Connecticut 2025 Regular Session

Connecticut Senate Bill SB01525 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3	LCO No. 3568 1 of 11
4	4
5	5	General Assembly Raised Bill No. 1525
6	6	January Session, 2025
7	7	LCO No. 3568
8	8
9	9
10	10	Referred to Committee on APPROPRIATIONS
11	11
12	12
13	13	Introduced by:
14	14	(APP)
15	15
16	16
17	17
18	18
19	19	AN ACT CONCERNING THE TEACHERS' RETIREMENT BOARD'S
20	20	RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHANGES TO THE TEACHERS'
21	21	RETIREMENT SYSTEM STATUTES.
22	22	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
23	23	Assembly convened:
24	24
25	25	Section 1. Subdivision (15) of section 10-183b of the general statutes 1
26	26	is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 2
27	27	passage): 3
28	28	(15) "Employer" means an elected school committee, a board of 4
29	29	education, the State Board of Education, the Office of Early Childhood, 5
30	30	the Technical Education and Career System, the Board of Regents for 6
31	31	Higher Education or any of the constituent units, the governing body of 7
32	32	the Children's Center and its successors for members hired before July 8
33	33	1, 2025, The University of Connecticut Board of Trustees, the E. O. Smith 9
34	34	School, or any other activity, institution or school employing members, 10
35	35	except "employer" shall not include the State Education Resource Center 11
36	36	for members hired on or after July 1, 2025. 12
37	37	Sec. 2. Subdivision (21) of section 10-183b of the general statutes is 13
38	38	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 14
39	39	Raised Bill No. 1525
40	40
41	41
42	42
43	43	LCO No. 3568 2 of 11
44	44
45	45	passage): 15
46	46	(21) "Public school" means any day school conducted within or 16
47	47	without this state under the orders and superintendence of a duly 17
48	48	elected school committee, a board of education, the State Board of 18
49	49	Education, the Office of Early Childhood, the Board of Regents for 19
50	50	Higher Education, or any of its constituent units, The University of 20
51	51	Connecticut Board of Trustees, the board of governors or any of its 21
52	52	constituent units, the Technical Education and Career System, the E. O. 22
53	53	Smith School, the Children's Center and its successors for members 23
54	54	hired before July 1, 2025, the State Education Resource Center 24
55	55	[established pursuant to section 10-4q of the 2014 supplement to the 25
56	56	general statutes, revision of 1958, revised to January 1, 2013, the State 26
57	57	Education Resource Center established pursuant to section 10-357a] for 27
58	58	members hired before July 1, 2025, joint activities of boards of education 28
59	59	authorized by subsection (b) of section 10-158a and (A) any institution 29
60	60	supported by the state at which teachers are employed or any 30
61	61	incorporated secondary school not under the orders and 31
62	62	superintendence of a duly elected school committee or board of 32
63	63	education but located in a town not maintaining a high school and 33
64	64	providing free tuition to pupils of the town in which it is located, and 34
65	65	which has been approved by the State Board of Education under the 35
66	66	provisions of part II of chapter 164, or (B) on and after July 1, 2023, any 36
67	67	school operated by an interdistrict magnet school operator described in 37
68	68	section 10-264s, provided such institution, secondary school or school is 38
69	69	classified as a public school by the retirement board. 39
70	70	Sec. 3. Subsection (g) of section 10-183g of the general statutes is 40
71	71	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 41
72	72	2025): 42
73	73	(g) A member's complete formal application for retirement, if sent by 43
74	74	mail, shall be deemed to have been filed with the board on the date such 44
75	75	application is postmarked. Such application for retirement shall be 45
76	76	irrevocable on the date the member retires. No benefit computed under 46
77	77	Raised Bill No. 1525
78	78
79	79
80	80
81	81	LCO No. 3568 3 of 11
82	82
83	83	subsections (a) to (d), inclusive, of this section and under subsections (a) 47
84	84	to (g), inclusive, of section 10-183aa, as amended by this act, shall 48
85	85	become effective until a member eligible for retirement under section 49
86	86	10-183f files with the board a complete formal application for retirement 50
87	87	and terminates service with such member's employer. Such benefit shall 51
88	88	accrue from the first day of the month following the calendar month in 52
89	89	which such application is filed and payment of such benefit in equal 53
90	90	monthly installments shall commence on the last day of the month in 54
91	91	which such benefit begins to accrue. The initial payment of such benefit 55
92	92	may be made not later than three months following the effective date of 56
93	93	retirement, provided such payment shall be retroactive to such effective 57
94	94	date. Upon a finding that extenuating circumstances relating to the 58
