House Concurrent Resolution 122

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION SUSPENDING THE DEADLINES FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE FURTHER CONSIDERATION AND PASSAGE OF HOUSE BILL 1386, REGULAR SESSION OF 2002, ENTITLED "AN ACT TO CREATE NEW SECTION 25-11-143, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM TO DESIGN A PLAN OF HEALTH INSURANCE FOR ALL CURRENT AND FUTURE RETIREES; TO PROVIDE THAT THE PLAN SHALL BE IMPLEMENTED AFTER THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT THE EMPLOYER'S CONTRIBUTION RATE TO THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM CAN BE REDUCED BY ONE PERCENT WITHOUT CAUSING THE UNFUNDED LIABILITY PERIOD FOR THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM TO EXCEED TWENTY YEARS; TO PROVIDE THAT THE PLAN SHALL INITIALLY HAVE BENEFITS EQUIVALENT TO THOSE IN THE STATE AND SCHOOL EMPLOYEES HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN; TO PROVIDE THAT THE BOARD MAY MODIFY THE PLAN AS NECESSARY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE MEMBERS OF THE PLAN AND TO MAINTAIN THE FISCAL SOUNDNESS OF THE PLAN; TO PROVIDE THAT THE BOARD MAY OFFER AN OPTIONAL PLAN TO RETIREES WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICARE; TO PROVIDE FOR THE TREATMENT OF RETIREES WHO DECLINE COVERAGE UNDER THE PLAN OR WHO ELECT CONTINUING COVERAGE UNDER COBRA; TO PROVIDE THAT THE BOARD SHALL SUBSIDIZE A PORTION OF THE COST OF PROVIDING THE HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN TO RETIREES; TO PROVIDE FOR THE AMOUNT OF SUBSIDY; TO PROVIDE THAT EACH EMPLOYER SHALL PAY MONTHLY AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO 2.5% OF THE TOTAL PAYROLL OF THE EMPLOYER THAT IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM; TO PROVIDE THAT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF THE PAYMENTS RECEIVED BY THE BOARD SHALL BE HELD IN A FUND AND UTILIZED BY THE BOARD TO SUBSIDIZE THE HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN REQUIRED TO BE ESTABLISHED BY THIS ACT; TO GRANT THE BOARD CERTAIN POWERS AND DUTIES WITH REGARD TO THE PLAN; TO CREATE A NEW SECTION TO BE CODIFIED AS SECTION 25-11-145, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THE MANNER IN WHICH THE FUNDS RECEIVED BY THE INSURANCE PROGRAM ESTABLISHED IN SECTION 25-11-143, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, MAY BE INVESTED; TO AMEND SECTION 25-11-123, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DIRECT THE BOARD TO REDUCE THE EMPLOYER'S CONTRIBUTION RATE TO THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM BY ONE PERCENT AFTER THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT THE EMPLOYER'S CONTRIBUTION RATE CAN BE REDUCED BY THAT AMOUNT WITHOUT CAUSING THE UNFUNDED LIABILITY PERIOD FOR THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM TO EXCEED TWENTY YEARS; TO AMEND SECTIONS 25-15-3, 25-15-9, 25-15-11, 25-15-15 AND 25-15-103, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REMOVE PROVISIONS THAT AUTHORIZE RETIREES TO BE INCLUDED IN THE STATE AND SCHOOL EMPLOYEES LIFE AND HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN; TO AMEND SECTION 25-15-14, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT ELECTED STATE AND DISTRICT OFFICIALS ELIGIBLE FOR GROUP HEALTH INSURANCE AFTER LEAVING OFFICE WILL CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE STATE AND SCHOOL EMPLOYEES HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN AND NOT IN THE NEW PLAN FOR RETIREES; TO AMEND SECTION 25-11-141, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES."

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That the Joint Rules of the House and the Senate, including all the deadlines and other provisions imposed by Joint Rule No. 40, are suspended for the purpose of permitting the further consideration and passage of House Bill 1386, Regular Session of 2002, entitled "AN ACT TO CREATE NEW SECTION 25-11-143, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM TO DESIGN A PLAN OF HEALTH INSURANCE FOR ALL CURRENT AND FUTURE RETIREES; TO PROVIDE THAT THE PLAN SHALL BE IMPLEMENTED AFTER THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT THE EMPLOYER'S CONTRIBUTION RATE TO THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM CAN BE REDUCED BY ONE PERCENT WITHOUT CAUSING THE UNFUNDED LIABILITY PERIOD FOR THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM TO EXCEED TWENTY YEARS; TO PROVIDE THAT THE PLAN SHALL INITIALLY HAVE BENEFITS EQUIVALENT TO THOSE IN THE STATE AND SCHOOL EMPLOYEES HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN; TO PROVIDE THAT THE BOARD MAY MODIFY THE PLAN AS NECESSARY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE MEMBERS OF THE PLAN AND TO MAINTAIN THE FISCAL SOUNDNESS OF THE PLAN; TO PROVIDE THAT THE BOARD MAY OFFER AN OPTIONAL PLAN TO RETIREES WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICARE; TO PROVIDE FOR THE TREATMENT OF RETIREES WHO DECLINE COVERAGE UNDER THE PLAN OR WHO ELECT CONTINUING COVERAGE UNDER COBRA; TO PROVIDE THAT THE BOARD SHALL SUBSIDIZE A PORTION OF THE COST OF PROVIDING THE HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN TO RETIREES; TO PROVIDE FOR THE AMOUNT OF SUBSIDY; TO PROVIDE THAT EACH EMPLOYER SHALL PAY MONTHLY AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO 2.5% OF THE TOTAL PAYROLL OF THE EMPLOYER THAT IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM; TO PROVIDE THAT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF THE PAYMENTS RECEIVED BY THE BOARD SHALL BE HELD IN A FUND AND UTILIZED BY THE BOARD TO SUBSIDIZE THE HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN REQUIRED TO BE ESTABLISHED BY THIS ACT; TO GRANT THE BOARD CERTAIN POWERS AND DUTIES WITH REGARD TO THE PLAN; TO CREATE A NEW SECTION TO BE CODIFIED AS SECTION 25-11-145, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THE MANNER IN WHICH THE FUNDS RECEIVED BY THE INSURANCE PROGRAM ESTABLISHED IN SECTION 25-11-143, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, MAY BE INVESTED; TO AMEND SECTION 25-11-123, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DIRECT THE BOARD TO REDUCE THE EMPLOYER'S CONTRIBUTION RATE TO THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM BY ONE PERCENT AFTER THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT THE EMPLOYER'S CONTRIBUTION RATE CAN BE REDUCED BY THAT AMOUNT WITHOUT CAUSING THE UNFUNDED LIABILITY PERIOD FOR THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM TO EXCEED TWENTY YEARS; TO AMEND SECTIONS 25-15-3, 25-15-9, 25-15-11, 25-15-15 AND 25-15-103, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REMOVE PROVISIONS THAT AUTHORIZE RETIREES TO BE INCLUDED IN THE STATE AND SCHOOL EMPLOYEES LIFE AND HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN; TO AMEND SECTION 25-15-14, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT ELECTED STATE AND DISTRICT OFFICIALS ELIGIBLE FOR GROUP HEALTH INSURANCE AFTER LEAVING OFFICE WILL CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE STATE AND SCHOOL EMPLOYEES HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN AND NOT IN THE NEW PLAN FOR RETIREES; TO AMEND SECTION 25-11-141, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES."