Arkansas HR 1009: TO AUTHORIZE THE INTRODUCTION OF A NONAPPROPRIATION BILL TO AMEND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES' HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM FUNDING.

Bill Text

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State of Arkansas 1
93rd General Assembly 2
Fiscal Session, 2022 HR 1009 3
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By: Representatives Wardlaw, Shepherd, Evans, Eubanks, Cozart, Beaty Jr., Beck, M. Berry, Bragg, 5
Brown, C. Cooper, Crawford, Dalby, M. Davis, Dotson, Ennett, C. Fite, D. Garner, Godfrey, Hawks, M. 6
Hodges, Hollowell, Hudson, Jett, Love, Maddox, McCullough, S. Meeks, Nicks, Perry, Scott, S. Smith, 7
Speaks, Vaught, Warren, D. Whitaker, Wing, Wooten 8
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HOUSE RESOLUTION 10
TO AUTHORIZE THE INTRODUCTION OF A NONAPPROPRIATION 11
BILL CONCERNING THE PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES' HEALTH 12
INSURANCE PROGRAM; TO AMEND THE MANNER IN WHICH THE 13
PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES' HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM IS 14
FUNDED; TO AMEND THE FOUNDATION FUNDING AMOUNT FOR 15
THE 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR AND EACH YEAR THEREAFTER; 16
AND TO REPEAL PROVISIONS CONCERNING THE GENERAL 17
FACILITIES AND SUPPLEMENTAL MILLAGE APPROPRIATION. 18
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Subtitle 21
TO AUTHORIZE THE INTRODUCTION OF A 22
NONAPPROPRIATION BILL TO AMEND THE PUBLIC 23
SCHOOL EMPLOYEES' HEALTH INSURANCE 24
PROGRAM FUNDING. 25
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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL 28
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 29
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THAT Representative Evans or Representative Wardlaw is authorized to 31
introduce a bill which as introduced will read substantially as follows: 32
33
"Title 34
AN ACT CONCERNING THE PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES' HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM; TO 35
AMEND THE MANNER IN WHICH THE PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES' HEALTH INSURANCE 36

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PROGRAM IS FUNDED; TO AMEND THE FOUNDATION FUNDING AMOUNT FOR THE 2022-2023 1
SCHOOL YEAR AND EACH YEAR THEREAFTER; TO REPEAL PROVISIONS CONCERNING THE 2
GENERAL FACILITIES AND SUPPLEMENTAL MILLAGE APPROPRIATION; TO DECLARE AN 3
EMERGENCY; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 4
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Subtitle 6
TO AMEND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES' HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM FUNDING; AND 7
TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. 8
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 10
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SECTION 1. DO NOT CODIFY. Legislative findings. 12
The General Assembly finds that: 13
(1) It is vital that the State and Public School Life and Health 14
Insurance Program remain solvent; 15
(2) It is the responsibility of the House Committee on Education 16
and the Senate Committee on Education, through the biennial adequacy review 17
process required under § 10-3-2102, to determine the health insurance 18
contribution rate to be paid by each public school district each month for 19
each eligible employee electing to participate in the public school 20
employees’ health insurance program; and 21
(3) In order to determine the contribution rate, the House 22
Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education shall review the 23
amount of funding provided through the matrix and state appropriation for 24
public school employee health insurance. 25
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SECTION 2. Arkansas Code § 6-17-1117(a), concerning the funding of the 27
public school employees' health insurance program by a public school 28
district, is amended to read as follows: 29
(a)(1) Beginning January 1, 2014 2023, a school district shall pay the 30
health insurance contribution rate of one hundred fifty dollars ($150) per 31
established by the House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on 32
Education through the biennial adequacy review process required by § 10-3-33
2102 each month for each eligible employee electing to participate in the 34
public school employees' health insurance program. 35
(2) The minimum contribution rate under subdivision (a)(1) of 36

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this section shall increase annually by the same percentage that the General 1
Assembly increases the per-student foundation funding amount under § 6-20-2
2305. 3
(3)(A) Unless exempt under subdivision (a)(5) of this section, 4
the local contribution rate of a school district shall also increase by the 5
same percentage that a school district increases the base salary for licensed 6
personnel with a minimum of a bachelor's degree under the licensed salary 7
schedule adopted by the school district. 8
(B) As used in this section, “local contribution rate” 9
means the minimum rate required under subdivision (a)(1) of this section in 10
addition to the contribution amount a school district provides for health 11
insurance above that minimum contribution rate. 12
(4) A change to the local contribution rate under subdivision 13
(a)(3) of this section is effective for the plan year after the change to the 14
licensed salary schedule is adopted by a school district. 15
(5) A school district is not required to increase the local 16
contribution rate as directed under subdivision (a)(3) of this section if the 17
school district: 18
(A) Is required to raise the base salary of licensed 19
personnel with a minimum of a bachelor's degree due to an increase in the 20
minimum teacher compensation schedule under § 6-17-2403; 21
(B) Has a participation rate of seventy