S 0063 General Bill, By Gregory, Ravenel and Reese
 A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 1-11-730 OF THE 1976 CODE TO PROVIDE THAT A PERSON WHO
 RETIRES DUE TO A WORK-RELATED DISABILITY WHO HAS FIVE YEARS OF STATE-COVERED
 ENTITY SERVICE CREDIT IS ELIGIBLE FOR STATE-PAID PREMIUMS AND TO PROVIDE THAT
 A PERSON WHO RETIRES DUE TO A WORK-RELATED DISABILITY WITH LESS THAN FIVE
 YEARS' STATE-COVERED ENTITY SERVICE CREDIT IS ELIGIBLE FOR STATE-PAID PREMIUMS
 FOR A PERIOD OF SIXTY MONTHS.

   12/04/02  Senate Prefiled
   12/04/02  Senate Referred to Committee on Finance
   01/14/03  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-45
   01/14/03  Senate Referred to Committee on Finance SJ-45

TO AMEND SECTION 1-11-730 OF THE 1976 CODE TO PROVIDE THAT A PERSON WHO RETIRES DUE TO A WORK-RELATED DISABILITY WHO HAS FIVE YEARS OF STATE-COVERED ENTITY SERVICE CREDIT IS ELIGIBLE FOR STATE-PAID PREMIUMS AND TO PROVIDE THAT A PERSON WHO RETIRES DUE TO A WORK-RELATED DISABILITY WITH LESS THAN FIVE YEARS' STATE-COVERED ENTITY SERVICE CREDIT IS ELIGIBLE FOR STATE-PAID PREMIUMS FOR A PERIOD OF SIXTY MONTHS.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1.    Section 1-11-730 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 387 of 2000, is amended to read:

"Section 1-11-730.    (A)    A person covered by the state health and dental insurance plans who terminates employment with at least twenty years retirement service credit by a state-covered entity before eligibility for retirement under a state retirement system is eligible for the plans effective on the date of retirement under a state retirement system, if the last five years are consecutive and in a full-time permanent position with a state-covered entity.

(B)    A member of the General Assembly who leaves office or retires with at least eight years credited service in the General Assembly Retirement System is eligible to participate in the plans by paying the full premium costs as determined by the State Budget and Control Board.

(C)    An active employee retiring with ten or more years of state-covered entity service credited under a state retirement system is eligible for state-paid premiums, if the last five years are consecutive and in a full-time permanent position with a state-covered entity.

(D)    A person covered by the plans who retires without a work-related disability and with at least five years' state-covered entity service credited under a state retirement system is eligible to participate in the plan by paying the full premium costs as determined by the board, if the last five years are consecutive and in a full-time permanent position with a state-covered entity. However, a person covered by the plans who retires due to a work-related disability and with at least five years' state-covered service entity service credited under a state retirement system is eligible for state-paid premiums, if the last five years are consecutive in a full-time permanent position with a state-covered entity.

(E)    A person covered by the plans who retires with less than five years' state-covered entity service credited under a state retirement system, but who retires from a full-time permanent position at a state-covered entity due to a work-related disability, is eligible for state-paid premiums for a period of sixty months following the date of retirement.

(EF)    All state and school district employees employed before July 1, 1984, who were or would have been eligible for the plans upon completion of five years' service are exempt from the provisions of this section and are eligible for the plan effective on the date of their retirement.

(FG)    A former municipal or county council member of a county or municipality which participates in the state health and dental insurance plans who served on the council for at least twelve years and who was covered under the plans at the time of termination is eligible to maintain coverage under the plans if the former member pays the full employer and employee contributions and if the county or municipal council elects to allow this coverage for former members.

(GH)    A person covered by the state health and dental plans who terminated employment with at least eighteen years retirement service credit by a state-covered entity before eligibility for retirement under a state retirement system prior to 1990 is eligible for the plans effective on the date of retirement, if this person returns to a state-covered entity and is covered by the state health and dental plans and completes at least two consecutive years in a full-time, permanent position prior to the date of retirement."

SECTION 2.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.