H.B. 152

1

SMALL BUSINESS HEALTH PLAN TASK
2 FORCE
3 2007 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Chief Sponsor: Steven R. Mascaro
6 Senate Sponsor: ____________
7 Cosponsor:Phil Riesen 8
9 LONG TITLE
10 General Description:
11 This bill creates the Small Business Health Plan Task Force.
12 Highlighted Provisions:
13 This bill:
14 . creates the Small Business Health Plan Task Force;
15 . provides for membership of the task force and compensation for members;
16 . specifies duties and responsibilities of the task force; and
17 . specifies issues that the task force will review.
18 Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
19 This bill appropriates:
20 . $9,280 to the Senate;
21 . $18,560 to the House of Representatives; and
22 . $180,000 to the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel to pay for
23 certain studies.
24 Other Special Clauses:
25 This bill is repealed on November 30, 2007.
26 Uncodified Material Affected:
27 ENACTS UNCODIFIED MATERIAL

28
29 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
30 Section 1. Small Business Health Plan Task Force -- Creation -- Membership --
31 Interim rules followed -- Compensation -- Staff.
32 (1) There is created the Small Business Health Plan Task Force consisting of the
33 following 12 members:
34 (a) four members of the Senate appointed by the president of the Senate, no more than
35 three of whom may be from the same political party; and
36 (b) eight members of the House of Representatives appointed by the speaker of the
37 House of Representatives, no more than six of whom may be from the same political party.
38 (2) (a) The president of the Senate shall designate a member of the Senate appointed
39 under Subsection (1)(a) as a cochair of the task force.
40 (b) The speaker of the House of Representatives shall designate a member of the House
41 of Representatives appointed under Subsection (1)(b) as a cochair of the task force.
42 (3) In conducting its business, the task force shall comply with the rules of legislative
43 interim committees.
44 (4) Salaries and expenses of the members of the task force shall be paid in accordance
45 with Section 36-2-2 and Legislative Joint Rule 15.03.
46 (5) The Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel shall provide staff support
47 to the task force.
48 Section 2. Duties -- Studies -- Interim report.
49 (1) The task force shall review and make recommendations on the following issues:
50 (a) identifying health insurance programs for small businesses that:
51 (i) are the most cost effective on a per member per month basis;
52 (ii) share actuarial risk broadly across the full universe of businesses that participate in
53 a given plan; and
54 (iii) are of similar quality and scope as those most commonly sold in public and private
55 HMO markets;
56 (b) methods to insure small businesses, especially underserved populations; and
57 (c) other small business health plan issues of interest to the task force.
58 (2) In performing its duties described in Subsection (1), the task force shall consult

59 with:
60 (a) small business employers and employees;
61 (b) the insurance industry;
62 (c) the insurance commissioner;
63 (d) the executive director of the Department of Health;
64 (e) the Governor's Office of Economic Development;
65 (f) the executive director of the Public Employees' Benefit and Insurance Program;
66 (g) the Utah Children's Health Insurance Program;
67 (h) the Utah Comprehensive Health Insurance Pool; and
68 (i) other people or entities with expertise related to small business health plans.
69 (3) A final report, including any proposed legislation shall be presented to the Business
70 and Labor Interim Committee before November 30, 2007.
71 Section 3. Appropriation.
72 There is appropriated from the General Fund for fiscal year 2006-07 only:
73 (1) $9,280 to the Senate to pay for the compensation and expenses of senators on the
74 task force;
75 (2) $18,560 to the House of Representatives to pay for the compensation and expenses
76 of representatives on the task force; and
77 (3) $180,000 to the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel for the
78 following studies under the direction and approval of the Small Business Health Plan Task
79 Force: (a) an actuarial modeling of small business employer and employee participation in the
80 Public Employee Health Plan (PEHP) and similar private plans; and
81 (b) a survey of small business owners concerning their ability and willingness to
82 support different health premium and benefit package scenarios.
83 Section 4. Repeal date.
84 This bill is repealed on November 30, 2007.




Legislative Review Note
as of 1-26-07 2:01 PM

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel