BILL REQ. #: Z-0369.7
State of Washington | 59th Legislature | 2005 Regular Session |
Read first time 02/10/2005. Referred to Committee on Health Care.
AN ACT Relating to stabilizing the health insurance market; amending RCW 48.41.200; reenacting and amending RCW 43.79A.040; adding a new section to chapter 41.05 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 74.09 RCW; adding a new chapter to Title 48 RCW; and creating new sections.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 101 (1) The legislature recognizes that to
stabilize the health insurance market and reduce the number of
uninsured people in Washington state, health insurance premiums need to
be lower. An uncertain market due to the uncompensated care needs of
uninsured individuals and our current method of covering high-cost
enrollees contributes to rising health insurance premiums. Our private
health insurance market can begin covering some uninsured people and
reduce uncompensated care when coverage is pooled for high-cost
enrollees.
(2) It is the intent of the legislature to reduce premiums,
primarily for small employers, by broadly pooling high-cost enrollees
and providing reinsurance services to the pool that reduces the cost of
coverage. Pooling and reinsurance services for these unpredictable,
high health care costs will reduce the uncertainty that raises premiums
across the private health insurance market. Lower premiums will reduce
the number of uninsured people in Washington state. A reduction in the
number of people needing health insurance will reduce the cost to
providers who treat uninsured people and lower the cost of the
uncompensated care borne by the premiums paid by purchasers and
consumers. A part of the savings from more predictable premiums and
less uncompensated care can be recaptured and targeted to make health
insurance affordable for more small employers and others in the private
health insurance market.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 102 The definitions in this section apply
throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
(1) "Administrator" means the administrator of the health care
authority as defined in RCW 41.05.011.
(2) "Attachment point" means the dollar amount established by the
board above which the pool pays seventy-five percent of the cost of
health care services of a participating pool enrollee.
(3) "Board" means the board of directors of the stabilization pool.
(4) "Commissioner" means the insurance commissioner provided in RCW
48.02.010.
(5) "Cost of health care services" means the cost of covered health
care services provided under a health plan provided by a member.
(6) "Covered person" has the same meaning as defined in RCW
48.43.005, or an individual in a self-funded pool plan.
(7) "Health care services" has the same meaning as defined in RCW
48.43.005.
(8) "Health carrier" has the same meaning as defined in RCW
48.43.005.
(9) "Health plan" or "health benefit plan" has the same meaning as
defined in RCW 48.43.005. "Health benefit plans" do not include those
plans under chapters 74.09 and 70.47 RCW.
(10) "Member" means a health carrier as defined in RCW 48.43.005
who provides a health benefit plan and the uniform medical plan. It
also means self-funded pool plans that voluntarily agree to participate
in the pool.
(11) "Participating pool enrollee" means a covered person whose
cost of health care services within a benefit year exceeds the
attachment point of the pool. A participating pool enrollee must
continue to be a covered person with the benefits and obligations of
his or her health plan.
(12) "Premium" has the same meaning as defined in RCW 48.43.005.
(13) "Premium assistance enrollee" means an individual or an
individual plus the individual's spouse and dependent children: (a)
Who is not eligible for medicare; (b) who is not confined or residing
in a government-operated institution, unless he or she meets
eligibility criteria adopted by the administrator; (c) whose gross
family income at the time of enrollment does not exceed two hundred
percent of the federal poverty level as adjusted for family size and
determined annually by the federal department of health and human
services; (d) who resides within the state of Washington; (e) who meets
the definition of eligible employee as defined in RCW 48.43.005; and
(f) who qualifies for and chooses to participate in the small employer-purchased health insurance premium assistance option under section 201
of this act.
(14) "Reinsurance carrier" means an insurance carrier under
contract with the board to provide reinsurance for the stabilization
pool under this chapter.
(15) "Self-funded pool plan" means an employer-sponsored self-funded health plan that has voluntarily agreed to participate in the
pool.
(16) "Small employer" has the same meaning as defined in RCW
48.43.005.
