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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to enrollment of certain retirees in the Texas Public |
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School Employees Group Insurance Program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 1575, Insurance Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 1575.1621 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 1575.1621. SUPPLEMENTAL ENROLLMENT PERIOD. (a) The |
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trustee shall, as described by Subsection (b), provide a |
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supplemental enrollment period for a retiree who establishes that |
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the retiree experienced extenuating circumstances that led to the |
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retiree's reasonable failure to select coverage during the |
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retiree's initial enrollment period under Section 1575.161. |
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(b) The trustee shall give a retiree described by Subsection |
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(a) an opportunity to enroll in the group program on or before the |
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30th day after the date the trustee determines that the retiree is |
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entitled to a supplemental enrollment period under this section. |
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(c) The trustee by rule shall establish: |
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(1) criteria under which a retiree will be considered |
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to have experienced extenuating circumstances described by |
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Subsection (a); |
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(2) a process through which a retiree may establish |
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that the retiree meets those criteria; and |
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(3) a reasonable period for requesting a supplemental |
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enrollment period under this section following the occurrence of |
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extenuating circumstances described by Subsection (a). |
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SECTION 2. (a) Not later than November 1, 2015, the |
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Teacher Retirement System of Texas shall adopt rules necessary to |
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implement Section 1575.1621, Insurance Code, as added by this Act. |
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(b) Rules adopted by the Teacher Retirement System of Texas |
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under Section 1575.1621, Insurance Code, as added by this Act, |
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must: |
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(1) apply to a retiree described by that section, |
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regardless of whether the expiration of the retiree's initial |
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enrollment period occurred before, on, or after the effective date |
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of the rules or this Act; and |
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(2) allow a retiree who experienced extenuating |
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circumstances described by that section before the effective date |
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of the rules a reasonable period after that effective date to |
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request a supplemental enrollment period. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |