Senate Bill No. 404–Senators James, Townsend, O’Connell, Rawson, Carlton, Amodei, Care, Coffin, Jacobsen, Mathews, McGinness, Neal, Porter, Raggio, Rhoads, Schneider, Shaffer, Titus, Washington and Wiener
March 12, 1999
____________
Referred to Committee on Finance
SUMMARY—Revises provisions governing benefits of surviving family members of certain police officers and firemen. (BDR 23-1416)
FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: Yes.
Effect on the State or on Industrial Insurance: Yes.
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EXPLANATION – Matter in
bolded italics is new; matter between brackets
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
1-1
Section 1. Chapter 287 of NRS is hereby amended by adding thereto1-2
the provisions set forth as sections 2 and 3 of this act.1-3
Sec. 2. 1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 3, the1-4
surviving spouse and any surviving child of a police officer or fireman1-5
who was:1-6
(a) Employed by a public agency that had established group insurance1-7
or medical and hospital service pursuant to NRS 287.010, 287.020 or1-8
287.025; and1-9
(b) Killed in the line of duty,1-10
may elect to accept or continue coverage under that group insurance or1-11
medical and hospital service if the police officer or fireman was a1-12
participant or would have been eligible to participate in the group1-13
insurance or medical and hospital service on the date of the death of the1-14
police officer or fireman. If the surviving spouse or child elects to accept1-15
coverage under the group insurance or medical and hospital service in2-1
which the police officer or fireman would have been eligible to2-2
participate or to discontinue coverage under the group insurance or2-3
medical and hospital service in which the police officer or fireman was a2-4
participant, the spouse, child or legal guardian of the child must notify in2-5
writing the public agency that employed the police officer or fireman2-6
within 60 days after the date of death of the police officer or fireman.2-7
2. The public agency that employed the police officer or fireman2-8
shall pay the entire cost of the premiums or contributions for the group2-9
insurance or medical and hospital service for the surviving spouse or2-10
child who meets the requirements set forth in subsection 1.2-11
3. A surviving spouse is eligible to receive coverage pursuant to this2-12
section for the duration of the life of the surviving spouse. A surviving2-13
child is eligible to receive coverage pursuant to this section until the child2-14
reaches:2-15
(a) The age of 18 years; or2-16
(b) The age of 23 years, if the child is enrolled as a full-time student2-17
in an accredited university, college or trade school.2-18
4. As used in this section "police officer" has the meaning ascribed2-19
to it in NRS 617.135.2-20
Sec. 3. 1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 4, the2-21
surviving spouse and any surviving child of a police officer or fireman2-22
who was employed by a participating public agency and who was killed2-23
in the line of duty may join or continue coverage under the state’s2-24
program of group insurance if the police officer or fireman was a2-25
participant or would have been eligible to participate on the date of the2-26
death of the police officer or fireman. If the surviving spouse or child2-27
elects to join or discontinue coverage under the state’s program of group2-28
insurance pursuant to this subsection, the spouse, child or legal guardian2-29
of the child must notify in writing the participating public agency that2-30
employed the police officer or fireman within 60 days after the date of2-31
death of the police officer or fireman.2-32
2. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 4, the surviving spouse2-33
and any surviving child of a volunteer fireman who was killed in the line2-34
of duty and who was officially a member of a volunteer fire department2-35
in this state is eligible to join the state’s program of group insurance. If2-36
such a spouse or child elects to join the state’s program of group2-37
insurance, the spouse, child or legal guardian of the child must notify in2-38
writing the committee on benefits within 60 days after the date of death2-39
of the volunteer fireman.2-40
3. The participating public agency that employed the police officer or2-41
fireman shall pay the entire cost of the premiums or contributions for the2-42
state’s program of group insurance for the surviving spouse or child who2-43
meets the requirements set forth in subsection 1. The State of Nevada3-1
shall pay the entire cost of the premiums or contributions for the state’s3-2
program of group insurance for the surviving spouse or child who elects3-3
to join the state’s program of group insurance pursuant to subsection 2.3-4
4. A surviving spouse is eligible to receive coverage pursuant to this3-5
section for the duration of the life of the surviving spouse. A surviving3-6
child is eligible to receive coverage pursuant to this section until the child3-7
reaches:3-8
(a) The age of 18 years; or3-9
(b) The age of 23 years, if the child is enrolled as a full-time student3-10
in an accredited university, college or trade school.3-11
