| 1 | 1 | | 86R2594 PMO-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Hernandez H.B. No. 839 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the group benefits advisory committee for the board of |
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| 8 | 8 | | trustees of the Employees Retirement System of Texas. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 1551, Insurance Code, is amended by |
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| 11 | 11 | | adding Subchapter K to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SUBCHAPTER K. GROUP BENEFITS ADVISORY COMMITTEE |
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| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 1551.501. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "committee" |
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| 14 | 14 | | means the group benefits advisory committee established by the |
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| 15 | 15 | | board of trustees. |
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| 16 | 16 | | Sec. 1551.502. COMMITTEE APPOINTMENT. (a) The board of |
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| 17 | 17 | | trustees shall appoint the committee members. |
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| 18 | 18 | | (b) The staff of the board of trustees shall name nominees |
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| 19 | 19 | | for appointment after the staff considers applications for |
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| 20 | 20 | | committee membership from interested parties. The board of |
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| 21 | 21 | | trustees shall establish the application and nomination process. |
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| 22 | 22 | | Sec. 1551.503. COMMITTEE COMPOSITION; TERM. (a) The |
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| 23 | 23 | | committee is composed of not more than 11 members. |
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| 24 | 24 | | (b) Committee members serve staggered three-year terms. |
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| 25 | 25 | | Sec. 1551.504. COMMITTEE MEMBER DIVERSITY; QUALIFICATIONS. |
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| 26 | 26 | | (a) The board of trustees shall appoint committee members from a |
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| 27 | 27 | | diverse cross-section of agencies covered by the group benefits |
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| 28 | 28 | | program and other stakeholders as determined by the board. |
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| 29 | 29 | | (b) The appointees must meet qualifications and comply with |
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| 30 | 30 | | requirements and restrictions established by the board of trustees |
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| 31 | 31 | | to retain a position on the committee and participate in committee |
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| 32 | 32 | | business. |
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| 33 | 33 | | Sec. 1551.505. AT WILL MEMBERSHIP. Committee members serve |
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| 34 | 34 | | at the will of the board of trustees and may be removed at any time |
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| 35 | 35 | | at the discretion of the board. |
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| 36 | 36 | | Sec. 1551.506. PRESIDING OFFICER. The presiding officer of |
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| 37 | 37 | | the board of trustees shall appoint a chairperson of the committee |
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| 38 | 38 | | from the committee's membership to serve a one-year term. |
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| 39 | 39 | | Sec. 1551.507. DUTIES OF COMMITTEE. The committee shall: |
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| 40 | 40 | | (1) advise and consult with the board of trustees on |
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| 41 | 41 | | matters concerning all group coverages provided under this chapter; |
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| 42 | 42 | | (2) present recommendations to the board regarding |
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| 43 | 43 | | other existing or proposed state employee benefits, other than |
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| 44 | 44 | | retirement benefits; and |
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| 45 | 45 | | (3) cooperate and work with the board in coordinating |
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| 46 | 46 | | and correlating the administration of the group benefits program |
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| 47 | 47 | | among the various state agencies. |
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| 48 | 48 | | Sec. 1551.508. MEETINGS. (a) The committee shall have |
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| 49 | 49 | | regular meetings and may have special meetings to conduct committee |
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| 50 | 50 | | business. |
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| 51 | 51 | | (b) The board of trustees shall establish the date, time, |
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| 52 | 52 | | and location of any meeting under this section and the procedures |
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| 53 | 53 | | for convening and conducting committee meetings. |
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| 54 | 54 | | (c) The committee is not a governmental body as defined by |
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| 55 | 55 | | Chapter 551, Government Code. The board of trustees may establish |
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| 56 | 56 | | notice requirements for any committee meeting. |
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| 57 | 57 | | Sec. 1551.509. MEETING MINUTES. Not less than twice |
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| 58 | 58 | | annually, the staff of the board of trustees shall prepare and |
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| 59 | 59 | | provide to the board minutes or summaries of committee meetings. |
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| 60 | 60 | | Sec. 1551.510. COMMITTEE REPORT. (a) At least once |
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| 61 | 61 | | annually during a public meeting of the board of trustees, the |
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| 62 | 62 | | committee shall present a report of the committee activities, |
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| 63 | 63 | | findings, and recommendations. |
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| 64 | 64 | | (b) The staff of the board of directors shall assist the |
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| 65 | 65 | | committee in preparing the report and presentation. |
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| 66 | 66 | | (c) The executive director may require the committee to |
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| 67 | 67 | | present the report required under Subsection (a) more than once a |
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| 68 | 68 | | year. |
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| 69 | 69 | | Sec. 1551.511. COMMITTEE MEMBER EXPENSES. The board of |
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| 70 | 70 | | trustees may determine by rule the amount and manner of expense |
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| 71 | 71 | | reimbursement to be paid to committee members. |
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| 72 | 72 | | Sec. 1551.512. CONSTRUCTION WITH OTHER LAW. To the extent |
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| 73 | 73 | | of any conflict between Chapter 2110, Government Code, and a |
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| 74 | 74 | | provision of this chapter, this chapter controls. |
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| 75 | 75 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |
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