MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2000 Regular Session

To: Finance

By: Senator(s) Hyde-Smith

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 25-15-14, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT SHERIFFS WHO DO NOT RUN FOR REELECTION OR WHO ARE DEFEATED BEFORE BEING ENTITLED TO RECEIVE A RETIREMENT ALLOWANCE SHALL BE ELIGIBLE TO CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE STATE EMPLOYEES HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN; TO AMEND SECTION 25-15-103, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO ALLOW SHERIFFS WHO DO NOT RUN FOR REELECTION OR WHO ARE DEFEATED BEFORE BECOMING ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE A RETIREMENT ALLOWANCE TO CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE IN LOCAL PUBLIC GROUP HEALTH, ACCIDENT AND HOSPITALIZATION BENEFIT PLANS TO THE SAME EXTENT AS RETIRED LOCAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 25-15-14, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

25-15-14. Any elected state, district official or sheriff who does not run for reelection or who is defeated before being entitled to receive a retirement allowance shall be eligible to continue to participate in the State and School Employees Health Insurance Plan under the same conditions and coverages for retired employees.

SECTION 2. Section 25-15-103, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

25-15-103. The maximum amount of group insurance or other coverage used in determining employer's limitation of one hundred percent (100%) of such costs shall be determined by regulations promulgated by the governing board or head of any political subdivision, school district, junior college district, institution, department or agency named in Sections 25-15-101 and 25-15-103, but the life insurance for each employee shall not exceed Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00), or the amount of deduction allowed by the United States Internal Revenue Service in filing a federal tax return, whichever is greater. A like amount may be for accidental death; accident, health and salary protection insurance, providing benefits not exceeding sixty percent (60%) of the employee's income, or the amount allowed by the United States Internal Revenue Service in filing a federal tax return, whichever is greater. Hospitalization benefits for room and board may not exceed the average semiprivate cost per day; and the other coverages authorized hereinabove. The limitations in this paragraph on the amount of group insurance and other coverage which employers may obtain for their employees shall not be applicable to municipalities.

Any employee who retires due to one hundred percent (100%) medical disability, or due to reaching the statutory age of retirement under the provisions of the Public Employees' Retirement Law of 1952, being Sections 25-11-101 through 25-11-139, may, if he elects, remain a member of the group plan for such life insurance and other benefits as may be agreed to by the governing board or institution, department, or agency head and the companies writing such insurance and other coverage, by paying the entire costs thereof. Any sheriff who does not run for reelection or who is defeated before being entitled to receive a retirement allowance shall be eligible to continue to participate as a member of the group plan for health, accident and hospitalization benefits under the same conditions and coverages as retired employees.

When any of the political subdivisions, school districts, junior college districts, institutions, departments or agencies named in Sections 25-15-101 and 25-15-103 have adopted the group coverage plan authorized by said sections, any of the employees thereof participating in the plan who desire to secure additional benefits for their dependents with the company or companies providing such group coverage may do so by authorizing in writing the deduction from his or her salary or wages of the necessary amounts for the full payment of such additional coverage, and the same may be deducted and paid for such purposes, but the entire cost of such additional coverage for dependents shall be paid by the employee.

Said municipality may provide group life insurance coverage for all or specified groups of its public employees and group hospitalization benefits for such public employees and their dependents, and the municipality may pay the total of the cost of all benefits under this section.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2000.