Bill Text: TX HB97 | 2021 | 87th Legislature 2nd Special Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to vaccination requirements for health benefit plans or insurance policies provided to business entities.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 3-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-08-07 - Filed [HB97 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-HB97-Introduced.html
| 87S20377 SCL-F | ||
| By: Middleton | H.B. No. 97 | |
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| relating to vaccination requirements for health benefit plans or | ||
| insurance policies provided to business entities. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Chapter 544, Insurance Code, is amended by | ||
| adding Subchapter O to read as follows: | ||
| SUBCHAPTER O. VACCINATION STATUS | ||
| Sec. 544.701. APPLICABILITY OF SUBCHAPTER. (a) This | ||
| subchapter applies to the issuer of a health benefit plan that | ||
| provides benefits for medical or surgical expenses incurred as a | ||
| result of a health condition, accident, or sickness, including a | ||
| group, blanket, or franchise insurance policy or insurance | ||
| agreement, a group hospital service contract, or a group evidence | ||
| of coverage or similar coverage document that is offered by: | ||
| (1) an insurance company; | ||
| (2) a group hospital service corporation operating | ||
| under Chapter 842; | ||
| (3) a health maintenance organization operating under | ||
| Chapter 843; | ||
| (4) an approved nonprofit health corporation that | ||
| holds a certificate of authority under Chapter 844; | ||
| (5) a multiple employer welfare arrangement that holds | ||
| a certificate of authority under Chapter 846; | ||
| (6) a stipulated premium company operating under | ||
| Chapter 884; | ||
| (7) a fraternal benefit society operating under | ||
| Chapter 885; | ||
| (8) a Lloyd's plan operating under Chapter 941; or | ||
| (9) an exchange operating under Chapter 942. | ||
| (b) Notwithstanding any other law, this subchapter applies | ||
| to: | ||
| (1) a small employer health benefit plan subject to | ||
| Chapter 1501, including coverage provided through a health group | ||
| cooperative under Subchapter B of that chapter; and | ||
| (2) a standard health benefit plan issued under | ||
| Chapter 1507. | ||
| (c) This subchapter applies to a life insurance company | ||
| that: | ||
| (1) issues or delivers a life insurance policy in this | ||
| state; or | ||
| (2) is organized under the laws of this state. | ||
| (d) This subchapter applies to an insurer offering a | ||
| property and casualty insurance policy to a business entity. | ||
| Sec. 544.702. VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS PROHIBITED. An | ||
| insurer or other issuer offering a health benefit plan, life | ||
| insurance policy, property and casualty insurance policy, or any | ||
| other insurance policy written for business entities may not | ||
| discriminate against an employee without a vaccination by requiring | ||
| as a condition to purchase or maintain coverage, including an | ||
| endorsement, that each of the business's employees is vaccinated. | ||
| SECTION 2. Subchapter O, Chapter 544, Insurance Code, as | ||
| added by this Act, applies only to a health benefit plan or | ||
| insurance policy delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed on or | ||
| after January 1, 2022. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect on the 91st day after the | ||
| last day of the legislative session. | ||
