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House of RepresentativesWhereas, in 1999 a House Interim Committee on Employee Health Care Contributions undertook an examination of the issue of health care contributions on behalf of both active and retired state employees and outlined a plan for further action; and
Whereas, the House Interim Committee found that health care costs bear disproportionately on older retirees who are doubly disadvantaged for having ended their careers with the state at a time when state salaries were not keeping pace with the private sector and for having to pay a higher share of their insurance costs than active employees; and
Whereas, the House Interim Committee also found that any provision made to alleviate problems of state-employed retirees and potential retirees should ideally align with the goals stated by the Governor's Task Force on Total Compensation and the Commission on Management and Productivity, because the Task Force and Commission have been focused on revising and funding the state's pay plan and retirement plan, including focusing attention on the unresolved issue of health care benefits; and
Whereas, it is the intent of the General Assembly to have agency boards and commissions make health care needs of retirees a priority; and
Whereas, some very specific legislative action needs to be enacted if state retirees' needs do not receive serious attention on an on-going basis; and
Whereas, the House Interim Committee's report included a request of the Governor to direct the Task Force on Total Compensation to address the issue of health care contributions for retired state employees and report their recommendations to the General Assembly by November of 2000; and
Whereas, the House Interim Committee recommended further study on the possibility of developing employee-employer contribution plans for retiree health care to allow current and future state employees to make contributions before they retire to help offset their health care costs when they become retirees; and
Whereas, any contributions made by current and future state employees to a medical savings plan before they retire will greatly reduce the risk that they will face a health care cost crisis when they become retirees; and
Whereas, there may be other equally beneficial alternatives for current and future state employees to alleviate the burden of health care costs in their retirement:
Now, therefore, be it resolved that the members of the House of Representatives of the Ninetieth General Assembly, Second Regular Session, the Senate concurring therein, hereby request the Governor to direct the Task Force on Total Compensation to immediately address the issues contained in the House Interim Committee report regarding health care benefits for state retirees and report their recommendations to the General Assembly no later than November 15, 2000, so that the new session of the General Assembly and the new Governor will be able to consider and pursue the Task Force's recommendations; and
Be it further resolved by the members of the House of Representatives of the Ninetieth General Assembly, Second Regular Session, the Senate concurring therein, that a Joint Interim Committee of the General Assembly be created to be composed of five members of the House of Representatives, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, with no more than three such members from the same political party, and five members of the Senate, appointed by the President Pro Tem of the Senate, with no more than three such members from the same political party, and that said committee be authorized to function during the interim between the Ninetieth and Ninety-first General Assemblies; and
Be it further resolved that said committee make a comprehensive study on the possibility of developing employee-employer contribution plans for retiree health care to allow current and future state employees to make contributions before they retire to help offset their health care costs when they become retirees and any other feasible alternatives;
Be it further resolved that the committee be authorized to hold hearings as it deems advisable, and that the staffs of House Research, Senate Research and the Committee on Legislative Research provide such legal, research, clerical, technical and bill drafting services requested by the committee; and
Be it further resolved that the committee, its members, and any staff personnel assigned to the committee shall receive reimbursement for their actual and necessary expenses incurred in attending meetings of the committee or any subcommittee thereof; and
Be it further resolved that the committee report its recommendations and findings to the Missouri General Assembly by January 1, 2002, and the authority of such committee shall terminate on December 31, 2001; and
Be it further resolved that the Chief Clerk of the of the Missouri House of Representatives be instructed to prepare properly inscribed copies of this resolution for the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tem of the Senate.
Offered by Representatives Mary Hagan-Harrell and Denny MeridethReturn to the Missouri
House of Representatives