(17) "Stabilization pool" or "pool" mean the health insurance
market stabilization pool.
(18) "Uniform medical plan" is defined as the self-funded plan
offered by the health care authority under chapter 41.05 RCW.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 103 (1) There is created a nonprofit entity
known as the health insurance market stabilization pool. The purpose
of the pool is to enroll more uninsured people in the private health
insurance market by lowering and stabilizing premiums.
(2) A board of directors responsible for operations of the pool is
established. The management of the pool is subject to the supervision
and approval of the board. The members of the board of directors shall
elect a chair from the voting directors.
(3) The board is comprised of eleven directors:
(a) The governor shall select two directors of the board from a
list of nominees submitted by statewide organizations representing
health care consumers;
(b) The governor shall select one director of the board from each
list of three nominees submitted by statewide organizations
representing each of the following:
(i) Small employers; and
(ii) Large employers;
(c) The governor shall select two directors of the board from a
list of nominees submitted by statewide organizations representing
members of the pool. At least one of the directors of the board must
represent one of the three members of the pool with the most enrollees
in Washington state;
(d) The governor shall select two directors of the board from a
list of nominees submitted by statewide organizations representing
health care providers;
(e) The governor shall select one director of the board with
expertise in health insurance demonstrated by research and publications
in peer reviewed journals;
(f) The commissioner shall select two directors of the board with
expertise in reinsurance; and
(g) The commissioner is a nonvoting, ex officio director of the
board.
(4) The original board of directors must be appointed for staggered
terms of one to three years. Thereafter, all board directors serve a
term of three years. In making these selections, the governor may
request additional names from the statewide organizations representing
each of the directors of the board to be selected if the governor
chooses not to select a director from the initial list submitted.
Board directors receive no compensation, but shall be reimbursed for
travel expenses as provided in RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.
(5) Under chapter 34.05 RCW the commissioner shall, within ninety
days after the effective date of this section, give notice to all board
directors of the time and place for the initial organizational meetings
of the pool.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 104 (1) The stabilization pool is a separate
and distinct legal entity with the general corporate powers and
authority granted under the laws of Washington state.
(2) The pool is not an insurer as defined in RCW 48.01.050.
(3) The pool is not a state agency. The state is not liable for
any debts or obligations of the pool.
(4) The pool, board of directors of the pool, officers of the pool,
employees of the pool, the commissioner, the commissioner's
representatives, the commissioner's employees, and the state shall not
be civilly or criminally liable and shall not have any penalty or cause
of action of any nature arise against them for any action taken or not
taken, including any discretionary decision or failure to make a
discretionary decision, when the action or inaction is done in good
faith and in the performance of the powers and duties under this
chapter.
(5) The pool is exempt from payment of all fees and taxes levied by
this state or any of its subdivisions, except taxes levied on real or
personal property.
(6) The board has the following powers and duties:
(a) Enter into agreements with insurance companies, insurance
brokers or consultants, or other entities to secure insurance or
reinsurance services for any of the pool's liabilities under section
106 of this act;
(b) Pay a percentage of the cost of health care services in excess
of the attachment point as described under section 106 of this act;
(c) Establish member remittances sufficient to cover the expected
expenses of the pool. Remittances must be certified by a member of the
American academy of actuaries, who is independent of the board;
(d) Collect payment of remittances from members of the pool;
(e) Establish procedures for members to promptly report to the pool
when a participating pool enrollee is reasonably expected to incur
health care services costs in excess of the attachment point;
(f) Collect and maintain appropriate data required by the board for
the provisions and performance of the pool, including but not limited
to, the following information to estimate pool expenses:
(i) The number of covered persons whose cost of health care
services exceeds the attachment point;
(ii) The cost and utilization of health care services for the
covered persons whose cost of health care services exceeds the
attachment point;
(g) Receive and disburse all funds required by the operation of the
pool;
(h) Employ or retain such persons as are necessary or appropriate
to handle the financial transactions of the pool, and to perform other
functions as become necessary or proper under this chapter;
(i) Provide the appropriate facilities, equipment, and personnel as
may be necessary to ensure the efficient and effective operation of the
pool;
(j) Appoint subcommittees as necessary to provide technical
assistance in the operation of the pool;
(k) Cause the pool to have an annual audit of its operations by an
independent certified public accountant and conduct periodic audits to
ensure the general accuracy of the pool's financial data;
(l) Establish standard commissions or fees consistent with the
private health insurance market to be paid to brokers, agents, or
consultants when they assist self-funded pool plans who join the pool;
and
(m) Perform other duties consistent with this act and the plan of
operation that are necessary and proper to accomplish the purposes of
the pool.
