Connecticut 2021 Regular Session

Connecticut Senate Bill SB01082 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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5	5	LCO No. 5568 1 of 8
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7	7	General Assembly Raised Bill No. 1082
8	8	January Session, 2021
9	9	LCO No. 5568
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12	12	Referred to Committee on APPROPRIATIONS
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15	15	Introduced by:
16	16	(APP)
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21	21	AN ACT CONCERNING A RETIRED TEACHER ADVI SORY COUNCIL,
22	22	THE MEMBERSHIP OF AN D TERM LIMITS FOR THE TEACHERS'
23	23	RETIREMENT BOARD, A CAP ON CERTAIN PROFE SSIONAL FEES
24	24	PAID BY THE BOARD, AND MEDICARE SUPPLEME NTAL PLANS
25	25	FOR RETIRED TEACHERS .
26	26	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
27	27	Assembly convened:
28	28
29	29	Section 1. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2021) (a) There is established a 1
30	30	Retired Teacher Advisory Council, which shall provide the Teachers' 2
31	31	Retirement Board with input on all matters under the purview of the 3
32	32	board that pertain to retired teachers. The advisory council shall include 4
33	33	the following members, each appointed by the organization such 5
34	34	member represents: (1) Two representing the Association of Retired 6
35	35	Teachers of Connecticut; (2) two representing the CEA-Retired; (3) two 7
36	36	representing the AFT-Retired; (4) two representing the Retired Teachers' 8
37	37	Healthcare Advocates; and (5) one nonvoting member representing the 9
38	38	Teachers' Retirement Board, who shall be a staff member of the board 10
39	39	and who shall serve as the advisory council's liaison to the board. Each 11
40	40	voting member shall be a retired teacher who is enrolled in a health 12
41	41	benefit plan offered by the board. The advisory council shall elect a 13
42	42	chairperson and secretary from among its members. 14 Raised Bill No. 1082
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48	48	(b) The advisory council shall meet in advance of each meeting of the 15
49	49	board and provide written recommendations to the board through the 16
50	50	liaison to the board. A representative of such council shall be allowed to 17
51	51	speak during the public comment portion of any meeting of the board. 18
52	52	(c) The board shall provide the following to the advisory council: (1) 19
53	53	Materials related to health benefit plans offered by the board, including, 20
54	54	but not limited to, advance copies of open enrollment materials, 21
55	55	documents related to coverages and evaluations that are used for the 22
56	56	development of requests for proposals, evaluations of health benefit 23
57	57	plans and financial reports of the board; (2) materials related to 24
58	58	communication channels and practices between the board and retired 25
59	59	members; (3) copies of any legislative proposals submitted by the board 26
60	60	that might affect retired members or the retirement benefits of future 27
61	61	retired members; and (4) any other materials or information that the 28
62	62	board believes may benefit from review by the advisory council. 29
63	63	Sec. 2. Subsection (a) of section 10-183l of the general statutes is 30
64	64	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 31
65	65	passage): 32
66	66	(a) (1) On and after July 1, 1991, the management of the system shall 33
67	67	continue to be vested in the Teachers' Retirement Board, whose 34
68	68	members shall include the Treasurer, the Secretary of the Office of Policy 35
69	69	and Management and the Commissioner of Education, or their 36
70	70	designees, who shall be voting members of the board, ex officio. (2) On 37
71	71	or before June 15, 1985, and quadrennially thereafter, the members of 38
72	72	the system shall elect from their number, in a manner prescribed by said 39
73	73	board, two persons to serve as members of said board for terms of four 40
74	74	years beginning July first following such election. Both of such persons 41
75	75	shall be active teachers who shall be nominated by the members of the 42
76	76	system who are not retired and elected by all the members of the system. 43
77	77	On or before July 1, 1991, and quadrennially thereafter, the members of 44
78	78	the system shall elect from their number, in a manner prescribed by said 45
79	79	board, three persons to serve as members of said board for terms of four 46
80	80	years beginning July first following such election. Two of such persons 47 Raised Bill No. 1082
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84	84	LCO No. 5568 3 of 8
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86	86	shall be retired teachers who shall be nominated by the retired members 48
