Bill Text: MS HB673 | 2020 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Group health insurance; allow local governing authorities to pay employees' benefits for dependents.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2020-03-03 - Died In Committee [HB673 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2020-HB673-Introduced.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2020 Regular Session
To: County Affairs
By: Representative Bennett
House Bill 673
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 25-15-103, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE THE GOVERNING AUTHORITY OF ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT, JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT, INSTITUTION, DEPARTMENT OR AGENCY OF A COUNTY OR MUNICIPALITY TO PAY THE TOTAL OF OR ANY PART OF THE COST OF ADDITIONAL BENEFITS FOR THE DEPENDENTS OF PARTICIPATING EMPLOYEES IN CERTAIN GROUP COVERAGE PLAN BENEFITS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 25-15-103, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
25-15-103. (1) The maximum
amount of group insurance or other coverage used in determining employer's
limitation of one hundred percent (100%) of such costs shall be determined by
regulations promulgated by the governing board or head of any political
subdivision, school district, junior college district, institution, department
or agency named in Section 25-15-101 and this section, but the life insurance
for each employee shall not exceed Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00), or the
amount of deduction allowed by the United States Internal Revenue Service in
filing a federal tax return, whichever is greater. A like amount may be for
accidental death * * *,
accident, health and salary protection insurance, providing benefits not exceeding
sixty percent (60%) of the employee's income, or the amount allowed by the
United States Internal Revenue Service in filing a federal tax return,
whichever is greater. Hospitalization benefits for room and board may not
exceed the average semiprivate cost per day; and the other coverages authorized
hereinabove. The limitations in this paragraph on the amount of group
insurance and other coverage which employers may obtain for their employees
shall not be applicable to municipalities.
(2) Any employee who retires due to one hundred percent (100%) medical disability, or due to reaching the statutory age of retirement under the provisions of the Public Employees' Retirement Law of 1952, being Sections 25-11-101 through 25-11-139, may, if he elects, remain a member of the group plan for such life insurance and other benefits as may be agreed to by the governing board or institution, department, or agency head and the companies writing such insurance and other coverage, by paying the entire costs thereof.
(3) When any of the
political subdivisions, school districts, junior college districts,
institutions, departments, or agencies named in Section 25-15-101 and this
section have adopted the group coverage plan authorized by said sections, any
of the employees thereof participating in the plan who desire to secure
additional benefits for their dependents with the company or companies
providing such group coverage may do so by authorizing in writing the deduction
from his or her salary or wages of the necessary amounts for the full payment
of such additional coverage, and the same may be deducted and paid for such
purposes, * * * or at the discretion of the governing authority of the
school district, junior college district, institution, department or agency
named in Section 25-15-101, such governing authority may pay the total of or
any part of the cost of all benefits under this subsection, and may do so
retroactively for any existing group coverage plan previously adopted by such
governing authority.
(4) (a) A municipality may provide group life insurance coverage for all or specified groups of its public employees and group hospitalization benefits for such public employees and their dependents, and the municipality may pay the total of the cost of all benefits under this section.
(b) A county may provide group life insurance coverage for all or specified groups of its public employees and group hospitalization benefits for such public employees and their dependents, and the county may pay the total of the cost of all benefits under this section. A county may make such provision, as specified under this paragraph, retroactively for any existing group coverage plan previously adopted by the county.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2020.
