HBA-JEK H.B. 2785 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2785 By: Farabee Insurance 4/22/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Current law authorizes a school district to participate in the small employer market for health insurance regardless of the number of district employees. However, the law does not authorize a community mental health and mental retardation center (center) to participate in the small employer market for health insurance if it has more than 50 employees. Many centers receive a limited number of bids from insurance companies. House Bill 2785 authorizes a center to elect to participate in the small employer market regardless of the number of eligible employees at the center. 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. ANALYSIS House Bill 2785 amends the Insurance Code to authorize a community mental health and mental retardation center (center) to elect to participate in the small employer market without regard to the number of eligible employees of the center. A center that elects to participate is treated as a small employer for all purposes of the Health Insurance Portability and Availability Act. EFFECTIVE DATE The 91st day after adjournment.