S.B. No. 1444
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to participation in the uniform group coverage program for
  active school employees and to a study concerning health coverage
  for school district employees.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 1579, Insurance Code, is
  amended by adding Section 1579.1045 to read as follows:
         Sec. 1579.1045.  ALTERNATIVE GROUP HEALTH COVERAGE
  PROHIBITED. Notwithstanding any other law, a participating entity
  may not offer or make available to the entity's employees or their
  dependents group health coverage not provided under the program.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter D, Chapter 1579, Insurance Code, is
  amended by adding Section 1579.155 to read as follows:
         Sec. 1579.155.  PROGRAM PARTICIPATION: ELECTION. (a)
  Effective September 1, 2022, a participating entity may elect to
  discontinue the entity's participation in the program by providing
  written notice to the trustee not later than December 31 of the year
  preceding the first day of the plan year in which the election will
  be effective.
         (b)  A participating entity that elects to discontinue
  participation in the program under Subsection (a) may not elect to:
               (1)  participate in the program until the fifth
  anniversary of the effective date of the entity's election to
  discontinue participation; or
               (2)  discontinue the entity's participation after an
  election described by Subdivision (1) until the fifth anniversary
  of the effective date of that election.
         (c)  Effective September 1, 2022, an entity that elects to
  participate in the program shall provide written notice to the
  trustee not later than December 31 of the year preceding the first
  day of the plan year in which the election will be effective. The
  entity may not elect to discontinue the entity's participation
  until the fifth anniversary of the effective date of the entity's
  election to participate.
         (d)  The trustee by rule shall prescribe the time and manner
  for making an election under this section and may adopt rules
  necessary to administer this section.
         SECTION 3.  (a) In this section, "committee" means a
  regional school district health coverage advisory committee
  established under this section.
         (b)  Each regional education service center established
  under Chapter 8, Education Code, shall establish a regional school
  district health coverage advisory committee to conduct a study
  assessing:
               (1)  health care needs of and health coverage options
  currently available to employees of school districts served by that
  service center; and
               (2)  alternative health coverage options that may be
  available.
         (c)  The executive director of each regional education
  service center shall serve as the chair of that region's committee.
  The executive director shall appoint nine superintendents of school
  districts served by the regional education service center to serve
  as members of that region's committee.
         (d)  The study must include, with respect to school districts
  in that committee's region, the following information:
               (1)  an overview of current health coverage plans made
  available to district employees, including for each plan:
                     (A)  the amount paid by districts and by district
  employees for premium under the plan;
                     (B)  the schedule of benefits available under the
  plan; and
                     (C)  deductibles and other cost-sharing amounts
  applicable to services provided under the plan;
               (2)  a survey of district employees using a scale that
  allows the district employee to indicate that the employee is very
  satisfied, satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied,
  dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied with:
                     (A)  the current costs to the employee of the
  employee's health coverage plan; and
                     (B)  benefits available and access to care under
  the employee's plan; and
               (3)  an assessment of three alternative health coverage
  options that are available on the open market or through
  self-funding of school district health care expenses, including for
  each alternative:
                     (A)  the amount that would be paid by a district
  and district employees for premium under the alternative;
                     (B)  the schedule of benefits available under the
  alternative; and
                     (C)  whether, in obtaining the alternative, some
  or all of the districts in the region should jointly seek health
  coverage under that alternative as a group.
         (e)  Not later than November 1, 2022, each committee shall
  submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the
  house of representatives, each standing committee of the senate or
  house of representatives having primary jurisdiction over public
  education or public retirement systems, the commissioner of the
  Texas Education Agency, and the executive director of the Teacher
  Retirement System of Texas a written report on the study conducted
  by the committee under this section.
         (f)  This section expires January 1, 2023.
         SECTION 4.  Sections 1579.1045 and 1579.155, Insurance Code,
  as added by this Act, apply only to group coverage provided for a
  plan year beginning on or after September 1, 2022. A plan year that
  begins before that date is governed by the law as it existed
  immediately before the effective date of this Act, and that law is
  continued in effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
 
 
 
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1444 passed the Senate on
  May 6, 2021, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1444 passed the House on
  May 24, 2021, by the following vote:  Yeas 145, Nays 0, one
  present not voting.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
 
  Approved:
 
  ______________________________ 
              Date
 
 
  ______________________________ 
            Governor