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A bill to be entitled

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An act relating to small business health care insurance

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assistance; providing legislative intent; establishing a

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pilot program to provide rebates to small businesses

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providing comprehensive major medical health insurance

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coverage for employees; requiring employer and employee

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participation in certain costs; specifying the amount of

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the rebate; providing for additional eligibility for

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certain businesses; limiting authorization to provide

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rebates under the program pursuant to specific

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appropriation; providing for administration of the program

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by the Agency for Health Care Administration; requiring

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the agency to adopt rules; providing enforcement and audit

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authority for the agency; providing an effective date.

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

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     Section 1. (1) It is the intent of the Legislature to

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encourage small businesses to provide comprehensive major medical

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health insurance coverage to employees of the businesses.

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     (2) The Small Business Health Care Insurance Assistance

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Pilot Program is created as a statewide pilot program for a

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period of 2 years to provide a one-time rebate for small

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businesses that employ more than one but fewer than six employees

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and that provide full coverage of comprehensive major medical

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health insurance for such employees pursuant to s. 627.6699,

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Florida Statutes. The employer shall pay at least 50 percent but

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less than 100 percent of the cost of the coverage, and the

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employees must share in the remainder of the cost of the

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coverage.

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     (3)(a) The amount of the rebate shall be $1,000 per each

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employee as reported on the business's Florida unemployment

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compensation tax form 6.

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     (b) A small business must apply through the Agency for

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Health Care Administration.

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     (c) A business is eligible for the rebate under this

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section if, at the time of applying for a rebate under the pilot

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program, the business had provided and paid for such coverage for

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12 consecutive months but had not provided and paid for such

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coverage for at least 6 months prior to the 12-month period. The

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business may receive the rebate only one time.

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     (d) The agency shall only provide rebates to eligible

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businesses if a specific appropriation is made in the General

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Appropriations Act for the purpose of providing rebates under the

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pilot program.

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     (4) The pilot program shall be administered by the Agency

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for Health Care Administration. The agency shall adopt any rules

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pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54, Florida Statutes,

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necessary to administer and ensure accountability of the pilot

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program and enforce compliance with the requirements of the

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program. The agency may conduct audits of any business applying

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for rebates under the program to ensure compliance with program

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requirements.

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     Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2008.