06 HB 920/FA
House
Bill 920 (AM)
By:
Representatives Smith of the
70th
and Horne of the
71st
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Article 3 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to local boards of education, and Article 1 of Chapter 18 of
Title 45 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the state
employeeś
health insurance plan, so as to authorize local boards of education to provide
health insurance benefits to certain members leaving office on or after a
specified date if such members have served on the board for at least 12 years;
to provide that such former members shall pay the entire cost of the health
insurance coverage; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective
date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Article
3 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to local boards of education, is amended in Code Section 20-2-55, relating to
compensation of members of such boards, by striking subsection (b) and inserting
in lieu thereof the following:
"(b)(1)
A local board of education is authorized to provide group medical and dental
insurance for its members who elect to participate. Such insurance may be
provided through a group policy secured by the local school district, a group
policy secured by several local school districts, a policy secured by an
organization of local school boards, or in accordance with Code Section 45-18-5
providing for the inclusion of members of the local board of education and
their spouses and dependents within any health insurance plan or plans
established under Article 1 of Chapter 18 of Title 45.
It
Except for
former members of the local board of education eligible for coverage under
paragraph (4) of this subsection and under paragraph (2) of subsection (c.1) of
Code Section 45-18-5, it shall be the
duty of the board to make the employer contributions required for the operation
of such plan or plans. Except as provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection,
a board providing such insurance shall pay no greater percentage of the cost of
that insurance than the percentage of the cost paid as an employer contribution
by the state for the health insurance plan for state employees pursuant to
Article 1 of Chapter 18 of Title 45. The remainder of such insurance costs, and
all the costs of any coverage for family members, shall be paid as an employee
contribution by the board member. It shall be the duty of the board to deduct
from the salary or other remuneration of qualified members or otherwise collect
such payment from the qualified members or dependents.
(2)
Taxes levied by or on behalf of a local board of education may be expended for
employer contributions, but not employee contributions, required for insurance
coverage of members of that board as provided in paragraph (1) of this
subsection. Taxes levied by or on behalf of a local board of education also may
be expended for contributions authorized in paragraph (3) of this subsection.
Such expenditures on behalf of any member may continue only as long as that
member continues in office and makes any employee contribution required for such
coverage. That member, and eligible dependents thereof, shall be ineligible for
coverage pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1) of this subsection upon
such
persońs
ceasing to serve as a member of a local board of education. Such expenditures
on behalf of any member in accordance with paragraph (3) of this subsection may
continue only as long as that member continues in office and makes any
contribution which is not the result of the board of
educatiońs
decision to allow its members to participate in the health insurance plan.
Expenditures authorized by this Code section shall be in addition to, and not in
lieu of, any salary, expense, per diem, or other compensation payable to that
member of a local board of education.
(3)
If a board member is already a member of a health insurance plan established by
Article 1 of Chapter 18 of Title 45 as a retired employee and the result of the
board of
educatiońs
decision to allow its members to participate is to establish dual eligibility
for a member and thus to increase the cost to such member of the state insurance
plan, then the local board may pay any additional cost imposed on such member as
a result of the local
board́s
decision to allow its members to participate in coverage under paragraph (1) of
this subsection.
(4)
The General Assembly may by local Act authorize a local board of education to
provide group medical insurance for a member, including such
membeŕs
spouse and dependents, who leaves office on or after December 31, 2006, if such
member has served at least 12 years as a member of the local board of education
and if such member, spouse, and dependents have been covered by such policy of
group medical insurance continuously for a period of at least one year
immediately prior to such member leaving office. A former member of a board of
education who elects group medical insurance coverage in accordance with this
paragraph shall pay all costs of such insurance. The local board of education
shall remit such payments to the health insurance fund created under Code
Section
20-2-918."
SECTION
2.
Article
1 of Chapter 18 of Title 45 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to the state
employeeś
health insurance plan, is amended in Code Section 45-18-5, relating to county
officials and employees, by striking subsection (c.1) and inserting in lieu
thereof the following:
"(c.1)
(1)
Any local board of education may elect for members thereof and their spouses and
dependents to be included in any health plan or plans established under Code
Section 20-2-918. It shall be the duty of any local boards of education so
electing to deduct from the salary or other compensation of its members such
payment as may be required under paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of Code Section
20-2-55 and to remit the same to the health insurance fund created under Code
Section 20-2-918.
(2)
The General Assembly may by local Act authorize a local board of education to
provide health insurance for a member, including such
membeŕs
spouse and dependents, who leaves office on or after December 31, 2006, if such
member has served at least 12 years as a member of the local board of education
and if such member, spouse, and dependents have been covered by such health
insurance continuously for a period of at least one year immediately prior to
such member leaving office. Such former members shall pay all the costs of the
insurance, and the board of education shall remit such payments to the health
insurance fund created under Code Section
20-2-918."
SECTION
3.
This
Act shall become effective on July 1, 2006.
SECTION
4.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.