Senate Bill sb1172

    Florida Senate - 2001                                  SB 1172

    By Senators Mitchell, Latvala, Clary, Smith and Lawson





    4-789-01

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to the state group health

  3         insurance and prescription drug programs;

  4         creating s. 110.1228, F.S.; authorizing

  5         specified local governmental entities to apply

  6         for participation; providing eligibility

  7         requirements for enrollment; exempting the

  8         program from ss. 624.436-624.446, F.S.,

  9         relating to multiple-employer welfare

10         arrangements; authorizing the Department of

11         Management Services to adopt rules; providing a

12         conditional effective date.

13

14  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

15

16         Section 1.  Section 110.1228, Florida Statutes, is

17  created to read:

18         110.1228  Participation by small counties, small

19  municipalities, and district school boards located in small

20  counties.--

21         (1)  As used in this section, the term:

22         (a)  "District school board" means a district school

23  board located in a small county.

24         (b)  "Small municipality" means an incorporated

25  municipality that has a population of 12,500 or fewer

26  according to the most recent decennial census.

27         (c)  "Small county" means a county that has a

28  population of 100,000 or fewer according to the most recent

29  decennial census.

30         (2)  The governing body of a small county or small

31  municipality or a district school board may apply for

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    Florida Senate - 2001                                  SB 1172
    4-789-01




  1  participation in the state group health insurance program

  2  authorized in s. 110.123 and the prescription drug coverage

  3  program authorized by s. 110.12315 by submitting an

  4  application along with a $500 nonrefundable fee to the

  5  department.

  6         (3)  As a prerequisite to applying for participation in

  7  the state group health insurance program and the prescription

  8  drug coverage program, a small county, small municipality, or

  9  district school board must adopt an ordinance or resolution

10  ratifying such application to the state group health insurance

11  program and the prescription drug coverage program.

12         (4)  If the department determines that a small

13  municipality, small county, or district school board is

14  eligible to enroll, the small municipality, small county, or

15  district school board must agree to the following terms and

16  conditions:

17         (a)  The minimum enrollment or contractual period will

18  be 3 years.

19         (b)  It must pay to the department a monthly

20  administrative fee not to exceed $2.75 per enrollee per month.

21         (c)  Termination of participation of a small

22  municipality, small county, or district school board requires

23  written notice 1 year before the termination date.

24         (d)  If participation is terminated, a small

25  municipality, small county, or district school board may not

26  reapply for participation for a period of 2 years.

27         (e)  If a small county, small municipality, or district

28  school board employer fails to make the premium payment

29  required by this chapter, the Department of Revenue or the

30  Department of Banking and Finance shall, upon the request of

31  the Department of Management Services, deduct the amount owed

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    Florida Senate - 2001                                  SB 1172
    4-789-01




  1  by the employer from any funds to be distributed by it to the

  2  small county, small municipality, or district school board.

  3  The amounts so deducted shall be transferred to the department

  4  for further distribution to the trust funds in accordance with

  5  this chapter.

  6         (f)  The small municipality, small county, or district

  7  school board shall furnish the department information

  8  requested by the department which the department considers

  9  necessary to administer the state group health insurance

10  program and the prescription drug program.

11         (5)  The provisions of ss. 624.436-624.446 do not apply

12  to the State Group Insurance Program or to this section.

13         (6)  The Department of Management Services may adopt

14  rules to administer this section.

15         Section 2.  This act, except for this section, which

16  shall take effect upon becoming a law, shall take effect

17  October 1, 2001, if the Department of Management Services

18  receives the favorable letters described in section 1 of

19  chapter 2000-363, Laws of Florida, before that date. If the

20  Department of Management Services receives such favorable

21  letters on or after October 1, 2001, and before October 1,

22  2002, this act shall take effect October 1, 2002, and if the

23  department receives such favorable letters on or after October

24  1, 2002, this act shall not take effect.

25

26            *****************************************

27                          SENATE SUMMARY

28    Provides conditions under which small municipalities and
      small counties, as defined, and school districts of small
29    counties, may participate in the state's group insurance
      program and prescription drug program.
30

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