(7) The pool may sue or be sued and the pool may take any legal
action necessary and proper to recover any unpaid remittances under
section 107 of this act and to settle claims or potential claims
against it.
(8) The pool is subject to examinations by the commissioner under
chapter 48.03 RCW, as often as reasonably directed by the commissioner.
(9) The pool shall annually, before March 1st, file with the
commissioner a true statement of its financial condition, transactions,
and affairs as of December 31st of the previous year. The statement
forms must be in the general form and context as approved by the
national association of insurance commissioners for the kinds of
insurance to be reported upon, and as supplemented for the additional
information required by this title and by the commissioner. The
statement shall be verified by the oaths of at least two of the pool's
officers.
(10) The pool shall file its financial statements in the same
manner required of insurers by this title and by the commissioner in
accordance with the accounting practices and procedures manuals as
adopted by the national association of insurance commissioners, unless
otherwise provided by law.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 105 (1) The board shall submit to the
commissioner a plan of operation for the pool and any amendments
necessary or suitable to ensure the fair, reasonable, and equitable
administration of the pool. The commissioner shall, after notice and
hearing under chapter 34.05 RCW, approve the plan of operation if it is
determined to ensure the fair, reasonable, and equitable administration
of the pool;
(a) The plan of operation becomes effective upon approval in
writing by the commissioner.
(b) If the board fails to submit a plan of operation within one
hundred eighty days after the appointment of the board or any time
thereafter fails to submit acceptable amendments to the plan, the
commissioner shall, within ninety days after notice and hearing under
chapters 34.05 and 48.04 RCW, adopt rules as necessary or advisable to
implement the pool. The rules continue in force until modified by the
commissioner or superseded by a plan submitted by the board and
approved by the commissioner.
(2) The plan of operation submitted by the board to the
commissioner must:
(a) Establish procedures for the handling and accounting of assets
and moneys of the pool;
(b) Establish regular times and places for meetings of the board;
(c) Establish procedures for records to be kept of all financial
transactions and for an annual fiscal reporting to the commissioner;
(d) Establish procedures for determining the amount of remittances
under sections 107 through 110 of this act;
(e) Establish procedures for the collection of remittances under
section 107 of this act from members to provide for payments to
effectuate the pool's purpose and authority, including administrative
expenses incurred or estimated to be incurred during the period for
which the remittances are made;
(f) Establish procedures for making payments to members when the
pool is paying health services costs on behalf of a participating pool
enrollee;
(g) Establish procedures to allow the pool, reinsurance companies,
and members to legally share information necessary for conducting the
operations of the pool;
(h) Establish procedures for employer-sponsored self-funded health
plans to voluntarily initiate and terminate membership in the pool;
(i) Establish procedures under which participating pool enrollees
and members may have grievances reviewed by an impartial body and
reported to the board; and
(j) Contain additional provisions necessary and proper for the
execution of the powers and duties of the pool.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 106 (1) Beginning July 1, 2006, all members as
defined under section 102 of this act will be members of the
stabilization pool.
(2) The pool will pay seventy-five percent of the cost in excess of
the attachment point for health care services used by a participating
pool enrollee that are covered under his or her health plan. Twenty-five percent of the cost in excess of the attachment point of health
care services used by a participating pool enrollee that are covered
under his or her health plan will be paid by the member covering that
participating pool enrollee.
