94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2005 and 2006
HB3832

 

Introduced 2/25/2005, by Rep. Jay C. Hoffman

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
5 ILCS 315/15   from Ch. 48, par. 1615
5 ILCS 375/5   from Ch. 127, par. 525

    Amends the Public Labor Relations Act and the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971. Removes provisions that make the labor relations provisions subject to the group insurance provisions. Removes provisions that require proposed collective bargaining agreements to meet certain requirements of the group insurance provisions. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1     AN ACT concerning public employees.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 5. The Illinois Public Labor Relations Act is
5 amended by changing Section 15 as follows:
 
6     (5 ILCS 315/15)  (from Ch. 48, par. 1615)
7     Sec. 15. Act Takes Precedence.
8     (a) In case of any conflict between the provisions of this
9 Act and any other law (other than Section 5 of the State
10 Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971), executive order or
11 administrative regulation relating to wages, hours and
12 conditions of employment and employment relations, the
13 provisions of this Act or any collective bargaining agreement
14 negotiated thereunder shall prevail and control. Nothing in
15 this Act shall be construed to replace or diminish the rights
16 of employees established by Sections 28 and 28a of the
17 Metropolitan Transit Authority Act, Sections 2.15 through 2.19
18 of the Regional Transportation Authority Act. The provisions of
19 this Act are subject to Section 5 of the State Employees Group
20 Insurance Act of 1971. Nothing in this Act shall be construed
21 to replace the necessity of complaints against a sworn peace
22 officer, as defined in Section 2(a) of the Uniform Peace
23 Officer Disciplinary Act, from having a complaint supported by
24 a sworn affidavit.
25     (b) Except as provided in subsection (a) above, any
26 collective bargaining contract between a public employer and a
27 labor organization executed pursuant to this Act shall
28 supersede any contrary statutes, charters, ordinances, rules
29 or regulations relating to wages, hours and conditions of
30 employment and employment relations adopted by the public
31 employer or its agents. Any collective bargaining agreement
32 entered into prior to the effective date of this Act shall

 

 

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1 remain in full force during its duration.
2     (c) It is the public policy of this State, pursuant to
3 paragraphs (h) and (i) of Section 6 of Article VII of the
4 Illinois Constitution, that the provisions of this Act are the
5 exclusive exercise by the State of powers and functions which
6 might otherwise be exercised by home rule units. Such powers
7 and functions may not be exercised concurrently, either
8 directly or indirectly, by any unit of local government,
9 including any home rule unit, except as otherwise authorized by
10 this Act.
11 (Source: P.A. 93-839, eff. 7-30-04; 93-1006, eff. 8-24-04;
12 revised 10-25-04.)
 
13     Section 10. The State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971
14 is amended by changing Section 5 as follows:
 
15     (5 ILCS 375/5)  (from Ch. 127, par. 525)
16     Sec. 5. Employee benefits; declaration of State policy. The
17 General Assembly declares that it is the policy of the State
18 and in the best interest of the State to assure quality
19 benefits to members and their dependents under this Act. The
20 implementation of this policy depends upon, among other things,
21 stability and continuity of coverage, care, and services under
22 benefit programs for members and their dependents.
23 Specifically, but without limitation, members should have
24 continued access, on substantially similar terms and
25 conditions, to trusted family health care providers with whom
26 they have developed long-term relationships through a benefit
27 program under this Act. Therefore, the Director must administer
28 this Act consistent with that State policy, but may consider
29 affordability, cost of coverage and care, and competition among
30 health insurers and providers. All contracts for provision of
31 employee benefits, including those portions of any proposed
32 collective bargaining agreement that would require
33 implementation through contracts entered into under this Act,
34 are subject to the following requirements:

 

 

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1         (i) By April 1 of each year, the Director must report
2     and provide information to the Commission concerning the
3     status of the employee benefits program to be offered for
4     the next fiscal year. Information includes, but is not
5     limited to, documents, reports of negotiations, bid
6     invitations, requests for proposals, specifications,
7     copies of proposed and final contracts, or final
8     agreements, and any other materials concerning contracts
9     or agreements for the employee benefits program. By the
10     first of each month thereafter, the Director must provide
11     updated, and any new, information to the Commission until
12     the employee benefits program for the next fiscal year is
13     determined. In addition to these monthly reporting
14     requirements, at any time the Commission makes a written
15     request, the Director must promptly, but in no event later
16     than 5 business days after receipt of the request, provide
17     to the Commission any additional requested information in
18     the possession of the Director concerning employee
19     benefits programs. The Commission may waive any of the
20     reporting requirements of this item (i) upon the written
21     request by the Director. Any waiver granted under this item
22     (i) must be in writing. Nothing in this item is intended to
23     abrogate any attorney-client privilege.
24         (ii) Within 30 days after notice of the awarding or
25     letting of a contract has appeared in the Illinois
26     Procurement Bulletin in accordance with subsection (b) of
27     Section 15-25 of the Illinois Procurement Code, the
28     Commission may request in writing from the Director and the
29     Director shall promptly, but in no event later than 5
30     business days after receipt of the request, provide to the
31     Commission information in the possession of the Director
32     concerning the proposed contract. Nothing in this item is
33     intended to waive or abrogate any privilege or right of
34     confidentiality authorized by law.
35         (iii) No contract subject to this Section may be
36     entered into until the 30-day period described in item (ii)