95	95	health of a member caused a delay in the filing of the member's complete 59
96	96	formal application, and such application is filed on or after July 1, 1986, 60
97	97	the board may deem such application to have been filed up to three 61
98	98	months earlier than the actual date of the filing. Upon a finding that 62
99	99	extenuating circumstances related to the health of a member caused a 63
100	100	delay in the filing of an election pursuant to subsection (g) of section 10-64
101	101	183aa, and such election is filed on or after July 1, 1986, the board may 65
102	102	deem such election to have been filed as of the date such member's 66
103	103	benefits would otherwise have been converted to a normal retirement 67
104	104	benefit under this section. 68
105	105	Sec. 4. Subsection (c) of section 10-183h of the general statutes is 69
106	106	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 70
107	107	2025): 71
108	108	(c) In lieu of a basic survivor's benefit and a lump sum death benefit, 72
109	109	a [sole] survivor who has attained age eighteen, and is the member's 73
110	110	designated beneficiary may elect to receive an amount equal to such 74
111	111	member's accumulated contributions together with credited interest. In 75
112	112	the absence of a designation, the member's surviving spouse or, if none, 76
113	113	the member's surviving children in equal shares or, if none, the 77
114	114	member's estate shall be entitled to the lump sum payment of the 78
115	115	accumulated contributions with credited interest. 79
116	116	Raised Bill No. 1525
117	117
118	118
119	119
120	120	LCO No. 3568 4 of 11
121	121
122	122	Sec. 5. Subsection (a) of section 10-183l of the general statutes is 80
123	123	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 81
124	124	2025): 82
125	125	(a) (1) On and after July 1, 1991, the management of the system shall 83
126	126	continue to be vested in the Teachers' Retirement Board, whose 84
127	127	members shall include the Treasurer, the Secretary of the Office of Policy 85
128	128	and Management and the Commissioner of Education, or their 86
129	129	designees, who shall be voting members of the board, ex officio. (2) On 87
130	130	or before June 15, 1985, and quadrennially thereafter, the members of 88
131	131	the system shall elect from their number, in a manner prescribed by said 89
132	132	board, two persons to serve as members of said board for terms of four 90
133	133	years beginning July first following such election. Both of such persons 91
134	134	shall be active teachers who shall be nominated by the members of the 92
135	135	system who are not retired and elected by all the members of the system. 93
136	136	On or before July 1, 1991, and quadrennially thereafter, the members of 94
137	137	the system shall elect from their number, in a manner prescribed by said 95
138	138	board, three persons to serve as members of said board for terms of four 96
139	139	years beginning July first following such election. Two of such persons 97
140	140	shall be retired teachers who shall be nominated by the retired members 98
141	141	of the system and elected by all the members of the system and one shall 99
142	142	be an active teacher who shall be nominated by the members of the 100
143	143	system who are not retired and elected by all the members of the system. 101
144	144	(3) On or before July 1, 2011, and quadrennially thereafter, the members 102
145	145	of the system shall elect from their number, in a manner prescribed by 103
146	146	said board, one person to serve as a member of said board for a term of 104
147	147	four years beginning July first following such election. Such person shall 105
148	148	be an active teacher who shall be nominated by the members of the 106
149	149	system who are not retired, elected by all the members of the system 107
150	150	and a member of an exclusive representative of a teachers' bargaining 108
151	151	unit that is not represented by the members of the board elected under 109
152	152	subdivision (2) of this subsection. (4) On or before October 1, 2023, and 110
153	153	in July quadrennially thereafter, the retired members of the system shall 111
154	154	elect from their number, in a manner prescribed by said board, two 112
155	155	Raised Bill No. 1525
156	156
157	157
158	158
159	159	LCO No. 3568 5 of 11
160	160
161	161	persons to serve as members of said board for a term of four years 113
162	162	beginning October first following such election. Both of such persons 114
163	163	shall be (A) retired teachers who are receiving a pension benefit from 115
164	164	the system, and (B) nominated and elected by the members of the 116
165	165	system who are retired. (5) If a vacancy occurs in the positions filled by 117
166	166	the members of the system who are not retired, said board shall elect a 118
167	167	member of the system who is not retired to fill the unexpired portion of 119
168	168	the term. If a vacancy occurs in the positions filled by the retired 120
169	169	members of the system, said board shall elect a retired member of the 121
