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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to providing information to state employees about |
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insurance available to those employees under a group coverage plan. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 1551, Insurance Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 1551.2011 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 1551.2011. EMPLOYEE AWARENESS AND EDUCATION. (a) The |
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board of trustees by rule shall ensure that employees receive |
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information about life coverage, accidental death and |
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dismemberment coverage, and long-term and short-term loss of salary |
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coverage, if those coverages are included in a group coverage plan |
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established under Section 1551.201. |
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(b) The information must contain descriptions of: |
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(1) probabilities of death and disability; and |
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(2) policy exclusions and limitations, including: |
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(A) limitations based on multiple sources of |
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benefits; |
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(B) preexisting condition exclusions; and |
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(C) required waiting periods for benefits. |
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(c) The board of trustees by rule may provide the |
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information described by Subsections (a) and (b) in printed |
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materials for new employees distributed on the first day of |
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employment. The board of trustees may consider using printed |
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materials, online presentations, and educational presentations to |
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ensure the information described by Subsections (a) and (b) is |
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provided to employees. |
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(d) If applicable, the board of trustees shall annually |
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review the materials and presentations described by Subsection (c) |
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to determine if changes to the contents of the materials or |
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presentations are necessary. If applicable, the department shall |
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adopt rules necessary for considering and making changes to the |
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materials or presentations. |
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(e) The board of trustees shall publish the information |
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described by Subsections (a) and (b) on the Employees Retirement |
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System of Texas website. |
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SECTION 2. The board of trustees shall adopt rules to |
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implement the changes in law made by this Act not later than January |
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1, 2014. |
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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, 2013. |