FISCAL NOTE



FUND(S):

2180

Sources of Revenue:

Special Fund

Legislation creates:

Neither Program nor Fund



Fiscal Note Summary


Effect this measure will have on costs and revenues of state government.


The purpose of this bill is to provide health insurance under PEIA for surviving dependents of State Police Officers killed in the line of duty. The Public Employees Insurance Agency (PEIA) currently covers surviving dependents as per Chapter 5, Section 16, Article 13(j) which states Surviving spouse and dependent participation. A surviving spouse and dependents of a deceased employee, who was either an active or retired employee participating in the plan just prior to his or her death, are entitled to be included in any group insurance coverage provided under this article to which the deceased employee was entitled, and the spouse and dependents shall bear the premium cost of the insurance coverage. The finance board shall establish the premium cost of the coverage. There seems to be several technical details in the bill that cause ambiguities. The first is that only police officers who are covered under PEIA at the time they are killed in the line of duty would have their surviving spouse and dependents eligible for coverage as per PEIA eligibility guidelines. The bill only stipulates that a surviving dependent of a State Police Officer killed in the line of duty shall be eligible for PEIA coverage. This doesn’t speak to those situations in which the State Police Officer that was killed in the line of duty was not then currently covered under PEIA. The second concern is the bill states “shall be covered”. The current bill’s language as amended could be interpreted to mean surviving spouse and dependents would not have to bear the premium cost. PEIA would recommend that the bill language should change to read “eligible for coverage”.



Fiscal Note Detail


Effect of Proposal Fiscal Year
2008
Increase/Decrease
(use"-")
2009
Increase/Decrease
(use"-")
Fiscal Year
(Upon Full
Implementation)
1. Estmated Total Cost 0 0 0
Personal Services 0 0 0
Current Expenses 0 0 0
Repairs and Alterations 0 0 0
Assets 0 0 0
Other 0 0 0
2. Estimated Total Revenues 0 0 0


Explanation of above estimates (including long-range effect):






Memorandum


There seems to be several technical details in the bill that cause ambiguities. The first is that only police officers who are covered under PEIA at the time they are killed in the line of duty would have their surviving spouse and dependents eligible for coverage as per PEIA eligibility guidelines. The bill only stipulates that a surviving dependent of a State Police Officer killed in the line of duty shall be eligible for PEIA coverage. This doesn’t speak to those situations in which the State Police Officer that was killed in the line of duty was not then currently covered under PEIA. The second concern is the bill states “shall be covered”. The current bill’s language as amended could be interpreted to mean surviving spouse and dependents would not have to bear the premium cost. PEIA would recommend that the bill language should change to read “eligible for coverage”.



    Person submitting Fiscal Note: Chip Myers
    Email Address: CLIFFORD.M.MYERS@WV.GOV