By Moreno of Harris                                   H.B. No. 1217
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to enrollment periods for employer health benefit plans.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Article 26.83(f), Insurance Code, is amended to
 1-5     read as follows:
 1-6           (f)  The initial enrollment period for employees meeting the
 1-7     participation criteria must be at least 31 days, with a 31-day
 1-8     annual open enrollment period.  [Such enrollment period shall
 1-9     consist of an entire calendar month, beginning on the first day of
1-10     the month and ending on the last day of the month.  If the month is
1-11     February, the period shall last through March 2.]
1-12           SECTION 2.  Article 26.21(h), Insurance Code, is amended to
1-13     read as follows:
1-14           (h)  The initial enrollment period for the employees and
1-15     their dependents must be at least 31 days, with a 31-day open
1-16     enrollment period provided annually.  [Such enrollment period shall
1-17     consist of an entire calendar month, beginning on the first day of
1-18     the month and ending on the last day of the month.  If the month is
1-19     February, the period shall last through March 2.]
1-20           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999, and
1-21     applies only to an insurance policy, evidence of coverage,
1-22     contract, or other document establishing coverage under a health
1-23     benefit plan that is delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed on
1-24     or after that date.  An insurance policy, evidence of coverage,
 2-1     contract, or other document establishing coverage under a health
 2-2     benefit plan that is delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed
 2-3     before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law as it
 2-4     existed immediately before that date, and that law is continued in
 2-5     effect for that purpose.
 2-6           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-7     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-8     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-9     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-10     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.