as introduced - 82nd Legislature (2001 - 2002) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am
1.1 A bill for an act 1.2 relating to public employees; establishing a mandatory 1.3 statewide health insurance plan for school district 1.4 employees; providing for postretirement health 1.5 insurance coverage through individual trust funds; 1.6 establishing a labor-management team to design the 1.7 insurance plan; appropriating money; proposing coding 1.8 for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 43A. 1.9 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 1.10 Section 1. [43A.3175] [SCHOOL EMPLOYEE INSURANCE PLAN.] 1.11 Subdivision 1. [DEFINITIONS.] For purposes of this section: 1.12 (1) "eligible employee" means a person who is a public 1.13 employee within the definition of section 179A.03 who is 1.14 insurance eligible and is employed by an eligible employer or an 1.15 exclusive representative of employees of an eligible employer so 1.16 long as the plan meets the requirements of a governmental plan 1.17 under United States Code, title 29, section 1002(32); and 1.18 (2) "eligible employer" means a school district as defined 1.19 in section 120A.05, a service cooperative as defined in section 1.20 123A.21, an intermediate district as defined in section 136D.01, 1.21 a cooperative center for vocational education as defined in 1.22 section 123A.22, a regional management information center as 1.23 defined in section 123A.23, an education unit organized under 1.24 section 471.59, or an exclusive representative of employers of 1.25 an eligible employer. 1.26 Subd. 2. [INSURANCE PLAN.] Each school district shall 1.27 participate in the school employees insurance plan. The plan is 2.1 a state-funded plan providing health insurance coverage for all 2.2 eligible employees of eligible employers, except that an 2.3 exclusive representative of eligible employees may elect not to 2.4 have its employees participate in the plan so long as they are 2.5 eligible for health coverage through another plan, the cost of 2.6 which is fully or partially covered by the exclusive 2.7 representative. In addition, the plan provides an individual 2.8 trust fund for each retired eligible employee to be used for 2.9 health insurance, funded through state-matched contributions 2.10 made while the retiree was an active eligible employee. 2.11 Subd. 3. [LABOR-MANAGEMENT BOARD.] The plan is 2.12 administered by a labor-management board consisting of members 2.13 appointed by the exclusive representatives of eligible employees 2.14 and an equal number of members appointed by eligible employers. 2.15 Each exclusive representative of eligible employees with at 2.16 least 1,500 members statewide is entitled to appoint one member 2.17 to the board. An exclusive representative of eligible employees 2.18 is entitled to appoint one additional member for each additional 2.19 9,000 members statewide. 2.20 Sec. 2. [INTERIM LABOR-MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE.] 2.21 By October 1, 2001, each exclusive representative of 2.22 eligible employees, as defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 2.23 43A.3175, subdivision 1, with at least 1,500 members statewide 2.24 shall appoint one member to serve on a labor-management 2.25 committee. An exclusive representative of eligible employees is 2.26 entitled to appoint one additional member for each additional 2.27 9,000 members statewide. By that date, the commissioner of 2.28 employee relations shall appoint an equal number of members 2.29 representing eligible employers as defined in Minnesota 2.30 Statutes, section 43A.3175, subdivision 1. The commissioner or 2.31 the commissioner's designee shall also be a member of the 2.32 labor-management committee, and the commissioner shall provide 2.33 administrative support to the committee. By October 15, 2002, 2.34 the labor-management committee shall present a report to the 2.35 commissioner of employee relations setting out the structure, 2.36 management, operation, and funding of the school employees 3.1 health plan established by Minnesota Statutes, section 3.2 43A.3175. The commissioner shall determine the cost of the plan 3.3 and present a report to the legislature to address off-setting 3.4 the costs of the plan to the state by reductions in state aids 3.5 to eligible employers. The report must include determinations 3.6 regarding plan providers, benefits, and coverage. The report 3.7 must also address whether eligible employers and the exclusive 3.8 representatives of eligible employees may collectively bargain 3.9 the provision of health coverage that provides benefits in 3.10 addition to those provided at state expense under the plan, a 3.11 mechanism for all retired eligible employees to be eligible for 3.12 coverage by the plan, and procedures for the establishment and 3.13 operation of an individual retiree trust fund for health 3.14 insurance. The committee expires upon appointment of a 3.15 labor-management board, under Minnesota Statutes, section 3.16 43A.3175, subdivision 3. 3.17 Sec. 3. [APPROPRIATION.] 3.18 $....... is appropriated from the general fund to the 3.19 commissioner of employee relations for purposes of section 2. 3.20 Sec. 4. [EFFECTIVE DATES.] 3.21 Section 1 is effective July 1, 2003. Sections 2 and 3 are 3.22 effective July 1, 2001.