HOUSE BILL 529

46th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2004

INTRODUCED BY

Pauline J. Ponce

AN ACT

RELATING TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS; ALLOWING SCHOOL DISTRICTS, CHARTER SCHOOLS AND PARTICIPATING ENTITIES TO CONTRIBUTE A GREATER SHARE OF THE COST OF INSURANCE FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     Section 1. Section 22-29-10 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1989, Chapter 373, Section 5, as amended) is amended to read:

     "22-29-10. GROUP INSURANCE CONTRIBUTIONS.--

          A. Group insurance contributions for school districts, charter schools and participating entities in the authority shall be made as follows:

                (1) at least seventy-five percent of the cost of the insurance of an employee whose annual salary is less than fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000);

                (2) at least seventy percent of the cost of the insurance of an employee whose annual salary is fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) or more but less than twenty thousand dollars ($20,000);

                (3) at least sixty-five percent of the cost of the insurance of an employee whose annual salary is twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) or more but less than twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000); or

                (4) at least sixty percent of the cost of the insurance of an employee whose annual salary is twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) or more.

          B. Within available revenue, school districts, charter schools and participating entities in the authority may contribute up to eighty percent of the cost of the insurance of all employees.

          [B.] C. Whenever a school district, charter school or participating entity in the authority offers to its employees alternative health plan benefit options, including [but not limited to] health maintenance organizations, preferred provider organizations or panel doctor plans, the school district, charter school or participating entity may pay an amount on behalf of the employee and family member for the indemnity health insurance plan sufficient to result in equal employee monthly costs to the cost of the health maintenance organization plans, preferred provider [organizations] organization plans or panel doctor plans, regardless of the percentage limitations in the Public School Insurance Authority Act. School districts, charter schools and participating entities in the authority may pay up to one hundred percent of the first fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) of term life insurance."

- 3 -