AN ACT Relating to participation in health care authority insurance plans and contracts by surviving spouses and dependent children of emergency service personnel killed in the line of duty; amending RCW 41.05.011 and 41.05.080; reenacting and amending RCW 41.05.011; providing an effective date; providing an expiration date; and declaring an emergency.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 41.05.011 and 2000 c 230 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section shall apply throughout this chapter.

(1) "Administrator" means the administrator of the authority.

(2) "State purchased health care" or "health care" means medical and health care, pharmaceuticals, and medical equipment purchased with state and federal funds by the department of social and health services, the department of health, the basic health plan, the state health care authority, the department of labor and industries, the department of corrections, the department of veterans affairs, and local school districts.

(3) "Authority" means the Washington state health care authority.

(4) "Insuring entity" means an insurer as defined in chapter 48.01 RCW, a health care service contractor as defined in chapter 48.44 RCW, or a health maintenance organization as defined in chapter 48.46 RCW.

(5) "Flexible benefit plan" means a benefit plan that allows employees to choose the level of health care coverage provided and the amount of employee contributions from among a range of choices offered by the authority.

(6) "Employee" includes all full-time and career seasonal employees of the state, whether or not covered by civil service; elected and appointed officials of the executive branch of government, including full-time members of boards, commissions, or committees; and includes any or all part-time and temporary employees under the terms and conditions established under this chapter by the authority; justices of the supreme court and judges of the court of appeals and the superior courts; and members of the state legislature or of the legislative authority of any county, city, or town who are elected to office after February 20, 1970. "Employee" also includes: (a) Employees of a county, municipality, or other political subdivision of the state if the legislative authority of the county, municipality, or other political subdivision of the state seeks and receives the approval of the authority to provide any of its insurance programs by contract with the authority, as provided in RCW 41.04.205; (b) employees of employee organizations representing state civil service employees, at the option of each such employee organization, and, effective October 1, 1995, employees of employee organizations currently pooled with employees of school districts for the purpose of purchasing insurance benefits, at the option of each such employee organization; and (c) employees of a school district if the authority agrees to provide any of the school districts' insurance programs by contract with the authority as provided in RCW 28A.400.350.

(7) "Board" means the public employees' benefits board established under RCW 41.05.055.

(8) "Retired or disabled school employee" means:

(a) Persons who separated from employment with a school district or educational service district and are receiving a retirement allowance under chapter 41.32 or 41.40 RCW as of September 30, 1993;

(b) Persons who separate from employment with a school district or educational service district on or after October 1, 1993, and immediately upon separation receive a retirement allowance under chapter 41.32, 41.35, or 41.40 RCW;

(c) Persons who separate from employment with a school district or educational service district due to a total and permanent disability, and are eligible to receive a deferred retirement allowance under chapter 41.32, 41.35, or 41.40 RCW.

(9) "Benefits contribution plan" means a premium only contribution plan, a medical flexible spending arrangement, or a cafeteria plan whereby state and public employees may agree to a contribution to benefit costs which will allow the employee to participate in benefits offered pursuant to 26 U.S.C. Sec. 125 or other sections of the internal revenue code.

(10) "Salary" means a state employee's monthly salary or wages.

(11) "Participant" means an individual who fulfills the eligibility and enrollment requirements under the benefits contribution plan.

(12) "Plan year" means the time period established by the authority.

(13) "Separated employees" means persons who separate from employment with an employer as defined in:

(a) RCW 41.32.010(11) on or after July 1, 1996; or

(b) RCW 41.35.010 on or after September 1, 2000;

and who are at least age fifty-five and have at least ten years of service under the teachers' retirement system plan 3 as defined in RCW 41.32.010(40) or the Washington school employees' retirement system plan 3 as defined in RCW 41.35.010.

(14) "Emergency service personnel killed in the line of duty" means law enforcement officers and fire fighters as defined in RCW 41.26.030, and reserve officers and fire fighters as defined in RCW 41.24.010 who die as a result of injuries sustained in the course of employment as determined consistent with Title 51 RCW by the department of labor and industries.

Sec. 2. RCW 41.05.011 and 2000 c 247 s 604 and 2000 c 230 s 3 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section shall apply throughout this chapter.

(1) "Administrator" means the administrator of the authority.

(3) "Authority" means the Washington state health care authority.

(7) "Board" means the public employees' benefits board established under RCW 41.05.055.

(8) "Retired or disabled school employee" means:

(a) Persons who separated from employment with a school district or educational service district and are receiving a retirement allowance under chapter 41.32 or 41.40 RCW as of September 30, 1993;

(10) "Salary" means a state employee's monthly salary or wages.

(11) "Participant" means an individual who fulfills the eligibility and enrollment requirements under the benefits contribution plan.

(12) "Plan year" means the time period established by the authority.

(13) "Separated employees" means persons who separate from employment with an employer as defined in:

(a) RCW 41.32.010(11) on or after July 1, 1996; or

(b) RCW 41.35.010 on or after September 1, 2000; or

and who are at least age fifty-five and have at least ten years of service under the teachers' retirement system plan 3 as defined in RCW 41.32.010(40), the Washington school employees' retirement system plan 3 as defined in RCW 41.35.010, or the public employees' retirement system plan 3 as defined in RCW 41.40.010.

Sec. 3. RCW 41.05.080 and 1996 c 39 s 22 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Under the qualifications, terms, conditions, and benefits set by the board:

(a) Retired or disabled state employees, retired or disabled school employees, or employees of county, municipal, or other political subdivisions covered by this chapter who are retired may continue their participation in insurance plans and contracts after retirement or disablement;

(b) Separated employees may continue their participation in insurance plans and contracts if participation is selected immediately upon separation from employment;

(c) Surviving spouses and dependent children of emergency service personnel killed in the line of duty may participate in insurance plans and contracts.

(2) Rates charged surviving spouses of emergency service personnel killed in the line of duty, retired or disabled employees, separated employees, spouses, or dependent children who are not eligible for parts A and B of medicare shall be based on the experience of the community rated risk pool established under RCW 41.05.022.

(3) Rates charged to surviving spouses of emergency service personnel killed in the line of duty, retired or disabled employees, separated employees, spouses, or children who are eligible for parts A and B of medicare shall be calculated from a separate experience risk pool comprised only of individuals eligible for parts A and B of medicare; however, the premiums charged to medicare-eligible retirees and disabled employees shall be reduced by the amount of the subsidy provided under RCW 41.05.085.

(4) Surviving spouses and dependent children of emergency service personnel killed in the line of duty and retired or disabled and separated employees shall be responsible for payment of premium rates developed by the authority which shall include the cost to the authority of providing insurance coverage including any amounts necessary for reserves and administration in accordance with this chapter. These self pay rates will be established based on a separate rate for the employee, the spouse, and the children.

(5) The term "retired state employees" for the purpose of this section shall include but not be limited to members of the legislature whether voluntarily or involuntarily leaving state office.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. Section 1 of this act expires March 1, 2002.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. Section 2 of this act takes effect March 1, 2002.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and except for section 2 of this act takes effect immediately. This act applies to surviving spouses and dependent children of emergency service personnel killed in the line of duty on or after January 1, 2001.