Vermont H 842: An act relating to the Commission on Public School Employee Health Benefits

Bill Text

BILL AS INTRODUCED H.842
2026 Page 1 of 12

VT LEG #386139 v.1
H.842 1
Introduced by Representatives Pinsonault of Dorset, Bishop of Colchester, 2
Bosch of Clarendon, Boutin of Barre City, Branagan of 3
Georgia, Canfield of Fair Haven, Charlton of Chester, Coffin of 4
Cavendish, Cooper of Pownal, Critchlow of Colchester, Demar 5
of Enosburgh, Dobrovich of Williamstown, Duke of Burlington, 6
Galfetti of Barre Town, Graning of Jericho, Greer of 7
Bennington, Harvey of Castleton, Higley of Lowell, Howland 8
of Rutland Town, Hunter of Manchester, Keyser of Rutland 9
City, Kimbell of Woodstock, Labor of Morgan, Laroche of 10
Franklin, Lipsky of Stowe, Luneau of St. Albans City, Malay of 11
Pittsford, Marcotte of Coventry, Morgan, L. of Milton, Oliver 12
of Sheldon, Olson of Starksboro, Page of Newport City, Powers 13
of Waterford, Pritchard of Pawlet, Southworth of Walden, 14
Tagliavia of Corinth, and Taylor of Milton 15
Referred to Committee on 16
Date: 17
Subject: Education; Commission on Public School Employee Health Benefits 18
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to change the 19
number and composition of the members of the Commission on Public School 20
Employee Health Benefits, provide that the Secretary of Education serves as 21

BILL AS INTRODUCED H.842
2026 Page 2 of 12

VT LEG #386139 v.1
chair of the Commission, and limit the number of alternate members. This bill 1
also proposes to place a cap on the actuarial value of health benefit plans and 2
to include a list of factors for the Commission’s consideration in making its 3
determinations. This bill also proposes to give the final arbiter of a dispute the 4
option to modify the parties’ last best offers or to draft an award of the 5
arbitrator’s design, in addition to selecting one of the parties’ last best offers. 6
This bill also proposes that the Secretary of Education contract with a single 7
third-party provider to oversee any health reimbursement arrangement or 8
health savings account for school employees. 9
An act relating to the Commission on Public School Employee Health 10
Benefits 11
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 12
Sec. 1. 16 V.S.A. § 2102 is amended to read: 13
§ 2102. COMMISSION ON PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEE HEALTH 14
BENEFITS CREATED 15
* * * 16
(b) Composition and appointment. 17
(1) The Commission shall have 10 nine members, of whom five three 18
shall be representatives of school employees and five three shall be 19
representatives of school employers. The remaining members shall be: 20

BILL AS INTRODUCED H.842
2026 Page 3 of 12

VT LEG #386139 v.1
(A) the Secretary of Education or designee; 1
(B) the Commissioner of Taxes or designee; and 2
(C) one representative from the Vermont School Boards Insurance 3
Trust, appointed by the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Vermont School 4
Boards Insurance Trust. 5
(2)(A) The representatives of school employees shall be appointed as 6
follows: 7
(i) four two members appointed by the labor organization 8
representing the greatest number of school employees in this State; and 9
(ii) one member appointed by the labor organization representing 10
the second-greatest number of school employees in this State. 11
(B) The five three representatives of school employers shall be 12
appointed by the organization representing the majority of the public school 13
boards in this State. 14
(C) The appointing authorities shall select appointees who have an 15
understanding of health care and employer-employee relations and who 16
demonstrate a willingness to work collaboratively. 17
(D) The term of each member of the Commission shall be six years, 18
provided that of the members first appointed by the labor organization 19
described in subdivision (A)(i) of this subdivision (2), one appointee shall 20
serve a term of two years and one appointee shall serve a term of four years, 21

BILL AS INTRODUCED H.842
2026 Page 4 of 12

VT LEG #386139 v.1
and of the members first appointed by the organization representing the 1
majority of the public school boards in this State, one appointee shall serve a 2
term of two years and one appointee shall serve a term of four years. 3
(3) In the event of a vacancy, the appointing authority of the member 4
whose seat becomes vacant shall appoint a successor to serve out the 5
remainder of the member’s term. 6
(c) Chairs. The Commission shall be chaired jointly by one member 7
selected biennially by the representatives of school employees and one 8
member selected biennially by the representatives of school employers the 9
Secretary of Education or designee. 10
(d) Removal of Commission members. Members of the Commission may 11
be removed by the appointing authority of the member without cause. 12
(e) Decisions. All decisions of the Commission shall require the votes of a 13
majority of the representatives of school employees and a majority of the 14
representatives of school employers members present at the