HF 1044

as introduced - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to student health insurance; establishing grant programs; appropriating
money; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 135A.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

new text begin [135A.141] QUALIFYING STUDENT HEALTH INSURANCE
PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Health insurance required. new text end

new text begin Every full-time and part-time student
enrolled in a public or private institution of higher education located in the state shall
participate in a qualifying student health insurance program. For the purposes of this
section, "part-time student" means a student participating in at least 50 percent of the
full-time curriculum. An institution may elect to allow students to waive participation
in its student health insurance program or any part of it if the institution permitting such
waivers requires students waiving participation to certify in writing, prior to any academic
year in which they do not participate in the institution's plan, that they are participating
in a health insurance plan having comparable coverage.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Report. new text end

new text begin Each public and private institution of higher education shall submit
an annual report to the commissioner of health detailing its procedures for complying
with the provisions of this section. Prior to the implementation of this section, the
commissioner of health shall submit a report to the house and senate committees on health
policy and finance that includes, but is not limited to, an analysis of the number of students
lacking health insurance, the costs of the requirements of this section to the students and
the institutions of higher education, and a proposed method for meeting the costs.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Penalty. new text end

new text begin Any public or private institution of higher education failing to
carry out its responsibilities under this section shall pay a penalty of $50 per student per
day for every day during which the failure continues. Any penalties collected pursuant
to this section shall be deposited in the general fund. Any institution that relies in
good faith on statements by students related to their health insurance status shall not be
liable for any penalty or for failure to comply with provisions of this section caused by
misstatements of students.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Rules. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of health shall issue rules to define qualifying
student health insurance programs, to establish procedures to monitor compliance, and to
implement the provisions of this section.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Suicide intervention and prevention grant. new text end

new text begin $....... in fiscal year 2008 and
$....... in fiscal year 2009 are appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of
human services for grants for institutions of higher education in the state of Minnesota to
coordinate implementation of youth suicide early intervention and prevention strategies.
new text end