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Committee advances bill clarifying state employee health-insurance opt-outs
Summary
The Insurance Committee voted 7-0 to recommend House Bill 1187, which removes the word "group" from the state employee health-insurance opt-out provision to clarify that an employee may opt out when the alternative is an individual plan.
The Insurance Committee voted to recommend House Bill 1187 for the next committee after Representative West said the bill "removes the word group from the state employee health insurance opt out provision" to clarify opt-out rules for state employees.
The change is intended to make clear that when a state employee opts out of a state-provided health plan, they are not required to join another group plan and may opt for an individual plan. The measure’s sponsor, Representative West, moved for adoption and took questions from Representative Bennett, who sought confirmation of the bill’s effect. Representative West replied, "You are exactly right."
Committee Chair called for a second (recorded in the transcript as "Lawsonia"), and the committee recorded a vote. Leader Lawson and Leader West were recorded as voting "aye"; the final tally was 7 aye, 0 nay. The committee declared the bill to have a do-pass recommendation to the next committee stage.
The discussion consisted of the sponsor’s explanation and a clarifying exchange; no amendments or further instructions to staff were recorded.
The committee also laid over House Bill 2882 at the start of the meeting but did not discuss it further in the transcript.
House Bill 1187 will proceed to the next committee with a do-pass recommendation after a unanimous recorded vote.
