EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*sb0417*
SENATE BILL 417
P4 2lr1727
CF HB 379
By: Senator Feldman
Introduced and read first time: January 26, 2022
Assigned to: Budget and Taxation
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: March 5, 2022
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
State Employee and Retiree Health and Welfare Benefits Program – Eligibility 2
for Enrollment and Participation 3
(Independent Agency Health Insurance Option Act) 4
FOR the purpose of authorizing employees of the Maryland Agricultural and 5
Resource–Based Industry Development Corporation, and the Maryland Clean 6
Energy Center, and the Bainbridge Development Corporation to enroll and 7
participate in the health insurance benefit options established under the State 8
Employee and Retiree Health and Welfare Benefits Program under certain 9
circumstances; requiring the Secretary of Budget and Management to make a certain 10
determination within a certain period of time; requiring the Secretary of Budget and 11
Management to submit a certain report; and generally relating to the State 12
Employee and Retiree Health and Welfare Benefits Program. 13
BY adding to 14
Article – State Personnel and Pensions 15
Section 2–515.3 16
Annotated Code of Maryland 17
(2015 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 18
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 19
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 20
Article – State Personnel and Pensions 21
2 SENATE BILL 417
2–515.3. 1
(A) THIS SECTION APPLIES TO THE MARYLAND AGRICULTURAL AND 2
RESOURCE–BASED INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION , AND THE MARYLAND 3
CLEAN ENERGY CENTER, AND THE BAINBRIDGE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION . 4
(B) IF THE SECRETARY DETERMINES THAT AN ENTITY SUBJE CT TO THIS 5
SECTION IS AN ELIGIB LE ENTITY, AN EMPLOYEE OF THE E NTITY MAY ENROLL AND 6
PARTICIPATE IN THE H EALTH INSURANCE BENE FIT OPTIONS ESTABLIS HED UNDER 7
THE PROGRAM WITH THE APPR OVAL OF THE ENTITY . 8
(C) AN ENTITY SUBJECT TO THIS SECTION SHALL : 9
(1) PAY TO THE STATE THE TOTAL COSTS RESULTING FROM THE 10
PARTICIPATION OF ITS EMPLOYEES IN THE PROGRAM; AND 11
(2) DETERMINE THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE ENTITY WILL SUBSIDIZE 12
PARTICIPATION OF ITS EMPLOYEES IN THE PROGRAM. 13
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That: 14
(a) Within 30 60 days of the effective date of this Act, the Secretary of Budget and 15
Management shall determine whether the entities subject to § 2–515.3 of the State 16
Personnel and Pensions Article, as enacted by Section 1 of this Act, are eligible to enroll 17
and participate in the health insurance benefit options established under the State 18
Employee and Retirement Health and Welfare Benefits Program. 19
(b) The Secretary shall notify the Department of Legislative Services within 5 20
days of making the determination required under subsection (a) of this section. 21
(c) If the Secretary determines that all of the entities subject to § 2–515.3 of the 22
State Personnel and Pensions Article, as enacted by Section 1 of this Act, are not eligible 23
to enroll and participate in the health insurance benefit options established under the 24
Program, this Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be 25
abrogated and of no further force and effect. 26
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That, on or before December 1, 27
2022, the Secretary of Budget and Management shall submit a report, in accordance with 28
§ 2–1257 of the State Government Article, to the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee 29
and the House Appropriations Committee on the participation by non–State entities in the 30
State Employee and Retiree Health and Welfare Benefits Program, including: 31
(1) the non–State entities approved to participate in the program; 32
(2) the benefits in which employees and retirees of each entity are eligible 33
to participate; 34 SENATE BILL 417 3
(3) the aggregate number of employees and retirees of non–State entities 1
participating in the program; and 2
(4) the employer subsidies provided by each participating entity. 3
SECTION 3. 4. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 4
July 1, 2022. 5
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.