Chapter 301
2010 -- S 2949
Enacted 06/25/10
A N A C T
RELATING TO
INSURANCE - TEACHERS' HEALTH INSURANCE
Introduced By: Senator Hanna M. Gallo
Date Introduced: May 27, 2010
It is enacted by the
General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 27-73-4 of the General Laws in Chapter
27-73 entitled "Rhode
27-73-4.
Powers, duties, and functions of the board. -- (a)
The board shall have the
following powers, duties and functions relative to active
full-time certified employees pursuant to
section 28-9.3-2, and active full-time school district
employees pursuant to section 28-9.4-3:
(1) To design and
approve, with input and recommendations from the technical advisory
committee, medical benefits plan designs and prescription drug
coverage plan designs in
accordance with the following:
(i)
To design at least six (6) uniform benefit plan designs for all
school employees.
(ii) Benefit plan
designs shall include at least one managed care option, at least four (4)
preferred provider organization (PPO) options, and at least one
health savings account (HSA)
compatible high deductible health plan (HDHP) option.
(iii) The actuarial
value of any of the approved benefit plan designs may not be greater
than the actuarial value of the state employee health plan
in effect as of the date the plan designs
are approved.
(iv)
The PPO options shall reflect four (4) different levels of plan design,
with a
minimum actuarial difference between each of the plan designs
of seven and one-half percent
(7.5%).
(v) The actuarial value
of the lowest board-approved benefit plan design shall not be
greater than the actuarial value of the public school
employee benefit plan design with the lowest
actuarial value in effect in the state on January 1, 2010
January 1, 2011.
(b) To monitor the
implementation of the uniform benefit plan designs and to
recommend modifications to such benefit plan designs as
appropriate.
(c) To report to the
governor and general assembly on or before April 15, 2010 April 15,
2011, with
recommendations on the means, feasibility and benefits of developing a
statewide
health benefit purchasing arrangement for public school
employees.
SECTION 2. Section 28-9.3-2 of the General Laws in Chapter
28-9.3 entitled "Certified
School Teachers'
Arbitration" is hereby amended to read as follows:
28-9.3-2.
Right to organize and bargain collectively. -- (a)
The certified teachers in the
public school system in any city, town, or regional school
district have the right to negotiate
professionally and to bargain collectively with their respective
school committees and to be
represented by an association or labor organization in the
negotiation or collective bargaining
concerning hours, salary, working conditions, and all other
terms and conditions of professional
employment.
(b) For purposes of
this chapter, "certified teachers" means certified
teaching personnel
employed in the public school systems in the state of
including support personnel whose positions require a
professional certificate issued by the state
department of education and personnel licensed by the department
of health; or other non-
administrative professional employees.
(c) Superintendents,
assistant superintendents, principals, and assistant principals, and
other supervisors above the rank of assistant principal,
are excluded from the provisions of this
chapter.
(d) Notwithstanding the
provisions of subsection (a), collective bargaining agreements
shall not provide for benefits for health care
("benefit plans") for certified employees unless such
benefit plans are authorized in accordance with chapter
27-73. Active employees whose
collective bargaining agreements expire on or after July 1,
2010 June 30, 2011 shall, upon
expiration of such collective bargaining agreements, receive coverage
under benefit plans
authorized in accordance with chapter 27-73.
SECTION 3. Section 28-9.4-3 of the General Laws in Chapter
28-9.4 entitled "Municipal
Employees'
Arbitration" is hereby amended to read as follows:
28-9.4-3.
Right to organize and bargain collectively. -- (a)
The municipal employees of
any municipal employer in any city, town, or regional
school district shall have the right to
negotiate and to bargain collectively with their respective
municipal employers and to be
represented by an employee organization in the negotiation or
collective bargaining concerning
hours, salary, working conditions, and all other terms and
conditions of employment.
(b) Notwithstanding the
provisions of subsection (a), for those municipal employees who
are employed by school districts, collective bargaining
agreements shall not provide for benefits
for health care ("benefit plans") for school
district employees unless such benefit plans are
authorized in accordance with chapter 27-73. School district
employees whose collective
bargaining agreements expire on or after July 1, 2010 June
30, 2011 shall, upon expiration of
such collective bargaining agreements, receive benefit
plans authorized in accordance with
chapter 27-73.
SECTION 4. This act shall take effect upon passage.
=======
LC02728
=======