SLS 14RS-4481 ORIGINAL Page 1 of 2 Regular Session, 2014 SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 185 BY SENATOR ERDEY EDUCATION DEPARTMENT. Urge and request the Louisiana School Board Association, the Louisiana Department of Insurance, and the Louisiana Department of Education to study the portability of health insurance benefits for employees and retirees of local public school systems. A RESOLUTION1 To urge and request the Louisiana School Board Association, the Louisiana Department of2 Insurance, and the Louisiana Department of Education to study the portability of3 health insurance benefits for employees and retirees of local public school systems.4 WHEREAS, the employees of the public school systems of this state are entrusted5 with our most precious resource, our children; and6 WHEREAS, these faithful public servants are deserving of compensation7 commensurate with the efforts they expend in instructing and nurturing Louisiana's school8 children; and9 WHEREAS, one important part of this compensation package is the opportunity to10 participate in a group health insurance plan, both during their active working lifetimes and11 into the golden years of their retirement; and12 WHEREAS, retirement credit in the public retirement systems for these educators13 and support personnel is portable throughout Louisiana's many city, parish, and other local14 public school systems, providing flexibility and mobility for the employees and their15 families, and allowing benefit accrual reflective of a career in the profession; and16 WHEREAS, at the present time in Louisiana, participation in a group health17 insurance plan is not universally portable among all public school systems, making it more18 SR NO. 185 SLS 14RS-4481 ORIGINAL Page 2 of 2 difficult to attain the participation necessary to carry the group health insurance into1 retirement; and2 WHEREAS, access to affordable group health insurance is of paramount importance3 after retirement, and portability of participation in an employer's group health insurance plan4 during an employee's working lifetime appears, as a matter of public policy, to be a sensible5 path to attaining the best health insurance coverage for these retirees.6 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana7 does hereby urge and request the Louisiana School Board Association, the Louisiana8 Department of Insurance, and the Louisiana Department of Education to study the portability9 of health insurance benefits for employees and retirees of local public school systems.10 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Louisiana School Board Association, the11 Louisiana Department of Insurance, and the Louisiana Department of Education make12 recommendations to the Senate Committee on Insurance no later than February 1, 2015, for13 possible legislation to address this matter.14 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be sent to the executive15 director of the Louisiana School Board Association, the commissioner of insurance, and the16 state superintendent of education.17 The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Alan Miller. DIGEST Erdey SR No. 185 Requests the Louisiana School Board Association, the Louisiana Department of Insurance, and the Louisiana Department of Education to study the portability of health insurance benefits for employees and retirees of local public school systems. Requires that the Louisiana School Board Association, the Louisiana Department of Insurance, and the Louisiana Department of Education make recommendations to the Senate Committee on Insurance no later than February 1, 2015, for possible legislation to address this matter.