HBA-LCA H.B. 2699 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2699
By: Sadler
Public Education
4/20/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, public school classroom teachers and full-time librarians are
not included in the coverage provided to state employees under the Texas
Employees Uniform Group Insurance Benefits Act. H.B. 2699 entitles
classroom teachers and full-time librarians to insurance coverage under
that Act.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 21.402, Education Code, by adding Subsection
(g), as follows: 

(g)  Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a
school district (district), for the 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 school years,
must pay each classroom teacher or full-time librarian not less than a
minimum monthly salary for an employee at the employee's level of
experience specified in the General Appropriations Act for the state fiscal
biennium beginning September 1, 1999.  Provides that this subsection
expires September 1, 2001. 

SECTION  2.  Amends Section 22.004(a), Education Code, to exclude classroom
teachers and fulltime librarians from certain specified health coverages. 

SECTION 3.  Amends Section 22.005(a), Education Code, to exclude classroom
teachers and fulltime librarians and their dependents from a health care
plan established for employees by the board of trustees of a school
district. 

SECTION 4.  Amends Section 2, Article 3.50-2, V.T.C.S. (Texas Employees
Uniform Group Insurance Benefits Act), as follows: 

Sec. 2.  PURPOSES.  (a)  Includes teachers and librarians in public schools
and their dependents among those for whom the Texas Employees Uniform Group
Insurance Benefits Act is intended to provide uniformity in life, accident,
and benefits coverages.  Makes a conforming change. 

(b)-(g)  Make conforming changes.

SECTION 5. Amends Sections 3(a)(5) and (6), Article 3.50-2, V.T.C.S. (Texas
Employees Uniform Group Insurance Benefits Act), as follows: 

(a)(5)  Includes in the definition of "employee" a person who is employed,
as determined by the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, on other than a
temporary basis as a classroom teacher, as defined by Section 5.001,
Education Code (Definitions), or as a full-time librarian.  Makes a
conforming change. 

(a)(6)  Includes an employer as defined by Section 821.001(7), Government
Code (General  Provisions), other than the board of regents of a college or
university not included in the meaning of "institution of higher learning"
under Subdivision (18) of this subsection, as an employer.  Makes a
conforming change. 

SECTION 6.  Amends Section 5(a), Article 3.50-2, V.T.C.S. (Texas Employees
Uniform Group Insurance Benefits Act), to update references to the Texas
Department of Insurance, rather than the State Board of Insurance. 

SECTION  7.  Amends Section 13, Article 3.50-2, V.T.C.S. (Texas Employees
Uniform Group Insurance Benefits Act), by amending Subsection (a) and
adding Subsection (e), as follows:   

(a)  Provides that no employee may be denied any of the group coverage
provided under this Act except as provided by Subsection (e) of this
section, in addition to Section 13A of this Act.  Makes a conforming
change. 

(e)  Provides that a classroom teacher or librarian described by Section
3(a)(5)(B) of this Act is not entitled to group life coverage under this
Act. 

SECTION 8.  Amends Section 13B(c), Article 3.50-2, V.T.C.S. (Texas
Employees Uniform Group Insurance Benefits Act) to make conforming changes. 

SECTION 9. Amends Sections 14(a) and (d)-(h), Article 3.50-2, V.T.C.S.
(Texas Employees Uniform Group Insurance Benefits Act), as follows: 

(a)  Provides that the contribution for an employee who is a classroom
teacher or librarian described under Section (3)(a)(5)(B) of this Act may
not be less than the contribution for a state employee. 

(d)  Requires the payroll officer for an employer of classroom teachers or
librarians, as described under Section (3)(a)(5)(B) of this Act, to pay the
amounts deducted under this subsection to the board of trustees of the
Teacher Retirement System (trustee) as prescribed by the trustee. 

(e)-(h)  Make conforming changes.

SECTION 10.  Amends Sections 15(b) and (c), Article 3.50-2, V.T.C.S. (Texas
Employees Uniform Group Insurance Benefits Act), as follows: 

(b)  Requires the state to contribute to the cost of individual and group
coverages for state employees who are classroom teachers or librarians
described under Section 3(a)(5)(B) of this Act except as otherwise provided
by this section.  Makes conforming changes. 

(c)  Makes a conforming change.

SECTION 11.  Amends Sections 16(B)(a)-(c) and (e), Article 3.50-2, V.T.C.S.
(Texas Employees Uniform Group Insurance Benefits Act), as follows: 

(a)  Provides that the State Employees Cafeteria Plan is renamed the State
and Public School Employees Cafeteria Plan. 

(b)  Provides that the payroll officer for an employer of classroom
teachers or librarians, as described under Section 3(a)(5)(B) of this Act,
shall pay the amounts deducted under this subsection as prescribed by the
trustee. Makes a conforming change. 

(c)  Makes a conforming change.

(e)  Makes a conforming change.

SECTION 12.  Reenacts Section 821.001(7), Government Code, as amended by
Chapters 260 and  555, Acts of the 74th Legislature, Regular Session, 1995. 

SECTION  13.  (a)  Provides that this Act takes effect upon passage, except
as provided by Subsection (b) of this section. 

(b)  Provides that Section 1 of this Act takes effect September 1, 1999.

(c)  Provides that a classroom teacher or full-time librarian employed by a
school district or a retired classroom teacher or retired full-time
librarian is not entitled to group health insurance under Article 3.50-2,
V.T.C.S. (Texas Employees Uniform Group Insurance Benefits Act), as amended
by this Act, before September 1, 1999.  Provides that certain benefits and
rights to payment of a claim may not be terminated before September 1,
1999. 

SECTION 14.  Emergency clause.