 

 

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1     has expired, unless the Director requests in writing that
2     the Commission waive the period and the Commission grants
3     the waiver in writing.
4         (iv) If the Director seeks to make any substantive
5     modification to any provision of a proposed contract after
6     it is submitted to the Commission in accordance with item
7     (ii), the modified contract shall be subject to the
8     requirements of items (ii) and (iii) unless the Commission
9     agrees, in writing, to a waiver of those requirements with
10     respect to the modified contract.
11         (v) By the date of the beginning of the annual benefit
12     choice period, the Director must transmit to the Commission
13     a copy of each final contract or agreement for the employee
14     benefits program to be offered for the next fiscal year.
15     The annual benefit choice period for an employee benefits
16     program must begin on May 1 of the fiscal year preceding
17     the year for which the program is to be offered. If,
18     however, in any such preceding fiscal year collective
19     bargaining over employee benefit programs for the next
20     fiscal year remains pending on April 15, the beginning date
21     of the annual benefit choice period shall be not later than
22     15 days after ratification of the collective bargaining
23     agreement.
24         (vi) The Director must provide the reports,
25     information, and contracts required under items (i), (ii),
26     (iv), and (v) by electronic or other means satisfactory to
27     the Commission. Reports, information, and contracts in the
28     possession of the Commission pursuant to items (i), (ii),
29     (iv), and (v) are exempt from disclosure by the Commission
30     and its members and employees under the Freedom of
31     Information Act. Reports, information, and contracts
32     received by the Commission pursuant to items (i), (ii),
33     (iv), and (v) must be kept confidential by and may not be
34     disclosed or used by the Commission or its members or
35     employees if such disclosure or use could compromise the
36     fairness or integrity of the procurement, bidding, or

 

 

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1     contract process. Commission meetings, or portions of
2     Commission meetings, in which reports, information, and
3     contracts received by the Commission pursuant to items (i),
4     (ii), (iv), and (v) are discussed must be closed if
5     disclosure or use of the report or information could
6     compromise the fairness or integrity of the procurement,
7     bidding, or contract process.
8     All contracts entered into under this Section are subject
9 to appropriation and shall comply with Section 20-60(b) of the
10 Illinois Procurement Code (30 ILCS 500/20-60(b)).
11     The Director shall contract or otherwise make available
12 group life insurance, health benefits and other employee
13 benefits to eligible members and, where elected, their eligible
14 dependents. Any contract or, if applicable, contracts or other
15 arrangement for provision of benefits shall be on terms
16 consistent with State policy and based on, but not limited to,
17 such criteria as administrative cost, service capabilities of
18 the carrier or other contractor and premiums, fees or charges
19 as related to benefits.
20     The Director may prepare and issue specifications for group
21 life insurance, health benefits, other employee benefits and
22 administrative services for the purpose of receiving proposals
23 from interested parties.
24     The Director is authorized to execute a contract, or
25 contracts, for the programs of group life insurance, health
26 benefits, other employee benefits and administrative services
27 authorized by this Act (including, without limitation,
28 prescription drug benefits). All of the benefits provided under
29 this Act may be included in one or more contracts, or the
30 benefits may be classified into different types with each type
31 included under one or more similar contracts with the same or
32 different companies.
33     The term of any contract may not extend beyond 5 fiscal
34 years. Upon recommendation of the Commission, the Director may
35 exercise renewal options of the same contract for up to a
36 period of 5 years. Any increases in premiums, fees or charges

 

 

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1 requested by a contractor whose contract may be renewed
2 pursuant to a renewal option contained therein, must be
3 justified on the basis of (1) audited experience data, (2)
4 increases in the costs of health care services provided under
5 the contract, (3) contractor performance, (4) increases in
6 contractor responsibilities, or (5) any combination thereof.
7     Any contractor shall agree to abide by all requirements of
8 this Act and Rules and Regulations promulgated and adopted
9 thereto; to submit such information and data as may from time
10 to time be deemed necessary by the Director for effective
11 administration of the provisions of this Act and the programs
12 established hereunder, and to fully cooperate in any audit.
13 (Source: P.A. 93-839, eff. 7-30-04.)
 
14     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
15 becoming law.