170	170	system to fill the unexpired portion of the term. The Governor shall 122
171	171	appoint five public members to said board in accordance with the 123
172	172	provisions of section 4-9a, one of whom shall be the mayor, first 124
173	173	selectman or chief elected official of a municipality. On and after 125
174	174	October 31, 2017, the Governor shall fill the next vacant position on the 126
175	175	board that is appointed by the Governor with a person who is the 127
176	176	mayor, first selectman or chief elected official of a municipality. The 128
177	177	members of the board shall serve without compensation, but shall be 129
178	178	reimbursed for any expenditures or loss of salary or wages which they 130
179	179	incur through service on the board. A majority of the membership of the 131
180	180	board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business. 132
181	181	Sec. 6. Section 10-183t of the general statutes is repealed and the 133
182	182	following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 134
183	183	(a) The board shall offer one or more health benefit plans to: Any 135
184	184	member receiving retirement benefits or a disability allowance from the 136
185	185	system; the spouse or surviving spouse of such member, and a disabled 137
186	186	dependent of such member if there is no spouse or surviving spouse, 138
187	187	provided such member, spouse, surviving spouse, or disabled 139
188	188	dependent is participating in Medicare Part A hospital insurance and 140
189	189	Medicare Part B medical insurance. The board may offer one or more 141
190	190	basic plans, the cost of which to any such member, spouse, surviving 142
191	191	spouse or disabled dependent shall be one-third of the basic plan's 143
192	192	premium equivalent, and one or more optional plans, provided such 144
193	193	member, spouse, surviving spouse or disabled dependent shall pay one-145
194	194	Raised Bill No. 1525
195	195
196	196
197	197
198	198	LCO No. 3568 6 of 11
199	199
200	200	third of the basic plan's premium equivalent plus the difference in cost 146
201	201	between any such basic plans and any such optional plans. The board 147
202	202	shall designate those plans which are basic and those plans which are 148
203	203	optional for the purpose of determining such cost and the amount to be 149
204	204	charged or withheld from benefit payments for such plans. The 150
205	205	surviving spouse of a member, or a disabled dependent of a member if 151
206	206	there is no surviving spouse, shall not be ineligible for participation in 152
207	207	any such plan solely because such surviving spouse or disabled 153
208	208	dependent is not receiving benefits from the system. With respect to any 154
209	209	person participating in any such plan, the state shall appropriate to the 155
210	210	board one-third of the cost of such basic plan or plans, or one-third of 156
211	211	the cost of the rate in effect during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1998, 157
212	212	whichever is greater. 158
213	213	(b) (1) Any member who (A) is receiving retirement benefits or a 159
214	214	disability allowance from the system, the spouse or surviving spouse of 160
215	215	such member, or a disabled dependent of such member if there is no 161
216	216	spouse or surviving spouse, and who is not participating in Medicare 162
217	217	Part A hospital insurance and Medicare Part B medical insurance, and 163
218	218	(B) meets the state's eligibility criteria for health insurance or is eligible 164
219	219	to participate in the group health insurance plan offered by such 165
220	220	member's last employing board of education, may fully participate in 166
221	221	any or all group health insurance plans maintained for active teachers 167
222	222	by such member's last employing board of education, or by the state in 168
223	223	the case of a member who was employed by the state, upon payment to 169
224	224	such board of education or to the state, as applicable, by such member, 170
225	225	spouse, surviving spouse or disabled dependent, of the premium 171
226	226	charged for the member's form of coverage. Such premium shall be no 172
227	227	greater than that charged for the same form of coverage for active 173
228	228	teachers. 174
229	229	(2) The member's spouse, surviving spouse or disabled dependent 175
230	230	shall not be ineligible for participation in any such plan solely because 176
231	231	such spouse, surviving spouse or disabled dependent is not receiving 177
232	232	benefits from the system. No person shall be ineligible for participation 178
233	233	Raised Bill No. 1525
234	234
235	235
236	236
237	237	LCO No. 3568 7 of 11
238	238
239	239	in such plans for failure to enroll in such plans at the time the member's 179
240	240	retirement benefit or disability allowance became effective. 180
241	241	(3) (A) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to impair or alter 181
242	242	the provisions of any collective bargaining agreement relating to the 182
