Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Texas House Bill HB1297 Compare Versions

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1	1	85R1893 SCL-F
2	2	By: Frullo H.B. No. 1297
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to a specialty certification for insurance agents who have
8	8	completed certain training regarding self-insured health benefit
9	9	plans.
10	10	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	SECTION 1. Chapter 4054, Insurance Code, is amended by
12	12	adding Subchapter I to read as follows:
13	13	SUBCHAPTER I. SPECIALTY CERTIFICATION FOR AGENTS TRAINED REGARDING
14	14	SELF-INSURED HEALTH BENEFIT PLANS
15	15	Sec. 4054.401. CERTIFICATION PROGRAM. The department shall
16	16	establish a voluntary specialty certification program for
17	17	individuals who have completed training in accordance with this
18	18	subchapter regarding self-insured health benefit plans.
19	19	Sec. 4054.402. QUALIFICATIONS. (a) To be eligible to
20	20	receive a specialty certification under this subchapter, an
21	21	individual must:
22	22	(1) hold a general life, accident, and health license
23	23	under this chapter;
24	24	(2) satisfy the requirements of this subchapter; and
25	25	(3) submit evidence of completion of training to the
26	26	department in the manner prescribed by the commissioner.
27	27	(b) To maintain a specialty certification under this
28	28	subchapter, an individual must continue to hold a general life,
29	29	accident, and health license under this chapter.
30	30	Sec. 4054.403. INITIAL TRAINING. (a) To be certified
31	31	under this subchapter, an individual must first complete training
32	32	in the law applicable to self-insured health benefit plans.
33	33	(b) An individual seeking specialty certification under
34	34	this subchapter must complete a course applicable to self-insured
35	35	health benefit plans, as prescribed and approved by the
36	36	commissioner. Except as provided by Subsection (c), an individual
37	37	is not eligible for the specialty certification unless, on
38	38	completion of the course, it is certified to the commissioner as
39	39	required by the department that the individual has:
40	40	(1) completed the course; and
41	41	(2) passed an examination testing the individual's
42	42	knowledge and qualification.
43	43	(c) An individual seeking specialty certification under
44	44	this subchapter is not required to complete the course and
45	45	examination required by Subsection (b) if the individual
46	46	demonstrates to the department, in the manner prescribed by the
47	47	department, that the individual holds a designation as:
48	48	(1) a Registered Health Underwriter (RHU);
49	49	(2) a Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS); or
50	50	(3) a Registered Employee Benefits Consultant (REBC).
51	51	Sec. 4054.404. RENEWAL. To renew a specialty certification
52	52	under this subchapter, the individual must complete during the
53	53	two-year certification period the number of hours of continuing
54	54	education applicable to self-insured health benefit plans that are
55	55	required by the commissioner by rule.
56	56	Sec. 4054.405. SATISFACTION OF CONTINUING EDUCATION
57	57	REQUIREMENTS. Each hour of education completed in accordance with
58	58	this subchapter to obtain or renew a specialty certification may be
59	59	used to satisfy an hour of a continuing education requirement
60	60	otherwise applicable to the agent under this title.
61	61	Sec. 4054.406. ADVERTISING. An individual who holds a
62	62	specialty certification under this subchapter may advertise, in the
63	63	manner specified by department rule, that the individual is
64	64	specially trained regarding self-insured health benefit plans.
65	65	Sec. 4054.407. LIST MAINTAINED BY DEPARTMENT; WEBSITE. The
66	66	department shall maintain a list of all individuals who hold a
67	67	specialty certification under this subchapter, together with the
68	68	business address and phone number of each individual and a general
69	69	description of the individual's service area. The department shall
70	70	publish the list on the department website.
71	71	Sec. 4054.408. RULES. The commissioner, in accordance with
72	72	Section 36.001, may adopt rules as necessary to administer this
73	73	subchapter.
74	74	SECTION 2. Section 4001.002(a-1), Insurance Code, is
75	75	amended to read as follows:
76	76	(a-1) Except as otherwise provided by this code, this title
77	77	applies to each individual who holds a specialty certification
78	78	under Subchapter H or I, Chapter 4054.
79	79	SECTION 3. Not later than January 1, 2018, the Texas
80	80	Department of Insurance may begin issuing specialty certifications
81	81	under Subchapter I, Chapter 4054, Insurance Code, as added by this
82	82	Act.
83	83	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.