An amended version of Texas House Bill 3453 passed yesterday. The original version would have allowed Texas school districts to opt out of the TRS ActiveCare health plan. Instead, the amended version creates an Interim Committee to study the issue for future consideration.
See final version:
| By: Lozano, Hunter | H.B. No. 3453 |
| relating to participation in and rates for coverage provided under | ||
| the uniform group coverage program for active employees. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. INTERIM COMMITTEE; STUDY. (a) A joint interim | ||
| committee on TRS ActiveCare is established to study: | ||
| (1) the impact of allowing school districts and other | ||
| participating entities in the uniform group coverage program for | ||
| active employees under Chapter 1579, Insurance Code, to opt out of | ||
| that program; | ||
| (2) the impact, should participating entities be | ||
| authorized to opt out of the program, of allowing or prohibiting | ||
| future participation by previous participating entities that have | ||
| opted out; and | ||
| (3) the impact of establishing a regional rating | ||
| method for determining premiums charged in different regions of the | ||
| state for the benefits provided under a group coverage plan | ||
| established under the program. | ||
| (b) The joint interim committee shall be composed of six | ||
| senators appointed by the lieutenant governor and six members of | ||
| the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house | ||
| of representatives. | ||
| (c) The lieutenant governor and speaker of the house of | ||
| representatives shall each designate a co-chair from among the | ||
| joint interim committee members. | ||
| (d) The joint interim committee shall convene at the joint | ||
| call of the co-chairs. | ||
| (e) The joint interim committee has all other powers and | ||
| duties provided to a special or select committee by the rules of the | ||
| senate and house of representatives, by Subchapter B, Chapter 301, | ||
| Government Code, and by policies of the senate and house committees | ||
| on administration. | ||
| (f) Not later than January 1, 2017, the joint interim | ||
| committee shall report the committee’s findings and | ||
| recommendations to the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the | ||
| house of representatives, the governor, the Teacher Retirement | ||
| System of Texas, and each house and senate standing committee with | ||
| primary jurisdiction over primary and secondary education or health | ||
| benefit plan coverage. | ||
| (g) From the contingent expense fund of the senate and the | ||
| contingent expense fund of the house of representatives equally, | ||
| the members of the joint interim committee shall be reimbursed for | ||
| expenses incurred in carrying out the provisions of this Act in | ||
| accordance with the senate and house of representatives rules of | ||
| procedure and the policies of the committees on administration. | ||
| Other necessary expenses of operation shall be paid from the | ||
| contingent expense fund of the senate and the contingent expense | ||
| fund of the house of representatives equally. | ||
| SECTION 2. ABOLITION OF COMMITTEE. The joint interim | ||
| committee on TRS ActiveCare created by this Act is abolished and | ||
| this Act expires September 1, 2017. | ||
| SECTION 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. 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, 2015. | ||
