The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Martha S. Hess. DIGEST SB 284 Original 2020 Regular Session Smith Present law, relative to state group insurance, provides for the eligibility of state and local employees, officials, and retirees to participate in programs of insurance, including group health insurance, sponsored by the office of group benefits (OGB). Present law adds to the list, as a special group, persons who are state employees who have completed not less than 10 years of continuous full-time state employment and who are terminated without cause or who resign, and persons who have completed not less than 10 years of continuous service as state elected officials who are either ineligible to run for reelection, fail to be reelected, or resign from elected office, and persons who have completed not less than 10 years of continuous service as state appointed officials and who are removed from office without cause or who resign or retire. Proposed law applies to persons who resigned. Present law provides that certain persons made eligible as part of a special group for participation in programs sponsored by OGB may elect to participate in group health insurance programs upon the end of their state service, provided they participated in a program of group health insurance sponsored by OGB for not less than ten consecutive years prior to the end of their service. One hundred percent of the premium cost for coverage of any person in such group electing to participate shall be paid entirely by such person and shall be risk rated by OGB. Proposed law provides that the election to continue insurance coverage pursuant to this Subsection shall be made by the employee on or before the termination of the employee's service and the payment of the premiums to be paid pursuant to present law shall begin on the date of termination. Effective August 1, 2020. (Amends R.S. 42:808(A)(11)(a) and 851(R))