87	87	of the system and elected by all the members of the system and one shall 49
88	88	be an active teacher who shall be nominated by the members of the 50
89	89	system who are not retired and elected by all the members of the system. 51
90	90	(3) On or before July 1, 2011, and quadrennially thereafter, the members 52
91	91	of the system shall elect from their number, in a manner prescribed by 53
92	92	said board, one person to serve as a member of said board for a term of 54
93	93	four years beginning July first following such election. Such person shall 55
94	94	be an active teacher who shall be nominated by the members of the 56
95	95	system who are not retired, elected by all the members of the system 57
96	96	and a member of an exclusive representative of a teachers' bargaining 58
97	97	unit that is not represented by the members of the board elected under 59
98	98	subdivision (2) of this subsection. (4) On or before July 1, 2021, and 60
99	99	quadrennially thereafter, the members of the system shall elect from 61
100	100	their number, in a manner prescribed by said board, one person to serve 62
101	101	as a member of said board for a term of four years beginning July first 63
102	102	following such election. Such person shall be a retired teacher who is 64
103	103	(A) a member of an organization composed exclusively of retired 65
104	104	teachers that is not otherwise represented on the board, and (B) an 66
105	105	enrollee of a health benefit plan offered by the board. Such person shall 67
106	106	be nominated and elected by the retired members of the system. (5) If a 68
107	107	vacancy occurs in the positions filled by the members of the system who 69
108	108	are not retired, said board shall elect a member of the system who is not 70
109	109	retired to fill the unexpired portion of the term. If a vacancy occurs in 71
110	110	the positions filled by the retired members of the system, said board 72
111	111	shall elect a retired member of the system to fill the unexpired portion 73
112	112	of the term. The Governor shall appoint five public members to said 74
113	113	board in accordance with the provisions of section 4-9a, one of whom 75
114	114	shall be the mayor, first selectman or chief elected official of a 76
115	115	municipality. On and after the effective date of this section, the 77
116	116	Governor shall fill the next vacant position on the board that is 78
117	117	appointed by the Governor with a person who is the mayor, first 79
118	118	selectman or chief elected official of a municipality. The members of the 80
119	119	board shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for any 81
120	120	expenditures or loss of salary or wages which they incur through service 82 Raised Bill No. 1082
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126	126	on the board. No elected member of the board shall serve for more than 83
127	127	twelve years, whether consecutively or nonconsecutively, except if a 84
128	128	member completes a twelfth year during a term, such member may 85
129	129	complete such term. All decisions of the board shall require the approval 86
130	130	of six members of the board or a majority of the members who are 87
131	131	present, whichever is greater. 88
132	132	Sec. 3. Section 10-183t of the general statutes is repealed and the 89
133	133	following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 90
134	134	(a) The [retirement] board shall offer one or more health benefit plans 91
135	135	to: Any member receiving retirement benefits or a disability allowance 92
136	136	from the system; the spouse or surviving spouse of such member, and a 93
137	137	disabled dependent of such member if there is no spouse or surviving 94
138	138	spouse, provided such member, spouse, surviving spouse, or disabled 95
139	139	dependent is participating in Medicare Part A hospital insurance and 96
140	140	Medicare Part B medical insurance. The board may offer one or more 97
141	141	basic plans, the cost of which to any such member, spouse, surviving 98
142	142	spouse or disabled dependent shall be one-third of the basic plan's 99
143	143	premium equivalent, and one or more optional plans, provided such 100
144	144	member, spouse, surviving spouse or disabled dependent shall pay one-101
145	145	third of the basic plan's premium equivalent plus the difference in cost 102
146	146	between any such basic plans and any such optional plans. The board 103
147	147	shall designate those plans which are basic and those plans which are 104
148	148	optional for the purpose of determining such cost and the amount to be 105
149	149	charged or withheld from benefit payments for such plans. In addition 106
150	150	to any such basic and optional plans, the board shall offer a Medicare 107
151	151	supplemental plan, which shall provide coverage substantially equal to 108
152	152	or better than such basic and optional plans and include coverage 109
