Florida Senate - 2009                                    SB 1504
       
       
       
       By Senator Lawson
       
       
       
       
       6-00817-09                                            20091504__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the state group insurance program;
    3         amending s. 110.123, F.S.; deleting a provision that
    4         prohibits the state from making a contribution toward
    5         the premium for coverage under the program for a
    6         retiree or surviving spouse; providing a declaration
    7         of important state interest; providing an effective
    8         date.
    9         
   10  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   11         
   12         Section 1. Paragraph (e) of subsection (4) of section
   13  110.123, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   14         110.123 State group insurance program.—
   15         (4) PAYMENT OF PREMIUMS; CONTRIBUTION BY STATE; LIMITATION
   16  ON ACTIONS TO PAY AND COLLECT PREMIUMS.—
   17         (e) No state contribution for the cost of any part of the
   18  premium shall be made for retirees or surviving spouses for any
   19  type of coverage under the state group insurance program.
   20  However, Any state agency that employs a full-time law
   21  enforcement officer, correctional officer, or correctional
   22  probation officer who is killed or suffers catastrophic injury
   23  in the line of duty as provided in s. 112.19, or a full-time
   24  firefighter who is killed or suffers catastrophic injury in the
   25  line of duty as provided in s. 112.191, shall pay the entire
   26  premium of the state group health insurance plan selected for
   27  the employee's surviving spouse until remarried, and for each
   28  dependent child of the employee, subject to the conditions and
   29  limitations set forth in s. 112.19 or s. 112.191, as applicable.
   30         Section 2. The Legislature finds that a proper and
   31  legitimate state purpose is served when employees and retirees
   32  of the state and its political subdivisions, and the dependents,
   33  survivors, and beneficiaries of such employees and retirees, are
   34  extended the basic protections afforded by governmental
   35  retirement systems. These persons must be provided benefits that
   36  are fair and adequate and that are managed, administered, and
   37  funded in an actuarially sound manner, as required by Section
   38  14, Article X of the State Constitution, and part VII of chapter
   39  112, Florida Statutes. Therefore, the Legislature determines and
   40  declares that this act fulfills an important state interest.
   41         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2009.