ASSEMBLY, No. 1227

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 1996 SESSION

By Assemblymen AUGUSTINE and BAGGER

An Act concerning the health care benefits in retirement of certain county college employees and amending P.L.1992, c.126.

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1. Section 2 of P.L.1992, c.126 (C.52:14-17.32f1) is amended to read as follows:

    2. The provisions of section 3 of P.L.1987, c.384 (C.52:14-17.32f) shall apply to:  

    a. any employee of a board of education who retires on a benefit based upon 25 or more years of service credit in the Public Employees' Retirement System (P.L.1954, c.84; C.43:15A-1 et seq.), or retires on a disability pension based upon fewer years of service credit in that system, or elected deferred retirement based upon 25 or more years of service credit and receives a retirement allowance from that system; [and]

    b. any employee of a county college who retires on a benefit based upon 25 or more years of service credit in the Public Employees' Retirement System (P.L.1954, c.84; C.43:15A-1 et seq.), or retires on a disability pension based upon fewer years of service credit in that system, or elected deferred retirement based upon 25 or more years of service credit and receives a retirement allowance from that system; or who retires on a benefit based upon 25 or more years of service credit in the alternate benefit program (P.L.1969, c.242; C.18A:66-167 et seq.), or who receives a disability benefit pursuant to section 18 of P.L.1969, c.242 (C.18A:66-184); and

    c. any employee of a county college who retires on a benefit based upon 10 or more years of service credit in the alternate benefit program (P.L.1969, c.242; C.18A:64-167 et seq.) and who has additional years of service credited in another defined contribution retirement program as an employee of a private institution of higher education which, under contract with a county government, provided services as a county college and subsequently merged with a county technical institute to become a county college, which additional years of service when added to the service credited in the alternate benefit program totals 25 or more years, except that the costs of the premium or periodic charges for the benefits and reimbursement of medicare premiums provided to a retiree and the dependents of the retiree under this section shall be paid by the State.

    [An employee who retired prior to the effective date of this act is eligible for the coverage if the employee applies to the program for it within one year after the effective date.]

(cf: P.L.1992, c.126, s.2)

    2. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

    This bill adds to the list of those retirees eligible for State-paid health care benefits in the State Health Benefits Program (SHBP) any employee of a county college who (1) retires on a benefit based upon 10 or more years of service credit in the alternate benefit program (ABP) and (2) has additional years of service credited in another defined contribution retirement program as an employee of a private institution of higher education which, under contract with a county government, provided services as a county college and subsequently merged with a county technical institute to become a county college, which additional years of service when added to the service credited in ABP totals 25 or more years.

    Currently, any employee of a county college who retires on a benefit based upon 25 or more years of service credit in ABP or the Public Employees' Retirement System is eligible for paid SHBP health benefits in retirement. The cost of providing the benefit is assumed by the State.

Credits certain private college service toward paid health care benefits for certain county college retirees.