By Maxey                                              H.B. No. 2518
         76R8712 CLG-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to temporary service retirement options and health
 1-3     coverage for certain employees whose jobs are eliminated through
 1-4     privatization.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1.  Section 814.1041, Government Code, is amended by
 1-7     amending Subsections (a) and (f) and adding Subsection (g) to read
 1-8     as follows:
 1-9           (a)  This section applies only to members of the employee
1-10     class whose positions with the Texas Workforce Commission, the
1-11     Texas Department of Health, the Texas Department of Human Services,
1-12     or the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation are
1-13     eliminated as a result of contracts with private service providers
1-14     or other reductions in services provided by those agencies and who
1-15     separate from state service at that time.
1-16           (f)  The retirement option under this section is not
1-17     available to an employee of the Texas Department of Health or the
1-18     Texas Department of Human Services who receives a cash payment
1-19     under an incentive program implemented by either agency with
1-20     respect to certain employees whose positions are eliminated because
1-21     of  privatization or other reductions in services provided by the
1-22     agency.
1-23           (g)  This section applies only to positions eliminated by
1-24     privatization or other reductions in workforce before September 1,
 2-1     2003 [1999].
 2-2           SECTION 2.  The Texas Employees Uniform Group Insurance
 2-3     Benefits Act (Article 3.50-2, Vernon's Texas Insurance Code) is
 2-4     amended by adding Section 3B to read as follows:
 2-5           Sec. 3B.  CERTAIN EMPLOYEES MAY ELECT TO PARTICIPATE.  (a)
 2-6     This section applies only to a person who separates from state
 2-7     service and receives a cash payment under an incentive program
 2-8     implemented by the Texas Department of Human Services or the Texas
 2-9     Department of Health with respect to certain employees whose
2-10     positions are eliminated as a result of privatization or other
2-11     reductions in services provided by those agencies.
2-12           (b)  A person is entitled to receive state contributions
2-13     required to provide health coverage under the program administered
2-14     by the trustee under this Act for two months after the effective
2-15     date of the person's separation from state service.
2-16           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-17           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-18     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-19     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-20     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-21     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.