are applicable such other provisions, regulations or interpretations, which are consistent with the provisions contained in Public Law 803, 69th Congress (44 Stat. 1424, approved March 4, 1927), as amended [33 U.S.C. 901 et seq.], which are applicable under section 932(a) of this title, but are not inconsistent with any of the criteria set forth in subparagraphs (A) through (E) of this paragraph, as the Secretary, in accordance with regulations promulgated by him, determines to be necessary or appropriate to assure adequate compensation for total disability or death due to pneumoconiosis.

Final regulations required for implementation of any amendments to this part shall be promulgated and published in the Federal Register at the earliest practicable date after the date of enactment of such amendments, and in no event later than the end of the sixth month following the month in which such amendments are enacted.

(Pub. L. 91–173, title IV, § 421, Dec. 30, 1969, 83 Stat. 795; Pub. L. 92–303, §§ 1(c)(1), 4(e), 5(3), (5), May 19, 1972, 86 Stat. 151, 154, 155; Pub. L. 95–239, §§ 3(b)(3), 6, Mar. 1, 1978, 92 Stat. 97, 98.)