SB 437 — Insurance; locality may provide for employees of certain public school foundations.

SESSION ENROLLED VIRGINIA ACTS OF ASSEMBLY ––-- 2022 SESSION CHAPTER E106 An Act to amend and reenact § 15.2-1517 of the Code of Virginia, relating to insurance for employees of certain public school foundations.

R O [S 437] Approved LApril L6, 2022 Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

E § 15.2-1517.

Insurance for employees and retired employees of localities and other local Dgovernmental govA.entities;

participation by certain volunteers.

A.

or employees of boards, commissions, agencies, or authorities that are political subdivisions of thefoundation Commonwealthas anddefined work in closesubsection cooperationA withof § 22.1-212.2:2 that provides support exclusively for such locality;locality.

orIn employeesaddition, ofany alocality publicthat schoolprovides foundationsuch asa definedhealth ininsurance subsectionprogram Amay allow eligible members of §approved 22.1-212.2:2volunteer thatfire providesor supportrescue exclusivelycompanies, foras determined by the locality, to participate in such locality.a health insurance program.

InSuch addition,programs anymay localitybe thatthrough provides such a health insurance program may allow eligible members of approvedself-insurance, volunteerpurchased fireinsurance, or rescuepartial companies,self-insurance asand determinedpurchased byinsurance, thewhichever locality,is determined to partiBipatebe inthe suchmost acost healtheffective. insurance program.

SuchThe programstotal cost of such policies or protection may be throughpaid aentirely programby ofthe self-insurance,locality purc3asedor effective.shared with the employee.

The total cost of such policies or protection may be paid entirely by the locality oE sharedst with the employee.

The cost of a volunteer's participation in such a health insurance program shall be paid for in full by the participating volunteer.

Any locality may fund the cost of a volunteer's participation in a mental health treatment andngand counseling program that is offered to individual members of approved volunteer fire or rescue companies and is comparable to an employee assistance program offered to paid employees of the locality.

In the event a county or city elects to provide one or more of such programs for its officers and employees, it shall provide such programs to the constitutional officers and their employees on the same basis as provided to other officers and employees, unless the constitutional officers and employees are covered under a state program, and the cost of such local program shall be borne entirely by the locality or C.shared with the employee.

C.

separately2. from the active employees covered under the group plan offered by such governing body.ated 3.

The governing body, when providing this coverage, may further provide that the retiree be rated separately from the active employees covered under the group plan offered by such governing body.

3.

benefits4. for its retirees in addition to the coverage required under this section.ealth coverage or D.

AnyNothing localityherein thatshall offersprohibit groupa healthlocality plansfrom toproviding itsgroup employeesaccident and thehealth employeescoverage ofor constitutionalbenefits offor 2 officers and its retirees,retirees asin providedaddition byto this section or otherwise, may provide in the plan providing such coverage thatrequired anyunder retireethis whosection. is participating in a group health plan provided by the locality who subsequently terminates his participation in such plan may not thereafter rejoin a group health plan provided by the locality.

D.

Any locality that offers group health plans to its employees and the employees of constitutional officers and its retirees, as provided by this section or otherwise, may provide in the plan providing such coverage that any retiree who is participating in a group health plan provided by the locality who of 2 subsequently terminates his participation in such plan may not thereafter rejoin a group health plan provided by the locality.