(3) The attachment point will be twenty-five thousand dollars and
will remain at that amount until it is revised at the discretion of the
board.
(4) The pool, reinsurance companies, and members shall legally
share information necessary for conducting the operations of the pool.
(5) The reinsurance services provided to the pool will qualify as
credit for reinsurance services to the members under RCW 48.12.160,
48.12.162, 48.12.164, 48.12.166, and 48.12.168.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 107 (1) Beginning July 1, 2006, each member
must pay an annual remittance to the board. A member's annual
remittance will equal its portion of the amount sufficient to cover the
expected expense of the stabilization pool. The annual remittance of
all members will not exceed twenty percent of the sum of the annual
premium of covered persons not in a self-funded pool plan, plus the
cost of health care services of covered persons in self-funded pool
plans.
(2) The board will notify each member by June 1st of its projected
annual remittance for the next fiscal year. Each member's annual
remittance will be based upon the board's estimate of pool expenses for
a fiscal year and that member's proportionate share of enrollment as
reported to the commissioner in that fiscal year. Each member shall
pay its remittances on a schedule established by the board in the plan
of operation. The commissioner may apply the provisions of RCW
48.05.140 through 48.05.185 when a member is delinquent in payment of
its annual remittance.
(3) Each member's proportion of participation in the pool shall be
determined annually by the board based on annual statements or other
reports deemed necessary by the board and filed by the member with the
commissioner; and shall be determined by multiplying the total cost of
pool operation by a fraction. The numerator of the fraction equals
that member's total number of resident covered persons, including
spouse and dependents, covered under all health benefit plans in the
state by that member during the preceding calendar year. The
denominator of the fraction equals the total number of resident covered
persons, including spouses and dependents, covered under all health
benefit plans in the state by all members during the preceding calendar
year.
(4) A remittance payment cannot be used by a member as an exemption
or deduction for any state taxes or fees.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 108 (1) Beginning July 1, 2006, a member shall
pay an annual remittance to the health services account under RCW
43.72.900 for the purpose of providing premium assistance to enrollees
of the Washington state high risk pool under RCW 48.41.200(3)(a)(i).
For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2006, a member that is not a
self-funded pool plan shall pay an annual remittance to the health
services account equal to 0.1389 percent of that member's annual
premium reported to the commissioner.
(2) For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2006, a member that is a
self-funded pool plan shall pay an annual remittance to the health
services account equal to 0.1634 percent of that member's payments for
health care services.
(3) Beginning July 1, 2007, the board will determine the annual
remittance to be paid by members to the health services account. The
annual remittance must be sufficient to provide premium assistance to
no more than twenty-five hundred high risk pool premium assistance
enrollees, not to exceed ten million dollars. The annual remittance
will be based upon each member's proportion of covered persons among
all members.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 109 (1) Beginning July 1, 2006, a member shall
pay an annual remittance to the small employer-purchased health
insurance premium assistance account established in section 501 of this
act for the purpose of providing premium assistance under section 201
of this act. For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2006, a member that
is not a self-funded pool plan shall pay an annual remittance to the
small employer-purchased health insurance premium assistance account
equal to 0.3472 percent of that member's annual premium reported to the
commissioner.
(2) For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2006, a member that is a
self-funded pool plan shall pay an annual remittance to the small
employer-purchased health insurance premium assistance account equal to
0.4084 percent of that member's payments for health care services.
(3) Beginning July 1, 2007, the board will determine the annual
remittance to be paid by members to the small employer-purchased health
insurance premium assistance account. The annual remittance must be
sufficient to provide premium assistance to no more than fifteen-thousand small employer premium assistance enrollees, not to exceed
twenty-five million dollars. The annual remittance will be based upon
each member's proportion of covered persons among all members.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 110 (1) Beginning July 1, 2006, a member shall
pay an annual remittance to the health services account under RCW
43.72.900 for the purpose of funding the state share of the rate for
subsidized basic health plan enrollees as defined under RCW 70.47.020.
