Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas House Bill HB2275 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	84R7573 LED-D
2	2	By: Naishtat H.B. No. 2275
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the authority of certain university systems to provide
8	8	benefits to certain qualified individuals.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Section 1601.004(b)(2), Insurance Code, is
11	11	amended to read as follows:
12	12	(2) "Spouse" means a party to a marriage recognized by
13	13	the laws of this state, including an informal marriage under
14	14	Subchapter E, Chapter 2, [has the meaning assigned by the] Family
15	15	Code.
16	16	SECTION 2. Section 1601.107, Insurance Code, is amended to
17	17	read as follows:
18	18	Sec. 1601.107. COVERAGE FOR DEPENDENTS AND QUALIFIED
19	19	INDIVIDUALS. (a) An individual who is eligible to participate in
20	20	the uniform program under Section 1601.101, 1601.102, or 1601.1021
21	21	is entitled to secure for a dependent of the individual, or for a
22	22	qualified individual, any group coverages provided under this
23	23	chapter for dependents under rules adopted by the applicable
24	24	system.
25	25	(b) For purposes of this section, "qualified individual"
26	26	means an individual who:
27	27	(1) during the preceding 12 months has continuously
28	28	resided in the same household with an individual who is eligible to
29	29	participate in the uniform program as described by Subsection (a);
30	30	(2) is at least 18 years of age;
31	31	(3) is not the spouse of the eligible individual; and
32	32	(4) is directly dependent on, or interdependent with,
33	33	the eligible individual, sharing a common financial obligation as
34	34	described by Subsection (c).
35	35	(c) A relationship of dependence or interdependence under
36	36	Subsection (b)(4) may be established by providing:
37	37	(1) any three of the following documents:
38	38	(A) a joint loan obligation, mortgage, or lease,
39	39	or a document reflecting joint ownership of a vehicle;
40	40	(B) a life insurance policy, retirement benefits
41	41	account, or will of one of the individuals that designates the other
42	42	as beneficiary or executor;
43	43	(C) a mutually granted power of attorney for
44	44	purposes of health care or financial management;
45	45	(D) a document showing that each individual is
46	46	authorized to sign for purposes of the other's bank or credit
47	47	account; and
48	48	(E) documentary proof of a joint bank or credit
49	49	account; and
50	50	(2) a sworn statement attesting to authenticity and
51	51	truthfulness of documents and representations provided under this
52	52	section.
53	53	SECTION 3. Sections 1601.201(b) and (c), Insurance Code,
54	54	are amended to read as follows:
55	55	(b) For an employee designated by the system as working 40
56	56	or more hours a week, the system may contribute:
57	57	(1) the full cost of basic coverage for the employee;
58	58	[and]
59	59	(2) not more than 50 percent of the cost of dependent
60	60	coverage; and
61	61	(3) no amount of the cost of coverage of a qualified
62	62	individual, as that term is defined by Section 1601.107(b).
63	63	(c) For an employee designated by the system as working less
64	64	than 40 hours a week, including an individual employed by the system
65	65	in a position that as a condition of employment requires the
66	66	individual to be enrolled as a student in the system in
67	67	graduate-level courses, the system, from money appropriated from
68	68	the general revenue fund, may contribute:
69	69	(1) not more than 50 percent of the cost of basic
70	70	coverage for the employee; [and]
71	71	(2) not more than 25 percent of the cost of dependent
72	72	coverage; and
73	73	(3) no amount of the cost of coverage of a qualified
74	74	individual, as that term is defined by Section 1601.107(b).
75	75	SECTION 4. Section 1601.203, Insurance Code, is amended to
76	76	read as follows:
77	77	Sec. 1601.203. PAYMENT FOR COVERAGE FOR DEPENDENTS AND
78	78	QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS. Contributions for coverages for a qualified
79	79	individual, as that term is defined by Section 1601.107(b), or for a
80	80	dependent of an individual eligible to participate in the uniform
81	81	program under Section 1601.101 or 1601.102 required of the
82	82	participant that exceed the amount of system contributions shall be
83	83	paid:
84	84	(1) by a deduction from the monthly compensation of
85	85	the participant;
86	86	(2) by a reduction of the monthly compensation of the
87	87	participant in the appropriate amount; or
88	88	(3) in the form and manner the system determines.
89	89	SECTION 5. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
90	90	group coverages provided under Chapter 1601, Insurance Code,
91	91	beginning with the 2015-2016 plan year. A plan year before
92	92	2015-2016 is governed by the law as it existed immediately before
93	93	September 1, 2015, and that law is continued in effect for that
94	94	purpose.
95	95	SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.