By: Howard, Stephenson, Frullo H.B. No. 2127
        (Senate Sponsor - Watson)
         (In the Senate - Received from the House May 6, 2013;
  May 7, 2013, read first time and referred to Committee on State
  Affairs; May 15, 2013, reported favorably by the following vote:  
  Yeas 7, Nays 1; May 15, 2013, sent to printer.)
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the eligibility of certain employees of public
  institutions of higher education to participate in a state group
  benefits program.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 1551.1021, Insurance Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as
  follows:
         (a)  An adjunct faculty member at a public institution of
  higher education is eligible to participate in the group benefits
  program as an employee if the faculty member:
               (1)  receives compensation for services rendered to a
  public institution of higher education as an adjunct faculty
  member;
               (2)  was [has been] employed as a faculty member by the
  same public institution of higher education and [has] taught at
  least one course in the [each] regular fall and spring semester at
  the public institution of higher education in [each of] the
  preceding [three] academic year [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
  person is also employed by the public institution of higher
  education 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
  institution of higher education to participate in the group
  benefits program.
         (a-1)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a)(3), an adjunct faculty
  member at a public institution of higher education who is a
  professional librarian is eligible to participate in the group
  benefits program as an employee if the faculty member receives
  compensation for services rendered to a public institution of
  higher education as an adjunct faculty member.
         SECTION 2.  The board of trustees of the Employees
  Retirement System of Texas shall include coverage under Section
  1551.1021, Insurance Code, as amended by this Act, in an insurance
  policy or contract or evidence of coverage delivered, issued for
  delivery, or renewed on or after January 1, 2014. The board of
  trustees may include coverage under Section 1551.1021, Insurance
  Code, as amended by this Act, in an insurance policy or contract or
  an evidence of coverage delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed
  before January 1, 2014, if the board of trustees determines that the
  coverage may reasonably be included.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.
 
  * * * * *