For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2006, a member that is not a
self-funded pool plan shall pay an annual remittance to the health
services account equal to 0.3472 percent of that member's annual
premium reported to the commissioner.
(2) For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2006, a member that is a
self-funded pool plan shall pay an annual remittance to the health
services account equal to 0.4084 percent of that member's payments for
health care services.
(3) Beginning July 1, 2007, the board will determine the annual
remittance to be paid by members to the health services account. The
annual remittance must be sufficient to provide premium assistance to
no more than fifteen thousand enrollees of the basic health plan
established in chapter 70.47 RCW, not to exceed twenty-five million
dollars. The annual remittance will be based upon each member's
proportion of covered persons among all members.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 111 (1) Subsections (2) through (4) of this
section apply to the notification and payment of remittances by members
to the small employer-purchased health insurance premium assistance
account and the health services account.
(2) The board will notify the commissioner by May 1st of each
member's projected remittance to each account for the next fiscal year.
(3) On or before June 1st of each year, the commissioner shall
notify each member required to make remittance payments to the state
treasurer through the commissioner for the next fiscal year beginning
July 1st of the payment to each account based on these percentage
amounts and due dates:
(a) July 1st, twenty-five percent;
(b) October 1st, twenty-five percent;
(c) January 1st, twenty-five percent; and
(d) April 1st, twenty-five percent.
(4) The commissioner shall provide remittance forms to be used by
the member. However, a member's responsibility to make remittance
payments is not affected by the failure of the commissioner to send, or
the member to receive, the notice forms. The commissioner may apply
the provisions of RCW 48.05.140 through 48.05.185 when a member is
delinquent in paying its remittance to an account in this section.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 112 The board may audit self-funded pool plan
members to ensure accurate data are submitted for calculating
remittances under sections 107 through 110 of this act. In lieu of an
audit, the board may accept and rely upon documents submitted to other
government agencies or approved by an independent certified public
accountant.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 113 The commissioner may adopt rules
consistent with collecting remittances to implement section 111 of this
act.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 114 The commissioner shall provide a progress
report to the legislature by January 1, 2006, on the implementation
activities of this act.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 201 A new section is added to chapter 41.05
RCW to read as follows:
(1) Beginning July 1, 2006, the administrator may accept
applications from individuals whose current small employer has not
offered health insurance within the last six months to become premium
assistance enrollees, on behalf of themselves and their spouses and
dependent children, for assistance in paying premiums to health plans
as defined in RCW 48.43.005, and to determine, upon application and on
a reasonable schedule defined by the administrator, or at the request
of any enrollee, eligibility due to current gross family income for
sliding scale premium assistance as provided under RCW 70.47.060. The
administrator may also determine the minimum premium contribution to be
paid by small employers participating in the small employer-purchased
health insurance premium assistance option on behalf of premium
assistance enrollees. The administrator may use funds from the small
employer-purchased health insurance premium assistance account, created
in section 501 of this act, for payment of small employer-purchased
health insurance premiums on behalf of premium assistance enrollees
when:
(a) The cost of paying the premium assistance enrollee's employer-purchased health insurance premium obligation would be less than the
subsidy that would be paid if the individual, or the individual plus
his or her spouse and dependent children, were to enroll in the
Washington basic health plan under chapter 70.47 RCW;
(b) The premium assistance enrollee agrees to provide verification
of continued enrollment in his or her small employer's employer-purchased health insurance plan on a semiannual basis, or to notify the
administrator whenever his or her enrollment status changes, whichever
is earlier. Verification or notification may be made directly by the
employee, or through their employer or the carrier providing the small
employer health insurance product. When necessary, the administrator
has the authority to perform retrospective audits on premium assistance
enrollee accounts.
(2) The administrator may adopt standards for minimum thresholds of
small employer-purchased health insurance coverage under this section.
The office of insurance commissioner under Title 48 RCW will certify
the small employer health insurance products that meet any standards
developed under this section.
(3) The administrator, in consultation with small employers,
carriers, and the office of insurance commissioner under Title 48 RCW,
shall determine an effective and efficient method for the payment of
premium assistance and adopt rules necessary for its implementation.
(4) Funds received by a family as part of participation in the
adoption support program authorized under RCW 26.33.320 and 74.13.100
through 74.13.145 may not be counted toward a family's current gross
family income for the purposes of this act. No premium assistance may
be paid to premium assistance enrollees whose current gross family
income exceeds twice the federal poverty level or, subject to RCW
70.47.110, who is a recipient of medical assistance or medical care
services under chapter 74.09 RCW.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 202 A new section is added to chapter 74.09
RCW to read as follows:
(1) The department shall make every effort to maximize
opportunities to blend public and private funds through subsidization
of small employer-purchased health insurance premiums on behalf of
individuals eligible for medical assistance and children eligible for
the state children's health insurance program when such subsidization
is cost-effective for the state. In developing policies under this
section, the department shall consult with the health care authority
and, to the extent allowed by federal law, develop policies that are
consistent with those policies developed by the health care authority
under section 201 of this act so that entire families have the
opportunity to enroll in the same small employer-purchased health
insurance plan.
(2) If a federal waiver is necessary to achieve consistency with
health care authority policies under section 201 of this act, the
department shall notify the relevant fiscal and policy committees of
the legislature on or before December 1, 2005. The notification must
include recommendations regarding federal waiver options that would
provide the flexibility needed to optimize the use of medical
assistance and state children's health insurance program funds to
subsidize small employer-purchased health insurance premiums on behalf
of low-income families.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 203 The administrator may adopt rules
consistent with implementing section 201 of this act.
Sec. 301 RCW 48.41.200 and 2000 c 79 s 17 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) The pool shall determine the standard risk rate by calculating
the average individual standard rate charged for coverage comparable to
pool coverage by the five largest members, measured in terms of
individual market enrollment, offering such coverages in the state. In
the event five members do not offer comparable coverage, the standard
risk rate shall be established using reasonable actuarial techniques
and shall reflect anticipated experience and expenses for such coverage
in the individual market.
(2) Subject to subsection (3) of this section, maximum rates for
pool coverage shall be as follows:
(a) Maximum rates for a pool indemnity health plan shall be one
hundred fifty percent of the rate calculated under subsection (1) of
this section;
(b) Maximum rates for a pool care management plan shall be one
hundred twenty-five percent of the rate calculated under subsection (1)
of this section; and
(c) Maximum rates for a person eligible for pool coverage pursuant
to RCW 48.41.100(1)(a) who was enrolled at any time during the sixty-three day period immediately prior to the date of application for pool
coverage in a group health benefit plan or an individual health benefit
plan other than a catastrophic health plan as defined in RCW 48.43.005,
where such coverage was continuous for at least eighteen months, shall
be:
(i) For a pool indemnity health plan, one hundred twenty-five
percent of the rate calculated under subsection (1) of this section;
and
(ii) For a pool care management plan, one hundred ten percent of
the rate calculated under subsection (1) of this section.
(3)(a) Subject to (b) and (c) of this subsection:
(i) Beginning July 1, 2006, to the extent funding is available, the
rate for any person ((aged fifty to sixty-four)) whose current gross
family income is less than two hundred fifty-one percent of the federal
poverty level shall be reduced by ((thirty)) fifty-five percent from
what it would otherwise be and the total amount of annual premium
assistance provided to these enrollees may not exceed ten million
dollars;
(ii) The rate for any person aged fifty to sixty-four whose current
gross family income is more than two hundred fifty but less than three
hundred one percent of the federal poverty level shall be reduced by
fifteen percent from what it would otherwise be;
(iii) The rate for any person who has been enrolled in the pool for
more than thirty-six months shall be reduced by five percent from what
it would otherwise be.
(b) In no event shall the rate for any person, except those persons
receiving premium assistance as provided in (a)(i) of this subsection,
be less than one hundred ten percent of the rate calculated under
subsection (1) of this section.
(c) Rate reductions under (a)(i) and (ii) of this subsection shall
be available only to the extent that funds are specifically
appropriated for this purpose in the omnibus appropriations act.
Sec. 401 RCW 43.79A.040 and 2004 c 246 s 8 and 2004 c 58 s 10 are
each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
(1) Money in the treasurer's trust fund may be deposited, invested,
and reinvested by the state treasurer in accordance with RCW 43.84.080
in the same manner and to the same extent as if the money were in the
state treasury.
(2) All income received from investment of the treasurer's trust
fund shall be set aside in an account in the treasury trust fund to be
known as the investment income account.
(3) The investment income account may be utilized for the payment
of purchased banking services on behalf of treasurer's trust funds
including, but not limited to, depository, safekeeping, and
disbursement functions for the state treasurer or affected state
agencies. The investment income account is subject in all respects to
chapter 43.88 RCW, but no appropriation is required for payments to
financial institutions. Payments shall occur prior to distribution of
earnings set forth in subsection (4) of this section.
(4)(a) Monthly, the state treasurer shall distribute the earnings
credited to the investment income account to the state general fund
except under (b) and (c) of this subsection.
(b) The following accounts and funds shall receive their
proportionate share of earnings based upon each account's or fund's
average daily balance for the period: The Washington promise
scholarship account, the college savings program account, the
Washington advanced college tuition payment program account, the
agricultural local fund, the American Indian scholarship endowment
fund, the students with dependents grant account, the basic health plan
self-insurance reserve account, the contract harvesting revolving
account, the Washington state combined fund drive account, the
Washington international exchange scholarship endowment fund, the
developmental disabilities endowment trust fund, the energy account,
the fair fund, the fruit and vegetable inspection account, the future
teachers conditional scholarship account, the game farm alternative
account, the grain inspection revolving fund, the juvenile
accountability incentive account, the law enforcement officers' and
fire fighters' plan 2 expense fund, the local tourism promotion
account, the produce railcar pool account, the rural rehabilitation
account, the small employer-purchased health insurance premium
assistance account, the stadium and exhibition center account, the
youth athletic facility account, the self-insurance revolving fund, the
sulfur dioxide abatement account, the children's trust fund, the
Washington horse racing commission Washington bred owners' bonus fund
account, the Washington horse racing commission class C purse fund
account, and the Washington horse racing commission operating account
(earnings from the Washington horse racing commission operating account
must be credited to the Washington horse racing commission class C
purse fund account). However, the earnings to be distributed shall
first be reduced by the allocation to the state treasurer's service
fund pursuant to RCW 43.08.190.
(c) The following accounts and funds shall receive eighty percent
of their proportionate share of earnings based upon each account's or
fund's average daily balance for the period: The advanced right of way
revolving fund, the advanced environmental mitigation revolving
account, the city and county advance right-of-way revolving fund, the
federal narcotics asset forfeitures account, the high occupancy vehicle
account, the local rail service assistance account, and the
miscellaneous transportation programs account.
(5) In conformance with Article II, section 37 of the state
Constitution, no trust accounts or funds shall be allocated earnings
without the specific affirmative directive of this section.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 501 The small employer-purchased health
insurance premium assistance account is created in the custody of the
state treasurer. All receipts from remittances collected under section
109 of this act must be deposited in the account. Interest earnings
shall be retained in accordance with RCW 43.79A.040. Expenditures from
the account may be used only for the purposes of providing premium
assistance, and the payment of costs of administering the collection
and verification of income for the determination of premium assistance,
as provided in section 201 of this act. Only the administrator or the
administrator's designee may authorize expenditures from the account.
The account is subject to allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW,
but an appropriation is not required for expenditures.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 601 Part headings used in this act are not any
part of the law.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 602 Sections 101 through 114 and 501 of this
act constitute a new chapter in Title