By Maxey                                              H.B. No. 2145
       74R6383 PB-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to a prohibition on the use of certain pre-existing
    1-3  condition requirements in a health benefits plan administered by
    1-4  the Employees Retirement System for state employees and their
    1-5  dependents.
    1-6        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-7        SECTION 1.  Section 13, Texas State Employees Uniform Group
    1-8  Insurance Benefits Act (Article 3.50-2, Vernon's Texas Insurance
    1-9  Code), is amended by amending Subsection (a) and by adding
   1-10  Subsection (e) to read as follows:
   1-11        (a)  Except as provided by Section 13A of this Act, no
   1-12  employee of the State of Texas shall be denied any of the group
   1-13  coverage provided under this Act, and a health benefits plan
   1-14  administered by the trustee may not include a pre-existing
   1-15  condition or evidence of insurability provision.
   1-16        (e)  For purposes of this section, "pre-existing condition or
   1-17  evidence of insurability provision" means a requirement in a health
   1-18  benefits plan contract that precludes coverage for an applicant for
   1-19  coverage based on a medical condition of the applicant that
   1-20  manifests itself before a determination on the application for
   1-21  coverage is made.
   1-22        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-23  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-24  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-1  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-2  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
    2-3  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
    2-4  passage, and it is so enacted.