AN ACT CONCERNING PAYMENT OF HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS FOR RETIRED AND ACTIVE PROBATE JUDGES AND PROBATE COURT EMPLOYEES.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. Subsection (g) of section 5-259 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2002):

(g) (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, prior to July 1, 2003, the Probate Court Administration Fund established [in accordance with] by section 45a-82, as amended, shall pay for each probate judge and Probate Court employee not more than one hundred per cent of the portion of the premium charged for [his] the individual coverage of such probate judge or Probate Court employee and not more than fifty per cent of any additional cost for [his] the form of coverage [. The] of such probate judge or Probate Court employee. Prior to July 1, 2003, the remainder of the premium for such coverage shall be paid by the probate judge or Probate Court employee to the State Treasurer. Payment shall be credited by the State Treasurer to the [fund] Probate Court Administration Fund established by section 45a-82, as amended. The total premiums payable shall be remitted by the Probate Court Administrator directly to the insurance company or companies or nonprofit organization or organizations providing the coverage.

(2) On and after July 1, 2003, coverage of each probate judge and Probate Court employee under this section shall be provided under the same terms and conditions as coverage provided to state employees. Payment for coverage pursuant to this subdivision shall be made from funds appropriated by the General Assembly. On and after July 1, 2003, no moneys from the Probate Court Administration Fund established by section 45a-82, as amended, shall be used as payment for such coverage. In no event shall benefits to any probate judge or Probate Court employee under this subdivision exceed the benefits for state employees.

(3) The Probate Court Administrator shall establish regulations governing group hospitalization and medical and surgical insurance in accordance with subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of section 45a-77.

Sec. 2. Section 45a-56 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2002):

(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 5-259, as amended by this act, the Comptroller, with the approval of the Attorney General and the Insurance Commissioner, shall arrange and procure a group hospitalization and medical and surgical insurance and dental insurance plan for the probate judges and employees retirement system with coverage equal to that available under section 5-259, as amended by this act, or otherwise available, to retired state employees and their spouses and surviving spouses.

(b) Any member of the probate judges and employees retirement system who is retired and receiving benefits from such system, and the spouse of any such member, and upon the death of any such member, such member's surviving spouse, while receiving benefits from such system, may elect to participate in the group insurance plan procured by the Comptroller under subsection (a) of this section.

(c) [The] (1) Prior to July 1, 2003, the premium charged for any such member and spouse or surviving spouse who elects to participate in the group hospitalization and medical and surgical portion of such coverage shall be paid from the retirement fund established [pursuant to] by section 45a-35. [Twenty] Prior to July 1, 2003, twenty per cent of the premium charged for any such member and spouse or surviving spouse who elects to participate in the group dental portion of such coverage shall be paid from said retirement fund, and the remainder of the premium for such coverage shall be paid by the participant.

(2) On and after July 1, 2003, the Comptroller shall provide coverage under this section for any such member and spouse or surviving spouse under the same terms and conditions as coverage provided to retired state employees and their spouses or surviving spouses. Payment for coverage pursuant to this subdivision shall be made from funds appropriated by the General Assembly and paid into the retirement fund established by section 45a-35 or such other fund as the Comptroller deems necessary and appropriate to carry out the provisions of this section. In no event shall benefits to any such member and spouse or surviving spouse under this section exceed the benefits for retired state employees and their spouses or surviving spouses.

[(d) Any such member and spouse or surviving spouse who is a participant in the group insurance plan in effect prior to October 1, 1994, may elect to participate in the plan set forth in subsection (a) at the premiums set forth in subsection (c), provided such election is made within sixty days of October 1, 1994.]

Statement of Purpose:

To require that health insurance premiums for retired and active probate judges and Probate Court employees be paid from the General Fund.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]