78R7895 JSA-F

By:  Bailey                                                       H.B. No. 2639


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the coverage of certain adjunct faculty members of a public junior college under the Texas Employees Group Benefits Act. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 1551.101, Insurance Code, as effective June 1, 2003, is amended by adding Subsection (f) to read as follows: (f) An individual is eligible to participate in the group benefits program as provided by Subsection (a) in an academic year if the individual: (1) receives compensation for services rendered to a public junior college as an adjunct faculty member; (2) has been employed as a faculty member by the same junior college district and has taught at least one course in each regular fall and spring semester at a public junior college in the district in each of the preceding five academic years; and (3) is under contract or is scheduled to teach at least 12 semester credit hours in the academic year of coverage or, if the individual is also employed by the junior college district to perform nonteaching duties, is under contract or is scheduled to teach at least six semester credit hours in the academic year of coverage and has been approved by the public junior college to participate in the group benefits program. SECTION 2. (a) The board of trustees of the Employees Retirement System of Texas shall include coverage under Chapter 1551, Insurance Code, for individuals who become eligible for that coverage by the change in law made by this Act, in an insurance policy, contract, or evidence of coverage delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed on or after January 1, 2004. (b) A policy, contract, or evidence of coverage delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed before January 1, 2004, is not required to include coverage under Chapter 1551, Insurance Code, for individuals who become eligible for that coverage by the change in law made by this Act, except that the board of trustees of the Employees Retirement System of Texas may include coverage under Chapter 1551, Insurance Code, for those individuals in an insurance policy, contract, or evidence of coverage delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed before January 1, 2004, if the board of trustees determines that coverage can be reasonably included. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2003.