State employees; health insurance benefits. (SB1122)
Introduced By
Sen. Don McEachin (D-Richmond)
Progress
✓ |
Introduced |
✗ |
Passed Committee |
☐ |
Passed House |
✓ |
Passed Senate |
☐ |
Signed by Governor |
☐ |
Became Law |
Description
Health insurance benefits for state employees. Provides that the health insurance coverage that may be purchased by state employees for families and dependents may include coverage for any other person to whom coverage may be extended pursuant to 38.2-3525 of the Code of Virginia. Read the Bill »
Outcome
Bill Has Failed
History
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| 01/11/2011 | Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/12/11 11101879D |
| 01/11/2011 | Referred to Committee on Finance |
| 01/20/2011 | Impact statement from DPB (SB1122) |
| 01/27/2011 | Reported from Finance (9-Y 4-N) (see vote tally) |
| 01/31/2011 | Constitutional reading dispensed (39-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
| 02/01/2011 | Read second time and engrossed |
| 02/02/2011 | Read third time and passed Senate (23-Y 17-N) (see vote tally) |
| 02/10/2011 | Placed on Calendar |
| 02/10/2011 | Read first time |
| 02/10/2011 | Referred to Committee on General Laws |
| 02/14/2011 | Assigned GL sub: #4 Professions/Occupations and Administrative Process |
| 02/15/2011 | Subcommittee recommends laying on the table |
| 02/22/2011 | Left in General Laws |
Comments
This bill would allow the State Department of Human Resources to offer state employees the opportunity to buy health insurance to cover otherwise qualified adults living in their households, helping to alleviate the benefits disparity between public and private employment. More than 75% of the 900 people who filed comments on regulations offered by the Kaine administration to accomplish this (regs later withdrawn by the McDonnell admiinistration), supported this change in state health insurance benefits including the presidents of UVA, VA Tech, GMU and William and Mary who said such a benefits change would enhance their ability to compete for the best and brightest against other major colleges most of which (public and private) offer such expanded benefits. Equality Virginia supports this bill.
Support (this bill is a natural compliment to 747 non-discrimination bill, but we will be spending more of our efforts on getting non-discrimination through first)
Allowing state employees to purchase health insurance for members of the household is something everyone should support. Not only will this bill allow the state to recruit and retain employees but will decrease the number of uninsured people. This will impact the amount of healthcare hospitals such as UVa's will have to provide without payment.
In addition to the comments made by Ellen Bass, passage of this bill removes a major barrier to the ability of Virginia to recruit some of the best and brightest minds in higher education, including medicine and other professional schools, and in industry. Also, it's just fair and there is no reason not to provide the option for health insurance for anyone.
This bill makes sense from several perspectives. It is the right thing to do, and it's good for business in the Commonwealth.
Passing this bill would help to untie the hands of universities, who compete for the brightest candidates with many other universities who do offer this benefit. As others have said, it is the right thing to do!