SENATE, No. 393

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

INTRODUCED JANUARY 18, 1996

 

 

By Senator BYRANT

 

 

An Act concerning the eligibility of certain employees of public employers other than the State for coverage under the New Jersey State Health Benefits Program and supplementing P.L.1961, c.49 (C.52:14-17.25 et seq.).

 

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

 

    1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Family Health Benefits Act."

 

    2. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 5 of P.L.1964, c.125 (C.52:14-17.36) or any other law to the contrary, for the purposes of determining eligibility for coverage under the health benefits program established pursuant to section 3 of P.L.1961, c.49 (C.52:14-17.27), an employee of an employer participating in the program who appears on a regular payroll and receives a salary or wages for an average of at least 20 hours per week shall be deemed to be a full-time employee of that employer.

 

    3. This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

    This bill provides that an employee of a local government employer that participates in the New Jersey State Health Benefits Program who appears on a regular payroll and receives a salary or wages for an average of 20 hours per week shall be deemed to be a full-time employee of that employer for the purpose of establishing eligibility for coverage under the program.

    This 20-hour requirement for full-time status was embodied in a regulation (N.J.A.C.17:9-4.6) of the State Health Benefits Commission prior to September 21, 1995. On that date, the commission adopted an amendment to the regulation permitting local employers to establish a higher standard for full-time status. Thus this legislation would reverse the commission's action and restore the requirement to its previous form.

 

 

 

The "Family Health Benefits Act"; reestablishes eligibility of certain local government employees for coverage under SHBP.