| 1 | 1 | | By: Blanco H.B. No. 1597 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 6 | | relating to state assistance for school employees uniform group |
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| 7 | 7 | | health coverage. |
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| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Section 42.260(c), Education Code, is amended to |
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| 10 | 10 | | read as follows: |
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| 11 | 11 | | (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this code, a |
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| 12 | 12 | | school district or participating charter school may use the |
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| 13 | 13 | | following amount of funds only to pay contributions under a group |
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| 14 | 14 | | health coverage plan for district or school employees: |
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| 15 | 15 | | (1) an amount equal to 75 percent of the amount |
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| 16 | 16 | | certified for the district or school under Subsection (b); or |
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| 17 | 17 | | (2) if the following amount is less than the amount |
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| 18 | 18 | | specified by Subdivision (1), the sum of: |
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| 19 | 19 | | (A) the amount determined by multiplying the |
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| 20 | 20 | | amount of $1,800 [$900] or the amount specified in the General |
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| 21 | 21 | | Appropriations Act for that year for purposes of the state |
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| 22 | 22 | | contribution under Section 1579.251 [9, Article 3.50-7], Insurance |
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| 23 | 23 | | Code, by the number of district or school employees who participate |
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| 24 | 24 | | in a group health coverage plan provided by or through the district |
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| 25 | 25 | | or school; and |
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| 26 | 26 | | (B) the difference between the amount necessary |
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| 27 | 27 | | for the district or school to comply with Section 1581.052 [Section |
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| 28 | 28 | | 3, Article 3.50-9], Insurance Code, for the school year and the |
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| 29 | 29 | | amount the district or school is required to use to provide health |
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| 30 | 30 | | coverage under Section 1581.051, Insurance Code, [2 of that |
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| 31 | 31 | | article] for that year. |
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| 32 | 32 | | SECTION 2. Section 1579.251, Insurance Code, is amended to |
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| 33 | 33 | | read as follows: |
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| 34 | 34 | | Sec. 1579.251. STATE ASSISTANCE. (a) The state shall |
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| 35 | 35 | | assist employees of participating school districts and charter |
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| 36 | 36 | | schools in the purchase of group health coverage under this chapter |
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| 37 | 37 | | by providing for each covered employee the amount of |
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| 38 | 38 | | $1,800 [$900] |
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| 39 | 39 | | each state fiscal year or a greater amount as provided by the |
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| 40 | 40 | | General Appropriations Act. The state contribution shall be |
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| 41 | 41 | | distributed through the school finance formulas under Chapters 41 |
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| 42 | 42 | | and 42, Education Code, and used by school districts and charter |
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| 43 | 43 | | schools as provided by Section 42.260, Education Code. |
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| 44 | 44 | | (b) The state shall assist employees of participating |
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| 45 | 45 | | regional education service centers and educational districts |
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| 46 | 46 | | described by Section 1579.002(5)(B) in the purchase of group health |
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| 47 | 47 | | coverage under this chapter by providing to the employing service |
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| 48 | 48 | | center or educational district, for each covered employee, the |
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| 49 | 49 | | amount of $1,800 [$900] each state fiscal year or a greater amount |
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| 50 | 50 | | as provided by the General Appropriations Act. |
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| 51 | 51 | | SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2015-2016 |
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| 52 | 52 | | school year. |
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| 53 | 53 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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