2008 -- H 8330

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LC02958

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2008

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A N A C T

RELATING TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY -- JOINT COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE

SERVICES

     Introduced By: Representative Lisa Baldelli-Hunt

     Date Introduced: May 29, 2008

     Referred To: House Finance

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Chapter 22-11 of the General Laws entitled "Joint Committee on

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Legislative Services" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

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     22-11-3.6. General Assembly members health insurance benefits. – (a) Effective July

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1, 2008, and pursuant to the requirements of Article 6, Section 3 of the Constitution of Rhode

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Island, every member of the general assembly shall be given the flat sum of seven thousand

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dollars ($7,000) per legislative year, for purposes of the purchase of health insurance coverage.

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Said payments shall be made in the form of a single payment to the legislator at the start of the

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legislative session in which the member is eligible to serve. Members shall be eligible to

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purchase health insurance coverage at the same price, terms and conditions as the state purchases

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for its full-time state employees. Provided, however, that a member need not use said sum for

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purchase of health insurance, nor shall the member be required to purchase said insurance from

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the provider or providers with whom the state contracts. The flat sum provided for in this section

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shall be the only health insurance benefits provided to the legislative member pursuant to Article

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6, Section 3 of the Constitution of Rhode Island. As used in this section, the term "health

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insurance" shall include medical, dental and vision plans.

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     (b) The flat sum of seven thousand dollars ($7,000) provided for by this section shall be

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in addition to the compensation provided for members of the general assembly and shall not

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reduce the members' compensation.

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     (c) Any member who is unable to continue service as a member of the general assembly

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after the commencement of a session and after receipt of the health insurance payment provided

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for herein shall not be required to reimburse or remit any portion of the payment, unless the

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member's inability to continue service is due to criminal misconduct, in which case the payment

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shall be prorated as of the day the member is unable to continue service. The joint committee on

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legislative services shall have authority to determine whether such payment should be prorated

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and what amount, if any, should be returned or reimbursed, and shall issue such orders as it finds

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appropriate, after notice to the affected member. The affected member shall, on request, be

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entitled to appear before the joint committee on the issue of whether any portion of such health

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insurance payments should be returned or prorated.

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     (d) The joint committee shall annually review the amount provided herein for health

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insurance and may adjust the cost accordingly to account for rises in insurance costs. In making

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said determinations, the joint committee shall seek to establish a sum that would permit a

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legislator to purchase health insurance coverage that is an individual plan. Provided, further, that

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a member may use the payment to purchase all or a portion of a family health insurance plan, but

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calculations shall not be made to provide full payment for purchase of a family health insurance

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plan.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on July 1, 2008.

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LC02958

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY -- JOINT COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE

SERVICES

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     This act would provide that all legislators would receive a lump sum of $7,000 per

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legislative session for the purposes of purchasing health insurance.

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     This act would take effect on July 1, 2008.

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LC02958

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