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MINUTES OF THE
HOUSE RETIREMENT AND INDEPENDENT ENTITIES STANDING COMMITTEE

Room W020, House Building

                     February 24, 2012


Members Present:    Rep. Don Ipson, Chair    
            Rep. Brad Daw        
            Rep. Susan Duckworth
            Rep. Wayne Harper
            Rep. Brad Last
            Rep. Merlynn Newbold
            Rep. Mark Wheatley

Members Absent:    Rep. Gage Froerer, Vice Chair
            Rep. Lynn Hemingway

Staff Present:
    Mr. Benjamin N. Christensen, Policy Analyst
            Ms. Sylvia Newton, Committee Secretary
    
Note: A list of visitors and a copy of handouts are filed with the committee minutes.

Chair Ipson called the meeting to order at 1:37 p.m.
    
MOTION:    Rep. Harper moved to approve the minutes of the February 23, 2012 meeting. The motion passed unanimously.
    
H.B. 437    Public Employee Health Care Benefits (Rep. B. Daw)

MOTION:    Rep. Daw moved to adopt 1st Substitute H.B. 437. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Newbold absent for the vote.

MOTION:    Rep. Daw moved to amend the substitute bill as follows:

1.    Page 1, Lines 13 through 14 :    

             13          .    clarifies that health insurance benefits provided to employees do not constitute a
             14      continuing obligation
{   and may be changed by the Legislature at any time   } ;


2.    Page 2, Lines 43 through 46 :    

             43          (2) The benefits provided to a covered individual under this chapter
{   :

             44          (a)  
}
do not constitute a continuing obligation of the state, its political subdivisions, or
             45      educational institutions
{   ; and

             46          (b) may be changed by the Legislature at any time  
}
.

3.    Page 3, Lines 66 through 73 :    

             66          (b) offer to all employees training regarding health plans offered to employees,


             67      including
{   , if offered,   } high deductible health plans and health savings accounts; [and]

             68          (c) prepare online training as an option for the training required by Subsections (2)(b)
             69      and (4)[.]; and
             70          (d) ensure the training offered under Subsections (2)(b) and (c)
{   shall include   }        includes      

             71      information on changing coverages to the high deductible plan with a health savings account,
             72      including coordination of benefits with other insurances, restrictions on other insurance
             73      coverages, and general tax implications.

4.    Page 3, Lines 83 through 85 :    

             83          (c) The office shall distribute the annual amount determined under Subsection (3)(b) to
             84      employees in two equal amounts with
{   the first   }        a       pay date in January and      {   the first   }        a       pay date in July

             85      of each plan year.

The motion to amend the substitute bill passed unanimously with Rep. Newbold absent for the vote.

Rep. Daw explained the substitute bill and the amendment with the assistance of Chad Loftis, Public Employees Health Plan.

Spoke in favor of the bill:    Stan Rasmussen, Sutherland Institute
                Christy Cushing, Utah Public Employees Association

MOTION:    Rep. Newbold moved to pass 1st Substitute H.B. 437 as amended out favorably. The motion passed unanimously.

MOTION:    Rep. Newbold moved to adjourn. The motion passed unanimously

Chair Ipson adjourned the meeting at 1:49 p.m.




                    __________________________
                    Rep. Don Ipson, Chair