79R6712 MCK-D

By:  West, Royce                                                  S.B. No. 1355



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to requiring a contractor to provide health insurance to 
its employees as a condition of eligibility for the award of certain 
state contracts.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 2155, Government Code, is 
amended by adding Section 2155.0771 to read as follows:
	Sec. 2155.0771.  HEALTH BENEFITS COVERAGE REQUIRED.  (a)  A 
vendor may not be awarded a state contract for goods or services 
that has a value greater than $1 million, including a contract for 
which purchasing authority is delegated to a state agency, unless 
the vendor provides health benefits coverage that is at least 
equivalent to basic coverage provided under the state employees 
group benefit program provided under Chapter 1551, Insurance Code, 
to each full-time employee and the employee's dependents.
	(b)  The vendor must pay 100 percent of the health insurance 
premiums for each full-time employee who participates in the 
insurance program and at least 50 percent of the health insurance 
premiums for each dependent of a full-time employee whom the 
employee elects to cover under the insurance program.
	SECTION 2.  Section 2155.0771, Government Code, as added by 
this Act, applies only to a contract for the procurement of goods 
and services for which the solicitation of bids or proposals or 
similar expressions of interest is published on or after September 
1, 2005.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.