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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the eligibility of certain retired firefighters and |
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emergency medical services providers to purchase continued health |
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benefits coverage. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 175.001, Local Government Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 175.001. APPLICABILITY. This chapter applies to a |
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person who: |
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(1) retires from: |
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(A) county employment in a county with a |
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population of 75,000 or more; |
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(B) employment by an appraisal district in a |
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county with a population of 75,000 or more; [or] |
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(C) municipal employment in a municipality with a |
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population of 25,000 or more; or |
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(D) employment as a firefighter or emergency |
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medical services provider by an emergency services district located |
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wholly or partly in a county with a population of 200,000 or more; |
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and |
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(2) is entitled to receive retirement benefits from a |
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county, appraisal district, or municipal retirement plan or |
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emergency services district. |
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SECTION 2. (a) Chapter 175, Local Government Code, as |
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amended by this Act, applies according to its terms to all eligible |
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persons who leave employment with an emergency services district on |
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or after January 1, 2022. |
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(b) An emergency services district that is required by |
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Chapter 175, Local Government Code, as amended by this Act, to |
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provide continued health benefits coverage but that is not allowed |
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to provide the coverage under the terms of the district's existing |
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group health plan shall ensure that the required continued health |
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benefits coverage is provided for in any new plan that is adopted by |
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the district on or after January 1, 2022, unless the district is |
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exempted under Section 175.007, Local Government Code. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |