89R5608 RDR-D     By: Hughes S.B. No. 805       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the establishment by regional education service centers   of regional school district health coverage advisory committees.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Chapter 8, Education Code, is amended by adding   Subchapter G to read as follows:   SUBCHAPTER G. REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT HEALTH COVERAGE ADVISORY   COMMITTEES          Sec. 8.251.  DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "advisory   committee" means a regional school district health coverage   advisory committee established under this subchapter.          Sec. 8.252.  ESTABLISHMENT. The executive director of each   regional education service center shall establish a regional school   district health coverage advisory committee to study health   coverage options available to employees of school districts served   by that service center.          Sec. 8.253.  COMPOSITION. An advisory committee is composed   of nine members appointed by the executive director of each   regional education service center as follows:                (1)  three members who are superintendents employed by   a school district served by the center;                (2)  three members who are classroom teachers employed   by a school district served by the center; and                (3)  three members who are parents of students   attending schools in school districts served by the center.          Sec. 8.254.  TERM OF OFFICE; REAPPOINTMENT. (a) Members of   an advisory committee serve staggered two-year terms, with the   terms of four members expiring January 1 of each even-numbered year   and the terms of five members expiring January 1 of each   odd-numbered year.          (b)  A person appointed to an advisory committee may be   reappointed to that committee.          Sec. 8.255.  REMOVAL FOR CAUSE. An advisory committee   member may be removed for cause by a majority vote of the remaining   members of the committee.          Sec. 8.256.  VACANCY. The executive director of a regional   education service center shall fill a vacancy on an advisory   committee not later than two months after the date the vacancy   occurs.          Sec. 8.257.  STUDY. An advisory committee shall biennially   conduct a study of health coverage options available to employees   of school districts served by the committee's regional education   service center. The study must include, with respect to school   districts in that committee's region, an assessment of health   coverage plans, including cooperative health care programs, that   are available on the open market or through self-funding of school   district health care expenses, including for each plan:                (1)  the amount that would be paid by a district and   district employees for premium under the plan;                (2)  the schedule of benefits available under the plan;   and                (3)  whether, in obtaining the plan, some or all of the   districts in the region should jointly seek health coverage under   that plan as a group.          Sec. 8.258.  REPORT. (a) Not later than September 15 of the   year in which a study is conducted under Section 8.257, an advisory   committee shall submit to the executive director of the committee's   regional education service center a written report detailing the   committee's findings from the study. The report must include:                (1)  recommendations regarding the best available   health care plans; and                (2)  an assessment of the costs and services associated   with each available plan.          (b)  Not later than October 15 of the year in which a study is   conducted under Section 8.257, the executive director of each   regional education service center shall provide each board of   trustees and superintendent of a school district served by the   center the report submitted under Subsection (a) in an electronic   format. If an advisory committee report recommends entering into a   cooperative health purchasing arrangement, the executive director   of that regional education service center shall include in the   report provided under this subsection information regarding   methods by which the center could enter into the cooperative health   purchasing arrangement.          (c)  The executive director of each regional education   service center shall schedule at least one in-person meeting with   the superintendents of school districts served by the center to   discuss the findings and recommendations included in an advisory   committee report provided under this section.          SECTION 2.  (a) Not later than January 1, 2026, each   executive director of a regional education service center shall   appoint the members of the center's regional school district health   coverage advisory committee, as required by Section 8.253,   Education Code, as added by this Act.          (b)  Notwithstanding Section 8.254, Education Code, as added   by this Act, in making the initial appointments under Subsection   (a) of this section, the executive director of a regional education   service center shall designate four members appointed to the   center's regional school district health coverage advisory   committee to serve terms expiring January 1, 2028, and five members   to serve terms expiring January 1, 2027.          SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives   a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as   provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this   Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this   Act takes effect September 1, 2025.