HB 1499 -- Retirement Systems and Benefits

Sponsor:  Ransdall

The bill contains provisions pertaining to medical insurance
incentives for employees of the Missouri Department of
Transportation who are members of the Highway and Transportation
Employees' and Highway Patrol Retirement System (HTEHPRS).  In
its main provisions, the bill:

(1)  Requires current employees who are receiving creditable
service and are eligible to receive a normal annuity under
HTEHPRS, or a life and any temporary annuity under Missouri State
Employees' Plan 2000, and whose annuity begins no later than
January 1, 2005, to be eligible to receive the medical coverage
contained in the bill;

(2)  Does not prohibit employees who are eligible to receive
lump-sum payments under Section 104.625, RSMo, or Section
104.1024, from electing to receive the payments authorized by
these sections;

(3)  Requires a retiree whose retirement annuity commenced on or
after February 1, 2004, but no later than January 1, 2005, to be
eligible to receive the medical coverage contained in the bill;

(4)  Establishes a department rehiring cap of 25% for positions
that are vacated due to the election to retire.  Critical
positions and seasonal positions may be exempt from this
provision;

(5)  Requires the department and HTEHPRS to provide monthly
tracking of the effects of the medical coverage provided to
eligible retirees and the number of retirements resulting from
the plan.  In addition, the bill requires the department and
HTEHPRS to submit a written report to the Governor, the
Commissioner of the Office of Administration, and the General
Assembly by April 1, 2005.  The report must examine required
subject areas and the effects of the incentive provisions.  The
period the report must cover is February 1, 2004, to January 31,
2005;

(6)  Requires the Highways and Transportation Commission to
approve the retirement plan by a majority vote.  The commission
is required to accept or reject the plan within 30 days after the
effective date of the bill.  Following the vote, the commission
is required to notify all department employees and retirees since
February 1, 2004, of their decision;

(7)  Requires any member who retires under the provisions of the
bill and who is eligible for medical coverage under the
department's health care plan to be eligible to apply for
coverage which allows a retiree to elect to continue coverage for
himself or herself and eligible dependents at the same cost as if
the retiree was an active employee.  The election will cover a
maximum period of five years or until the retiree is eligible for
Medicare, whichever occurs first; and

(8)  Requires the costs for medical coverage for eligible
retirees to revert to the applicable rate after the five-year
period expires or when the retiree becomes eligible for Medicare.

The bill contains an emergency clause.

Missouri House of Representatives
92nd General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated September 23, 2004 at 11:15 am