153	153	consistent with all state insurance mandates. The surviving spouse of a 110
154	154	member, or a disabled dependent of a member if there is no surviving 111
155	155	spouse, shall not be ineligible for participation in any such plan solely 112
156	156	because such surviving spouse or disabled dependent is not receiving 113
157	157	benefits from the system. With respect to any person participating in 114
158	158	any such plan, the state shall appropriate to the board one-third of the 115
159	159	cost of such basic plan or plans, or one-third of the cost of the rate in 116 Raised Bill No. 1082
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163	163	LCO No. 5568 5 of 8
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165	165	effect during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1998, whichever is greater. 117
166	166	On and after July 1, 2012, federal reimbursements received by the 118
167	167	[retirement] board under the retiree drug subsidy provisions of 119
168	168	Medicare Part D shall be used to offset amounts appropriated by the 120
169	169	state to the board pursuant to this subsection. 121
170	170	(b) Any member who is receiving retirement benefits or a disability 122
171	171	allowance from the system, the spouse or surviving spouse of such 123
172	172	member, or a disabled dependent of such member if there is no spouse 124
173	173	or surviving spouse, and who is not participating in Medicare Part A 125
174	174	hospital insurance and Medicare Part B medical insurance, may fully 126
175	175	participate in any or all group health insurance plans maintained for 127
176	176	active teachers by such member's last employing board of education, or 128
177	177	by the state in the case of a member who was employed by the state, 129
178	178	upon payment to such board of education or to the state, as applicable, 130
179	179	by such member, spouse, surviving spouse or disabled dependent, of 131
180	180	the premium charged for his form of coverage. Such premium shall be 132
181	181	no greater than that charged for the same form of coverage for active 133
182	182	teachers. The spouse, surviving spouse or disabled dependent shall not 134
183	183	be ineligible for participation in any such plan solely because such 135
184	184	spouse, surviving spouse or disabled dependent is not receiving 136
185	185	benefits from the system. No person shall be ineligible for participation 137
186	186	in such plans for failure to enroll in such plans at the time the member's 138
187	187	retirement benefit or disability allowance became effective. Nothing in 139
188	188	this subsection shall be construed to impair or alter the provisions of any 140
189	189	collective bargaining agreement relating to the payment by a board of 141
190	190	education of group health insurance premiums on behalf of any 142
191	191	member receiving benefits from the system. Prior to the cancellation of 143
192	192	coverage for any member, spouse, surviving spouse or disabled 144
193	193	dependent for failure to pay the required premiums or cost due, the 145
194	194	board of education or the state, if applicable, shall notify the Teachers' 146
195	195	Retirement Board of its intention to cancel such coverage at least thirty 147
196	196	days prior to the date of cancellation. Absent any contractual provisions 148
197	197	to the contrary, the payments made pursuant to subsection (c) of this 149
198	198	section shall be first applied to any cost borne by the member, spouse, 150 Raised Bill No. 1082
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204	204	surviving spouse or disabled dependent participating in any such plan. 151
205	205	As used in this subsection, "last employing board of education" means 152
206	206	the board of education by which such member was employed when 153
207	207	such member filed his initial application for retirement, and "health 154
208	208	insurance plans" means hospital, medical, major medical, dental, 155
209	209	prescription drug or auditory benefit plans that are available to active 156
210	210	teachers. 157
211	211	(c) (1) On and after July 1, 2000, the board shall pay a subsidy equal 158
212	212	to the subsidy paid in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2000, to the board 159
213	213	of education or to the state, if applicable, on behalf of any member who 160
214	214	is receiving retirement benefits or a disability allowance from the 161
215	215	system, the spouse of such member, the surviving spouse of such 162
216	216	member, or a disabled dependent of such member if there is no spouse 163
217	217	or surviving spouse, who is participating in a health insurance plan 164
218	218	maintained by a board of education or by the state, if applicable. Such 165
219	219	payment shall not exceed the actual cost of such insurance. 166
220	220	(2) With respect to any person participating in any such plan 167
