Vermont S 164: An act relating to miscellaneous changes to education law

Bill Text

BILL AS INTRODUCED S.164
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VT LEG #385455 v.1
S.164 1
Introduced by Senator Watson 2
Referred to Committee on 3
Date: 4
Subject: Legislature; health insurance; State employees; State employees’ 5
health plan 6
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to make 7
members of the General Assembly eligible for the same health benefits offered 8
to State employees. 9
An act relating to health benefits for members of the General Assembly 10
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 11
Sec. 1. 3 V.S.A. § 631 is amended to read: 12
§ 631. GROUP INSURANCE FOR STATE EMPLOYEES; SALARY 13
DEDUCTIONS FOR INSURANCE, SAVINGS PLANS, AND 14
CREDIT UNIONS 15
(a)(1) The Secretary of Administration may contract on behalf of the State 16
with any insurance company or nonprofit association doing business in this 17
State to secure the benefits of franchise or group insurance. The terms of 18
coverage under the policy shall be determined under section 904 of this title, 19
but it may include: 20

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VT LEG #385455 v.1
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(2)(A)(i) As used in this section, the term “employees” includes any 2
class or classes of elected or appointed officials, State’s Attorneys, sheriffs, 3
employees of State’s Attorneys’ offices whose compensation is administered 4
through the State of Vermont payroll system, except contractual and temporary 5
employees, and deputy sheriffs paid by the State of Vermont pursuant to 24 6
V.S.A. § 290(b). The term “employees” shall does not include members of the 7
General Assembly as such, any person rendering service on a retainer or fee 8
basis, members of boards or commissions, or persons other than employees of 9
the Vermont Historical Society, the Vermont Film Corporation, the Vermont 10
State Employees’ Credit Union, Vermont State Employees’ Association, and 11
the Vermont Council on the Arts, whose compensation for service is not paid 12
from the State Treasury, or any elected or appointed official unless the except 13
as specifically provided pursuant to this subdivision (a)(2)(A)(i). The term 14
“employees” includes employees of the Vermont Historical Society, the 15
Vermont State Employees’ Credit Union, the Vermont State Employees’ 16
Association, the Vermont Council on the Arts, and any elected or appointed 17
official who is actively engaged in and devoting substantially full-time to the 18
conduct of the business of the official’s public office. The term “employees” 19
also includes members of the General Assembly as set forth in subdivision (iv) 20
of this subdivision (a)(2)(A). 21

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(iv) For purposes of group hospital-surgical-medical expense 2
insurance, any employee assistance program offered to State employees, and 3
any flexible spending account program offered to State employees for health 4
care or dependent care expenses, or both, the term “employees” includes 5
members of the General Assembly. 6
(B)(i) The premiums for extending insurance coverage to employees 7
shall be paid in full by the Vermont Historical Society, the Vermont Film 8
Corporation, the Vermont State Employees’ Association, the Vermont State 9
Employees’ Credit Union, the Vermont Council on the Arts, or their respective 10
retirees. Nothing herein creates a legal obligation on the part of the State of 11
Vermont to pay any portion of the premiums required to extend insurance 12
coverage to this group of employees. 13
(ii) Members of the General Assembly shall be required to pay the 14
same portion of the premium for group hospital-surgical-medical expense 15
insurance as is required of employees of the Executive Branch. 16
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Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE 18
This act shall take effect on January 1, 2027, and shall apply to coverage 19
beginning on and after that date. 20