Bill Text: TX SB29 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Comm Sub
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating to the eligibility of certain postdoctoral fellows and graduate students to participate in health benefit programs at public institutions of higher education.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2011-06-17 - See remarks for effective date [SB29 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-SB29-Comm_Sub.html
Bill Title: Relating to the eligibility of certain postdoctoral fellows and graduate students to participate in health benefit programs at public institutions of higher education.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2011-06-17 - See remarks for effective date [SB29 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-SB29-Comm_Sub.html
By: Zaffirini | S.B. No. 29 | |
(Branch) | ||
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relating to the eligibility of certain postdoctoral fellows and | ||
graduate students to participate in health benefit programs at | ||
public institutions of higher education. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 1551, Insurance Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 1551.1022 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 1551.1022. PARTICIPATION ELIGIBILITY: CERTAIN | ||
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS AND GRADUATE STUDENTS. (a) An individual who | ||
is not eligible to participate in the group benefits program under | ||
Section 1551.101 is eligible to participate in the group benefits | ||
program under this section if the individual, at an institution of | ||
higher education: | ||
(1) holds: | ||
(A) a postdoctoral fellowship; or | ||
(B) one or more graduate student fellowships | ||
awarded to the individual on a competitive basis that, either | ||
singly or in combination, are valued at not less than $10,000 per | ||
year; and | ||
(2) is currently receiving a stipend from an | ||
applicable fellowship. | ||
(b) An individual who is eligible to participate in the | ||
group benefits program under this section shall pay all | ||
contributions required under this chapter for the coverage selected | ||
by the individual, except that an institution of higher education | ||
may make contributions for the individual from available funds | ||
other than money appropriated to the institution from the general | ||
revenue fund. | ||
(c) An institution of higher education shall determine | ||
which individuals are eligible to participate in the group benefits | ||
program under this section and, at the time of initial eligibility, | ||
shall notify each individual of the individual's eligibility to | ||
participate in the program. | ||
(d) An individual who participates in the group benefits | ||
program under this section is not considered an employee of an | ||
institution of higher education solely as a result of the | ||
individual's participation in the program. | ||
SECTION 2. Section 1551.151, Insurance Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
Sec. 1551.151. ENTITLEMENT TO COVERAGE. An individual who | ||
is eligible to participate in the group benefits program under | ||
Section 1551.101, [ |
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for a dependent of the individual any group coverages provided | ||
under this chapter, as determined by the board of trustees and | ||
subject to the exceptions provided by this subchapter. | ||
SECTION 3. Subchapter C, Chapter 1601, Insurance Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 1601.1021 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 1601.1021. PARTICIPATION ELIGIBILITY: CERTAIN | ||
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS AND GRADUATE STUDENTS. (a) An individual who | ||
is not eligible to participate in the uniform program under Section | ||
1601.101 is eligible to participate in the uniform program under | ||
this section if the individual, at an institution in a system: | ||
(1) holds: | ||
(A) a postdoctoral fellowship; or | ||
(B) one or more graduate student fellowships | ||
awarded to the individual on a competitive basis that, either | ||
singly or in combination, are valued at not less than $10,000 per | ||
year; and | ||
(2) is currently receiving a stipend from an | ||
applicable fellowship. | ||
(b) An individual who is eligible to participate in the | ||
uniform program under this section shall pay all contributions | ||
required under this chapter for the coverage selected by the | ||
individual, except that an institution of higher education may make | ||
contributions for the individual from available funds other than | ||
money appropriated to the institution from the general revenue | ||
fund. | ||
(c) An institution of higher education shall determine | ||
which individuals are eligible to participate in the uniform | ||
program under this section and, at the time of initial eligibility, | ||
shall notify each individual of the individual's eligibility to | ||
participate in the program. | ||
(d) An individual who participates in the uniform program | ||
under this section is not considered an employee of an institution | ||
of higher education solely as a result of the individual's | ||
participation in the program. | ||
SECTION 4. Section 1601.107, Insurance Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
Sec. 1601.107. COVERAGE FOR DEPENDENTS. An individual who | ||
is eligible to participate in the uniform program under Section | ||
1601.101, [ |
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dependent of the individual any group coverages provided under this | ||
chapter for dependents under rules adopted by the applicable | ||
system. | ||
SECTION 5. Effective January 1, 2012, Subsection (d), | ||
Section 1601.101, Insurance Code, is repealed. | ||
SECTION 6. (a) The board of trustees of the Employees | ||
Retirement System of Texas shall include coverage under Section | ||
1551.1022, Insurance Code, as added by this Act, in an insurance | ||
policy or contract or evidence of coverage delivered, issued for | ||
delivery, or renewed on or after January 1, 2012. The board of | ||
trustees may include coverage under Section 1551.1022, Insurance | ||
Code, as added by this Act, in an insurance policy or contract or an | ||
evidence of coverage delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed | ||
before January 1, 2012, if the board of trustees determines that the | ||
coverage may reasonably be included. | ||
(b) The governing board of The University of Texas System or | ||
The Texas A&M University System, as applicable, shall include | ||
coverage under Section 1601.1021, Insurance Code, as added by this | ||
Act, in an insurance policy or contract or evidence of coverage | ||
delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed on or after January 1, | ||
2012. The governing board of a system may include coverage under | ||
Section 1601.1021, Insurance Code, as added by this Act, in an | ||
insurance policy or contract or an evidence of coverage delivered, | ||
issued for delivery, or renewed before January 1, 2012, if the | ||
governing board determines that the coverage may reasonably be | ||
included. | ||
SECTION 7. Except as otherwise provided by this Act, this | ||
Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |