BILL REQ. #:  S-4289.1 

Read first time 01/19/2006.   Referred to Committee on Government Operations & Elections.

     AN ACT Relating to medical coverage for elected officials and commissioners; and amending RCW 41.04.180 and 41.04.190.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 41.04.180 and 1991 sp.s. c 30 s 18 are each amended to read as follows:
     Any county, municipality, or other political subdivision of the state acting through its principal supervising official or governing body may, whenever funds shall be available for that purpose provide for all or a part of hospitalization and medical aid for its employees and their dependents through contracts with regularly constituted insurance carriers or with health care service contractors as defined in chapter 48.44 RCW or self-insurers as provided for in chapter 48.62 RCW, for group hospitalization and medical aid policies or plans: PROVIDED, That any county, municipality, or other political subdivision of the state acting through its principal supervising official or governing body shall provide the employees thereof a choice of policies or plans through contracts with not less than two regularly constituted insurance carriers or health care service contractors or other health care plans, including but not limited to, trusts of self-insurance as provided for in chapter 48.62 RCW: AND PROVIDED FURTHER, That any county, municipality, or other political subdivision of the state acting through its principal supervising official or governing body may provide such hospitalization and medical aid to ((county)) their elected officials and commissioners and ((their)) the dependents of these officials and commissioners on the same basis as such hospitalization and medical aid is provided to all other ((county)) employees thereof and their dependents: PROVIDED FURTHER, That provision for school district personnel shall not be made under this section but shall be as provided for in RCW 28A.400.350.

Sec. 2   RCW 41.04.190 and 1996 c 230 s 1610 are each amended to read as follows:
     The cost of a policy or plan to a public agency or body is not additional compensation to the employees or elected officials covered thereby. The elected officials to whom this section applies include, but are not limited to, commissioners elected under chapters 28A.315, 52.14, 53.12, 54.12, 57.12, 70.44, and 87.03 RCW, as well as any ((county)) elected officials and commissioners who are provided insurance coverage under RCW 41.04.180. Any officer authorized to disburse such funds may pay in whole or in part to an insurance carrier or health care service contractor the amount of the premiums due under the contract.