1-1 By: Jackson S.B. No. 881
1-2 (In the Senate - Filed March 4, 1999; March 8, 1999, read
1-3 first time and referred to Committee on Economic Development;
1-4 March 25, 1999, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 4,
1-5 Nays 0; March 25, 1999, sent to printer.)
1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-7 AN ACT
1-8 relating to enrollment periods for employer health benefit plans.
1-9 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-10 SECTION 1. Subsection (f), Article 26.83, Insurance Code, is
1-11 amended to read as follows:
1-12 (f) The initial enrollment period for employees meeting the
1-13 participation criteria must be at least 31 days, with a 31-day
1-14 annual open enrollment period. [Such enrollment period shall
1-15 consist of an entire calendar month, beginning on the first day of
1-16 the month and ending on the last day of the month. If the month is
1-17 February, the period shall last through March 2.]
1-18 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999, and
1-19 applies only to an insurance policy, evidence of coverage,
1-20 contract, or other document establishing coverage under a health
1-21 benefit plan that is delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed on
1-22 or after that date. An insurance policy, evidence of coverage,
1-23 contract, or other document establishing coverage under a health
1-24 benefit plan that is delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed
1-25 before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law as it
1-26 existed immediately before that date, and that law is continued in
1-27 effect for that purpose.
1-28 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
1-29 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-30 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-31 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-32 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
1-33 * * * * *