221	221	pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, the state shall appropriate to 168
222	222	the board one-third of the cost of the subsidy, except that, for the fiscal 169
223	223	year ending June 30, 2013, the state shall appropriate twenty-five per 170
224	224	cent of the cost of the subsidy. On and after July 1, 2018, for the fiscal 171
225	225	year ending June 30, 2019, and for each fiscal year thereafter, fifty per 172
226	226	cent of the total amount appropriated by the state in each such fiscal 173
227	227	year for the state's share of the cost of such subsidies shall be paid to the 174
228	228	board on or before July first of such fiscal year, and the remaining fifty 175
229	229	per cent of such total amount shall be paid to the board on or before 176
230	230	December first of such fiscal year. 177
231	231	(3) No payment to a board of education pursuant to this subsection 178
232	232	may be used to reduce the amount of any premium payment on behalf 179
233	233	of any such member, spouse, surviving spouse, or disabled dependent, 180
234	234	made by such board pursuant to any agreement in effect on July 1, 1990. 181
235	235	On and after July 1, 2012, the board shall pay a subsidy of two hundred 182
236	236	twenty dollars per month on behalf of the member, spouse or the 183 Raised Bill No. 1082
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242	242	surviving spouse of such member who: (A) Has attained the normal 184
243	243	retirement age to participate in Medicare, (B) is not eligible for Medicare 185
244	244	Part A without cost, and (C) contributes at least two hundred twenty 186
245	245	dollars per month towards his or her medical and prescription drug 187
246	246	plan provided by the board of education. 188
247	247	(d) The Treasurer shall establish a separate retired teachers' health 189
248	248	insurance premium account within the Teachers' Retirement Fund. 190
249	249	Commencing July 1, 1989, and annually thereafter all health benefit plan 191
250	250	contributions withheld under this chapter in excess of five hundred 192
251	251	thousand dollars shall, upon deposit in the Teachers' Retirement Fund, 193
252	252	be credited to such account. Interest derived from the investment of 194
253	253	funds in the account shall be credited to the account. Funds in the 195
254	254	account shall be used for (1) payments to boards of education pursuant 196
255	255	to subsection (c) of this section and for payment of premiums on behalf 197
256	256	of members, spouses of members, surviving spouses of members or 198
257	257	disabled dependents of members participating in one or more health 199
258	258	insurance plans pursuant to subsection (a) of this section in an amount 200
259	259	equal to the difference between the amount paid pursuant to subsection 201
260	260	(a) of this section and the amount paid pursuant to subsection (c) of this 202
261	261	section, and (2) payments of not more than one hundred fifty thousand 203
262	262	dollars in any fiscal year for [professional] health care consultation fees 204
263	263	associated with the administration of the health benefit plans offered 205
264	264	pursuant to this section. Not later than August first, annually, the 206
265	265	Teachers' Retirement Board shall report to all members in written form, 207
266	266	and also in electronic form to each member for whom the board has an 208
267	267	electronic mail address on file, a detailed accounting of payments made 209
268	268	for professional fees during the previous fiscal year. If, during any fiscal 210
269	269	year, there are insufficient funds in the account for the purposes of all 211
270	270	such payments, the General Assembly shall appropriate sufficient funds 212
271	271	to the account for such purpose. 213
272	272	This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
273	273	sections:
274	274
275	275	Section 1 July 1, 2021 New section Raised Bill No. 1082
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279	279	LCO No. 5568 8 of 8
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281	281	Sec. 2 from passage 10-183l(a)
282	282	Sec. 3 July 1, 2021 10-183t
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284	284	Statement of Purpose:
285	285	To (1) establish a Retired Teacher Advisory Council for the Teachers'
286	286	Retirement Board; (2) require that an additional retired teacher be added
287	287	to the board's membership; (3) institute term limits for board members;
288	288	(4) cap the amount of certain professional fees paid by the board; and
289	289	(5) require that the board offer a Medicare supplemental plan to retired
290	290	teachers.
291	291	[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
292	292	that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
293	293	underlined.]
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