What's happening
This bill allows New York state employees to choose whether to cover spouses and/or dependent children under their health plans.
Why it matters
Enhances employee autonomy. By letting state employees choose whether to cover spouses, dependent children, both, or neither, the bill gives workers more control over their health insurance choices, allowing them to tailor benefits to their actual family needs and circumstances.
Potential cost savings for employees. Employees who do not need dependent coverage (e.g., single parents, those with adult children, or couples without children) can opt out, potentially lowering their personal contribution costs for health insurance.
Administrative flexibility and possible impact on state costs. State agencies may see changes in enrollment patterns, which could affect the overall risk pool and the administrative processes for health plan management, possibly impacting the state’s health insurance expenditures and negotiations.
Clarifies options and process. The bill explicitly requires that regulations be in place for how employees can discontinue or resume dependent coverage, aiming to ensure a clear and fair process for making changes based on life events or changing needs.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Let Employees Pick Dependents
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 4
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to civil service and pensions
- Referred to civil service and pensions
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
598
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 4, 2017
Introduced by Sen. BOYLE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Civil Service and Pensions
AN ACT to amend the civil service law, in relation to granting employee's discretion over coverage for dependants
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 164 of the civil service law, as amended by chapter 617 of the laws of 1967, and as designated by section 1 of part W of chapter 56 of the laws of 2008, is amended to read as follows:
1. Each employee shall be entitled to have his or her spouse [and] and/or dependent children, at such employee's discretion, as defined by the regulations of the president, included in the coverage upon agreeing to pay his or her contribution, if any, to the cost of such coverage for such dependents. Each employee shall have the option of selecting coverage solely for him or herself and his or her spouse. The president shall adopt regulations governing the discontinuance and resumption by employees of coverage for dependents.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05498-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the civil service law, in relation to granting employee's discretion over coverage for dependants
Purpose
To allow state employees the option of selecting health coverage for solely him or herself and his or her spouse.
Summary of provisions
Section 1. This bill amends Section 164 of the civil service law to allow state employees the option of selecting health insurance coverage for solely him or herself and his or her spouse.
Section 2. Effective date.
Justification
Currently state employees covered for health insurance under the Empire plan are limited to coverage for either themselves as an individual or a family plan covering both spouses and dependents. In order for employees to obtain coverage for a spouse, they must select the family plan which includes all dependents. This bill will provide employees an option to obtain coverage for a two person household, the employee and his or her spouse.
State employees' health insurance coverage is paid through contributions by New York State and the employee him or herself. The creation of a coverage option that's limited to an employee and his or her spouse will save the State and the employees money by the reduced cost of insurance.
Legislative history
New Bill.
Fiscal implications
04/08/16 REFERRED TO CIVIL SERVICE AND PENSIONS
Local fiscal implications
EFFECTIVE DATE : This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall have become law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.