243	243	payment by a board of education of group health insurance premiums 183
244	244	on behalf of any member receiving benefits from the system. No 184
245	245	collective bargaining agreement shall provide for a subsidy for any 185
246	246	purpose other than to reduce costs for the benefit of a member, spouse, 186
247	247	surviving spouse or disabled member. 187
248	248	(B) Prior to the cancellation of coverage for any member, spouse, 188
249	249	surviving spouse or disabled dependent for failure to pay the required 189
250	250	premiums or cost due, the board of education or the state, if applicable, 190
251	251	shall notify the Teachers' Retirement Board of its intention to cancel such 191
252	252	coverage at least thirty days prior to the date of cancellation. Absent any 192
253	253	contractual provisions to the contrary, the payments made pursuant to 193
254	254	subsection (c) of this section shall be first applied to any cost borne by 194
255	255	the member, spouse, surviving spouse or disabled dependent 195
256	256	participating in any such plan. 196
257	257	(4) As used in this subsection, "last employing board of education" 197
258	258	means the board of education by which such member was employed 198
259	259	when such member filed his or her initial application for retirement, and 199
260	260	"health insurance plans" means hospital, medical, major medical, dental, 200
261	261	prescription drug or auditory benefit plans that are available to active 201
262	262	teachers. 202
263	263	(c) (1) On and after July 1, 2022, the board shall pay a subsidy of two 203
264	264	hundred twenty dollars, to the board of education or to the state, if 204
265	265	applicable, on behalf of any member who is receiving retirement 205
266	266	benefits or a disability allowance from the system, the spouse of such 206
267	267	member, the surviving spouse of such member, or a disabled dependent 207
268	268	of such member if there is no spouse or surviving spouse, who is 208
269	269	participating in a health insurance plan maintained by a board of 209
270	270	Raised Bill No. 1525
271	271
272	272
273	273
274	274	LCO No. 3568 8 of 11
275	275
276	276	education or by the state, if applicable. Such payment shall not exceed 210
277	277	the actual cost of such insurance. 211
278	278	(2) With respect to any person participating in any such plan 212
279	279	pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, the state shall appropriate to 213
280	280	the board one-third of the cost of the subsidy, except that, for the fiscal 214
281	281	year ending June 30, 2013, the state shall appropriate twenty-five per 215
282	282	cent of the cost of the subsidy. On and after July 1, 2018, for the fiscal 216
283	283	year ending June 30, 2019, and for each fiscal year thereafter, fifty per 217
284	284	cent of the total amount appropriated by the state in each such fiscal 218
285	285	year for the state's share of the cost of such subsidies shall be paid to the 219
286	286	board on or before July first of such fiscal year, and the remaining fifty 220
287	287	per cent of such total amount shall be paid to the board on or before 221
288	288	December first of such fiscal year. 222
289	289	(3) No payment to a board of education pursuant to this subsection 223
290	290	may be used to reduce the amount of any premium payment on behalf 224
291	291	of any such member, spouse, surviving spouse, or disabled dependent, 225
292	292	made by such board pursuant to any agreement in effect on July 1, 1990. 226
293	293	On and after July 1, 2022, the board shall pay a subsidy of four hundred 227
294	294	forty dollars per month on behalf of the member, spouse or the 228
295	295	surviving spouse of such member who: (A) Has attained the normal 229
296	296	retirement age to participate in Medicare, (B) is not eligible for Medicare 230
297	297	Part A without cost, and (C) contributes at least four hundred forty 231
298	298	dollars per month towards his or her medical and prescription drug 232
299	299	plan provided by the board of education. 233
300	300	(d) The Treasurer shall establish a separate retired teachers' health 234
301	301	insurance premium account within the Teachers' Retirement Fund. 235
302	302	Commencing July 1, 1989, and annually thereafter all health benefit plan 236
303	303	contributions withheld under this chapter in excess of five hundred 237
304	304	thousand dollars shall, upon deposit in the Teachers' Retirement Fund, 238
305	305	be credited to such account. Interest derived from the investment of 239
306	306	funds in the account shall be credited to the account. Funds in the 240
307	307	account shall be used for (1) payments to boards of education pursuant 241
308	308	Raised Bill No. 1525
309	309
310	310
311	311
312	312	LCO No. 3568 9 of 11
313	313
314	314	to subsection (c) of this section and for payment of premiums on behalf 242
315	315	of members, spouses of members, surviving spouses of members or 243
316	316	disabled dependents of members participating in one or more health 244
