By Uher                                               H.B. No. 1073
          Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1073:
          By Haggerty                                       C.S.H.B. No. 1073
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to continuation of benefits for the surviving spouse of
    1-3  deceased ranger and officer commissioned by the Public Safety
    1-4  Commission and the Director of the Department of Public Safety.
    1-5        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-6        SECTION 1.  Section 3B, Article 3.51-6, Insurance Code, is
    1-7  amended by adding Subsection (n) to read as follows:
    1-8        (n)  Notwithstanding Subsection (1) of this section, if a
    1-9  person covered under a contract executed under the Texas Employees
   1-10  Uniform Group Insurance Benefits Act (Article 3.50-2, Vernon's
   1-11  Texas Insurance Code) and its subsequent amendments exercises the
   1-12  continuation option under Subsection (b) of this section because of
   1-13  the death of a member of the group who is a ranger and officer
   1-14  commissioned by the Public Safety Commission and the Director of
   1-15  the Department of Public Safety and who has been commissioned by
   1-16  the department for at least 10 years,  coverage of that person
   1-17  continues without interruption and may not be cancelled or
   1-18  otherwise terminated until:
   1-19              (1)  the insured fails to make a premium payment in the
   1-20  time required to make that payment;
   1-21              (2)  the insured becomes eligible for substantially
   1-22  similar coverage under another health insurance policy, hospital or
   1-23  medical service subscriber contract, medical practice or other
   1-24  prepayment plan, or any other plan or program;  or
    2-1              (3)  the insured is no longer eligible for coverage for
    2-2  a reason other than the death of the member of the group.
    2-3        SECTION 2.  This Act applies only to health insurance
    2-4  policies, as defined by Section 3B, Article 3.51-6, Insurance Code,
    2-5  provided for employees under the Texas Employees Uniform Group
    2-6  Insurance Benefits Act (Article 3.50-2, Vernon's Texas Insurance
    2-7  Code) on or after September 1, 1993.  Health insurance policies
    2-8  provided for employees before September 1, 1993, are subject to the
    2-9  law as it existed before September 1, 1993, and that law is
   2-10  continued in effect for that purpose.
   2-11        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   2-12  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   2-13  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   2-14  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   2-15  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
   2-16  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
   2-17  passage, and it is so enacted.