HF 333

2nd Engrossment - 80th Legislature (1997 - 1998) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

  1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to public safety; requiring employers who 
  1.3             employ peace officers and full-time firefighters 
  1.4             injured or killed in the line of duty to continue to 
  1.5             provide health insurance coverage; proposing coding 
  1.6             for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 299A. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  [299A.465] [CONTINUED HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE 
  1.9   TO DISABLED.] 
  1.10     Subdivision 1.  [OFFICER DISABLED IN LINE OF DUTY.] (a) 
  1.11  This subdivision applies when a peace officer suffers a 
  1.12  disabling injury that: 
  1.13     (1) results in the officer's retirement or separation from 
  1.14  service; 
  1.15     (2) occurs while the officer is acting in the course and 
  1.16  scope of duties as a peace officer; and 
  1.17     (3) the officer has been approved to receive the officer's 
  1.18  duty-related disability pension. 
  1.19     (b) The officer's employer shall continue to provide health 
  1.20  coverage for: 
  1.21     (1) the officer; and 
  1.22     (2) the officer's dependents if the officer was receiving 
  1.23  dependent coverage at the time of the injury under the 
  1.24  employer's group health plan. 
  1.25     (c) The employer is responsible for the continued payment 
  1.26  of the employer's contribution for coverage of the officer and, 
  2.1   if applicable, the officer's dependents.  Coverage must continue 
  2.2   for the officer and, if applicable, the officer's dependents 
  2.3   until the officer reaches the age of 65.  However, coverage for 
  2.4   dependents does not have to be continued after the person no 
  2.5   longer meets the definition of dependent.  
  2.6      Subd. 2.  [OFFICER KILLED IN LINE OF DUTY.] (a) This 
  2.7   subdivision applies when a peace officer is killed while on duty 
  2.8   and discharging the officer's duties as a peace officer. 
  2.9      (b) The officer's employer shall continue to cover the 
  2.10  deceased officer's dependents if the officer was receiving 
  2.11  dependent coverage at the time of the officer's death under the 
  2.12  employer's group health plan. 
  2.13     (c) The employer is responsible for the employer's 
  2.14  contribution for the coverage of the officer's dependents.  
  2.15  Coverage must continue for a dependent of the officer for the 
  2.16  period of time that the person meets the definition of dependent 
  2.17  up to the age of 65. 
  2.18     Subd. 3.  [COORDINATION OF BENEFITS.] Health insurance 
  2.19  benefits payable to the officer and the officer's dependents 
  2.20  from any other source provides the primary coverage, and 
  2.21  coverage available under this section is secondary. 
  2.22     Subd. 4.  [PUBLIC EMPLOYER REIMBURSEMENT.] A public 
  2.23  employer subject to this section may annually apply to the 
  2.24  commissioner of public safety for reimbursement of its costs of 
  2.25  complying with this section.  The commissioner shall provide 
  2.26  reimbursement to the public employer out of the public safety 
  2.27  officer's benefit account. 
  2.28     Subd. 5.  [DEFINITION.] For purposes of this section: 
  2.29     (a) "Peace officer" or "officer" has the meaning given in 
  2.30  section 626.84, subdivision 1, paragraph (c). 
  2.31     (b) "Dependent" means a person who meets the definition of 
  2.32  dependent in section 62L.02, subdivision 11, at the time of the 
  2.33  officer's injury or death. 
  2.34     Subd. 6.  [FULL-TIME FIREFIGHTERS.] Subdivisions 1, 2, 3, 
  2.35  and 5, paragraph (b), also apply to a full-time firefighter who 
  2.36  meets the other terms, conditions, and qualifications under 
  3.1   those subdivisions. 
  3.2      Sec. 2.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  3.3      Section 1 is effective the day following final enactment.