317	317	insurance plans pursuant to subsection (a) of this section in an amount 245
318	318	equal to the difference between the amount paid pursuant to subsection 246
319	319	(a) of this section and the amount paid pursuant to subsection (c) of this 247
320	320	section, and (2) payments for professional fees associated with the 248
321	321	administration of the health benefit plans offered pursuant to this 249
322	322	section. If, during any fiscal year, there are insufficient funds in the 250
323	323	account for the purposes of all such payments, the General Assembly 251
324	324	shall appropriate sufficient funds to the account for such purpose. 252
325	325	(e) (1) Not later than the first business day of [February, May, August 253
326	326	and November] March, April, September and December of each year, 254
327	327	each employer shall submit to the board, in a format required by the 255
328	328	board, any information the board determines to be necessary concerning 256
329	329	additions, deletions and premium changes for the health insurance 257
330	330	subsidy program described in subsection (c) of this section. Any report 258
331	331	received by the board after the due date shall be processed in the 259
332	332	following quarterly cycle. An employer's failure to timely submit a 260
333	333	quarterly report shall result in a delay of the subsidy for that quarter 261
334	334	and the board shall pay the subsidy as a retroactive subsidy, as provided 262
335	335	in subdivision (2) of this subsection. 263
336	336	(2) Retroactive subsidy payments shall be limited to six months prior 264
337	337	to the first day of the month in which the board receives an untimely 265
338	338	report that includes newly eligible retired members or dependents. The 266
339	339	board shall pay the subsidy retroactively to the effective date of the 267
340	340	disability, provided any eligible members or dependents are added to 268
341	341	the report not later than the first quarter following the board's approval 269
342	342	of the disability and the member's disability allowance is initiated 270
343	343	within four months of board approval. The employer shall hold any 271
344	344	member or dependent harmless for any costs associated with, arising 272
345	345	from or out of the loss of the benefit of the subsidy as a result of the 273
346	346	employer's untimely or inaccurate filing of the quarterly report. 274
347	347	Raised Bill No. 1525
348	348
349	349
350	350
351	351	LCO No. 3568 10 of 11
352	352
353	353	Sec. 7. Subsection (c) of section 10-183aa of the general statutes is 275
354	354	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 276
355	355	2025): 277
356	356	(c) The board shall designate a medical committee to be composed of 278
357	357	no more than five physicians. If required, other physicians may be 279
358	358	employed to report on special cases. Such medical committee shall 280
359	359	review each eligible application for a disability allowance and shall 281
360	360	make findings and recommendations in writing to the board. The 282
361	361	medical committee shall perform additional examinations or case 283
362	362	reviews as deemed necessary by the board. Members of such committee 284
363	363	shall receive compensation for their services at a rate to be determined 285
364	364	by the board. 286
365	365	Sec. 8. Subsection (b) of section 4d-80 of the general statutes is 287
366	366	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 288
367	367	2025): 289
368	368	(b) The Governor shall appoint a chairperson from among the 290
369	369	members of the commission or their designees. Subject to the provisions 291
370	370	of chapter 67, and within available appropriations, the commission may 292
371	371	appoint an executive director and such other employees as may be 293
372	372	necessary for the discharge of the duties of the commission. 294
373	373	Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, the executive 295
374	374	director shall have the option to elect participation in the state 296
375	375	employees retirement system, or the alternate retirement program 297
376	376	established for eligible employees in higher education. [or the teachers' 298
377	377	retirement system.] 299
378	378	This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
379	379	sections:
380	380
381	381	Section 1 from passage 10-183b(15)
382	382	Sec. 2 from passage 10-183b(21)
383	383	Sec. 3 July 1, 2025 10-183g(g)
384	384	Sec. 4 July 1, 2025 10-183h(c)
385	385	Raised Bill No. 1525
386	386
387	387
388	388
389	389	LCO No. 3568 11 of 11
390	390
391	391	Sec. 5 July 1, 2025 10-183l(a)
392	392	Sec. 6 July 1, 2025 10-183t
393	393	Sec. 7 July 1, 2025 10-183aa(c)
394	394	Sec. 8 July 1, 2025 4d-80(b)
395	395
396	396	Statement of Purpose:
397	397	To implement the Teachers' Retirement Board's recommendations for
398	398	changes to the teachers' retirement system statutes.
399	399	[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
400	400	that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
401	401	underlined.]
402	402