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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the participation of certain retired employees of |
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juvenile probation departments in the group benefits plan for state |
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employees. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 1551.002, Insurance Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 1551.002. PURPOSES. The purposes of this chapter are |
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to: |
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(1) provide uniformity in life, accident, and health |
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benefit coverages for all state officers and employees and their |
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dependents; |
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(2) enable the state to attract and retain competent |
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and able employees by providing employees and their dependents with |
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life, accident, and health benefit coverages at least equal to |
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those commonly provided in private industry; |
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(3) foster, promote, and encourage employment by and |
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service to the state as a career profession for individuals of high |
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standards of competence and ability; |
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(4) recognize and protect the state's investment in |
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each permanent employee by promoting and preserving economic |
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security and good health among employees and their dependents; |
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(5) foster and develop high standards of |
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employer-employee relationships between the state and its |
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employees; |
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(6) recognize the long and faithful service and |
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dedication of state officers and employees and encourage them to |
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remain in state service until eligible for retirement by providing |
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health benefits for them and their dependents; [and] |
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(7) recognize the service to the state by employees |
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and retired employees of community supervision and corrections |
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departments by extending to them and their dependents the same |
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life, accident, and health benefit coverages as those provided |
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under this chapter to state employees, retired state employees, and |
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their dependents; and |
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(8) recognize the service to the state by retired |
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employees of juvenile probation departments who retire from |
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departments located in counties with populations of less than |
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150,000 by extending to those retired employees the same life, |
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accident, and health benefit coverages as those provided under this |
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chapter to retired state employees. |
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SECTION 2. Section 1551.111(c), Insurance Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(c) Except as provided by Section 1551.114 and 1551.115, |
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participation in the group benefits program does not extend to: |
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(1) the governing body of either system; |
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(2) a municipality or subdivision participating in |
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either system; or |
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(3) a trustee, officer, or employee, or a dependent of |
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a trustee, officer, or employee, of a participating municipality or |
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subdivision. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter C, Chapter 1551, Insurance Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 1551.115 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 1551.115. PARTICIPATION BY RETIRED EMPLOYEES OF |
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CERTAIN JUVENILE PROBATION DEPARTMENTS. (a) In this section, |
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"retired employee of a juvenile probation department" means an |
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employee of a department that is established under Chapter 142, |
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Human Resources Code, located in a county with a population of less |
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than 150,000 who retires from that department. |
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(b) A retired employee of a juvenile probation department |
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shall be treated as an annuitant for purposes of this chapter only |
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as provided by this section. |
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(c) A retired employee of a juvenile probation department |
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may participate in the group benefits program administered by the |
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board of trustees under this chapter. Participation under this |
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section is limited to retired employees of juvenile probation |
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departments who are described by Subsections (d) and (e). |
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(d) For a retired employee of a juvenile probation |
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department who is, on August 31, 2009, employed by a juvenile |
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probation department located in a county with a population of less |
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than 150,000, the retired employee may participate in the group |
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benefits program if: |
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(1) the retired employee: |
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(A) retires from the juvenile probation |
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department on or after September 1, 2009; |
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(B) has at least 10 years of creditable service |
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earned for service at one or more juvenile probation departments; |
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and |
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(C) meets all the requirements for retirement |
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benefits prescribed by the Texas County and District Retirement |
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System; and |
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(2) the juvenile probation department from which the |
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retired employee of a juvenile probation department retires: |
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(A) does not provide retired employees access to |
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a health benefit plan on or after the effective date of the |
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employee's retirement; or |
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(B) provides retired employees access to a health |
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benefit plan on or after the effective date of the employee's |
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retirement that provides coverage that is less comprehensive than |
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the coverage provided to annuitants under the basic coverage for |
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annuitants. |
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(e) For a retired employee of a juvenile probation |
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department located in a county with a population of less than |
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150,000 who is not described by Subsection (d) and who is employed |
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by the department on or after September 1, 2009, the retired |
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employee may participate in the group benefits program if: |
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(1) the retired employee: |
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(A) retires from the juvenile probation |
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department on or after September 1, 2019; |
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(B) has at least 10 years of creditable service |
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earned for service at one or more juvenile probation departments on |
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or after September 1, 2009; and |
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(C) meets all the requirements for retirement |
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benefits prescribed by the Texas County and District Retirement |
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System; and |
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(2) the juvenile probation department from which the |
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retired employee of a juvenile probation department retires: |
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(A) does not provide retired employees access to |
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a health benefit plan on or after the effective date of the |
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employee's retirement; or |
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(B) provides retired employees access to a health |
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benefit plan on or after the effective date of the employee's |
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retirement that provides coverage that is less comprehensive than |
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the coverage provided to annuitants under the basic coverage for |
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annuitants. |
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(f) A retired employee of a juvenile probation department is |
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eligible to participate in the group benefits program under this |
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section on application to the board of trustees. On application, a |
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retired employee is automatically covered by the basic coverage for |
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annuitants unless the retired employee is expelled from the |
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program. |
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(g) The retired employee is eligible to receive a state |
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contribution under Subchapter G for premiums to the same extent as |
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an individual eligible to participate as an annuitant under Section |
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1551.102. |
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(h) Each participating retired employee of a juvenile |
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probation department shall pay that portion of the cost of group |
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coverage selected by the retired employee that exceeds the amount |
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of the state contribution. The retired employee shall pay |
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contributions required from the retired employee in the manner |
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prescribed by the board of trustees. |
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SECTION 4. Subchapter G, Chapter 1551, Insurance Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 1551.325 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 1551.325. REQUIRED REPORTS OF CERTAIN JUVENILE |
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PROBATION DEPARTMENTS. Not later than June 1 of each year, a |
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juvenile probation department located in a county with a population |
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of less than 150,000 shall submit to the board of trustees a good |
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faith estimate of the number of retired employees and active |
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employees employed on June 1 but expected to retire before the next |
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June 1 that may elect to enroll in the group benefits program for |
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the following fiscal year. |
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SECTION 5. (a) The Employees Retirement System of Texas |
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shall develop a plan for the extension of benefits under the group |
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benefits program to retired employees of juvenile probation |
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departments eligible to participate in the group benefits program |
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under Section 1551.115, Insurance Code, as added by this Act. The |
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Employees Retirement System of Texas shall adopt rules necessary to |
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implement this subsection not later than September 1, 2010. |
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(b) Coverage under Section 1551.115, Insurance Code, as |
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added by this Act, shall become effective September 1, 2010. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |