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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a study concerning the minimum participation |
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requirement for small employer health benefit plans. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. DEFINITION. In this Act, "department" means the |
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Texas Department of Insurance. |
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SECTION 2. STUDY. (a) The department shall conduct a |
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study concerning the minimum participation requirement for small |
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employer health benefit plans under Section 1501.154, Insurance |
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Code. |
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(b) The study must include: |
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(1) an evaluation of the effectiveness of a minimum |
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collective employee participation level of 60 percent; and |
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(2) a comparison of the effectiveness of the current |
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minimum collective employee participation level of 75 percent to a |
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minimum collective employee participation level of between 60 and |
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75 percent. |
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SECTION 3. REPORT TO LEGISLATURE. The department shall |
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include a report of the results of the study conducted under this |
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Act in the biennial report to the 82nd Legislature made under |
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Section 32.022, Insurance Code. The report must describe the |
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results of the study conducted under this Act and may contain: |
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(1) a recommendation concerning whether the minimum |
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collective employee participation level should be reduced from 75 |
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percent to 60 percent; and |
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(2) the reasons for the recommendation described by |
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Subdivision (1) of this section. |
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SECTION 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect |
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immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members |
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elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas |
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Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for |
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immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |