Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Texas House Bill HB4492 Latest Draft

Bill / Introduced Version Filed 03/08/2019

                            86R12480 LED-F
 By: Herrero H.B. No. 4492


 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 AN ACT
 relating to enrollment of certain retirees in and cost-sharing for
 the Texas Public School Employees Group Insurance Program.
 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 SECTION 1.  Section 1575.161, Insurance Code, is amended by
 adding Subsections (b) and (c) to read as follows:
 (b)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a), the trustee by rule
 shall provide one opportunity to reenroll in a health benefit plan
 offered under the group program for an otherwise eligible retiree:
 (1)  who is eligible to enroll in Medicare;
 (2)  whose initial enrollment was voluntarily
 terminated on or after January 1, 2017, and on or before December
 31, 2018; and
 (3)  who opts to reenroll on or before December 31,
 2023.
 (c)  Subsection (b) and this subsection expire September 1,
 2024.
 SECTION 2.  Section 1575.202(a), Insurance Code, is amended
 to read as follows:
 (a)  Each state fiscal year, the state shall contribute to
 the fund an amount equal to a percentage [1.25 percent] of the
 salary of each active employee as follows:
 (1)  for the 2020 and 2021 fiscal years, 2.25 percent;
 (2)  for the 2022 fiscal year, 2.5 percent;
 (3)  for the 2023 fiscal year, 2.75 percent;
 (4)  for the 2024 fiscal year, three percent;
 (5)  for the 2025 fiscal year, 3.25 percent;
 (6)  for the 2026 fiscal year, 3.5 percent;
 (7)  for the 2027 fiscal year, 3.75 percent;
 (8)  for the 2028 fiscal year, four percent; and
 (9)  for the 2029 fiscal year, and each subsequent
 fiscal year, 4.25 percent.
 SECTION 3.  Section 1575.212, Insurance Code, is amended by
 adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
 (c)  The trustee may not increase the payments under
 Subsection (a-1) for a biennium in which the legislature does not
 increase annuities under Chapter 824, Government Code.
 SECTION 4.  (a) Not later than November 1, 2019, the Teacher
 Retirement System of Texas shall adopt rules necessary to implement
 Section 1575.161(b), Insurance Code, as added by this Act.
 (b)  Rules adopted by the Teacher Retirement System of Texas
 under Section 1575.161(b), Insurance Code, as added by this Act,
 must apply to a retiree described by that subsection, regardless of
 whether the termination of the retiree's initial enrollment
 occurred before, on, or after the effective date of the rules or
 this Act.
 SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
 Act takes effect September 1, 2019.