5. As used in this section "police officer" has the meaning ascribed3-12
to it in NRS 617.135. Sec. 4. NRS 287.040 is hereby amended to read as follows:3-14
287.040 The provisions of NRS 287.010 to 287.040, inclusive, and3-15
section 2 of this act, do not make it compulsory upon any governing body3-16
of any county, school district, municipal corporation, political subdivision,3-17
public corporation or other public agency of the State of Nevada to , except3-18
as otherwise provided in section 2 of this act, make any contributions for3-19
the payment of any premiums or other costs for group insurance or medical3-20
or hospital services, or upon any officer or employee of any county, school3-21
district, municipal corporation, political subdivision, public corporation or3-22
other public agency of this state to accept or join any plan of group3-23
insurance or to assign his wages or salary or to authorize deductions from3-24
his wages or salary in payment of premiums therefor.3-25
Sec. 5. NRS 287.043 is hereby amended to read as follows: 287.043 The committee on benefits shall:3-27
1. Act as an advisory body on matters relating to group life, accident or3-28
health insurance, or any combination of these, a program to reduce taxable3-29
compensation or other forms of compensation other than deferred3-30
compensation, for the benefit of all state officers and employees and other3-31
persons who participate in the state’s program of group insurance.3-32
2. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, negotiate and3-33
contract with the governing body of any public agency enumerated in NRS3-34
287.010 which is desirous of obtaining group insurance for its officers,3-35
employees and retired employees by participation in the state’s program of3-36
group insurance. The committee shall establish separate rates and coverage3-37
for those officers, employees and retired employees based on actuarial3-38
reports.3-39
3. Give public notice in writing of proposed changes in rates or3-40
coverage to each participating public employer who may be affected by the3-41
changes. Notice must be provided at least 30 days before the effective date3-42
of the changes.4-1
4. Purchase policies of life, accident or health insurance, or any4-2
combination of these, or a program to reduce the amount of taxable4-3
compensation pursuant to 26 U.S.C. § 125, from any company qualified to4-4
do business in this state or provide similar coverage through a plan of self-4-5
insurance for the benefit of all eligible public officers, employees and4-6
retired employees who participate in the state’s program.4-7
5. Consult the state risk manager and obtain his advice in the4-8
performance of the duties set forth in this section.4-9
6. Except as otherwise provided in this Title, develop and establish4-10
other employee benefits as necessary.4-11
7. Adopt such regulations and perform such other duties as are4-12
necessary to carry out the provisions of NRS 287.041 to 287.049, inclusive,4-13
and sections 2 and 3 of this act, including the establishment of:4-14
(a) Fees for applications for participation in the state’s program and for4-15
the late payment of premiums;4-16
(b) Conditions for entry and reentry into the state’s program by public4-17
agencies enumerated in NRS 287.010; and4-18
(c) The levels of participation in the state’s program required for4-19
employees of participating public agencies.4-20
8. Appoint an independent certified public accountant. The accountant4-21
shall provide an annual audit of the plan and report to the committee and4-22
the legislative commission.4-23
For the purposes of this section, "employee benefits" includes any form of4-24
compensation provided to a state employee pursuant to this Title except4-25
federal benefits, wages earned, legal holidays, deferred compensation and4-26
benefits available pursuant to chapter 286 of NRS.4-27
Sec. 6. NRS 287.044 is hereby amended to read as follows: 287.044 1. A part of the cost of the premiums or contributions for4-29
that group insurance, not to exceed the amount specified by law, applied to4-30
both group life and group accident or health coverage, for each public4-31
officer, except a senator or assemblyman, or employee electing to4-32
participate in the group insurance program, may be paid by the department,4-33
agency, commission or public agency which employs the officer or4-34
employee in whose behalf that part is paid from money appropriated to or4-35
authorized for that department, agency, commission or public agency for4-36
that purpose. Participation by the state in the cost of premiums or4-37
contributions must not exceed the amounts specified by law. If an officer or4-38
employee chooses to cover his dependents, whenever this option is made4-39
available by the committee on benefits, except as otherwise provided in4-40
sections 2 and 3 of this act, he must pay the difference between the amount4-41
of the premium or contribution for the coverage for himself and his4-42
dependents and the amount paid by the state.5-1
2. A department, agency, commission or public agency shall not pay5-2
any part of those premiums if the group life insurance or group accident or5-3
health insurance is not approved by the committee on benefits.~