This information is prepared as an informational service only and should not be relied upon as an official record of action taken by the Colorado General Assembly.
Sixty-first General Assembly
LLS NO. 980424.01 GWF
HOUSE BILL 981143
STATE OF COLORADO
BY REPRESENTATIVES Spradley, Dyer, Epps, George, S. Johnson, Keller, Lawrence, and May;
also SENATORS Arnold, Bishop, and Pascoe.
REREVISED
FINANCE
A BILL FOR AN ACT
CONCERNING THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR CHILDREN
TO BE ENROLLED IN THE HEALTH CARE PROGRAM SPONSORED BY THE PUBLIC
EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT ASSOCIATION.
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced
and does not necessarily reflect any amendments that may be subsequently
adopted.)
Provides that dependents, as defined in the "Colorado
Health Care Coverage Act", and qualified children, as defined
by rules adopted by the board of the public employees' retirement
association (PERA), shall be eligible to participate in PERA's
health care program.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
SECTION 1. 2451101 (37), Colorado Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
2451101. Definitions. As used in this article, unless the context otherwise requires:
(37) "Qualified children" means
natural or adopted children of a member who are unmarried and
under eighteen years of age or who are unmarried and eighteen
years of age or older but under twentythree years of age
if enrolled full time in an accredited school within six months
after the date of death of such member. "Qualified children"
includes any children who become mentally or physically incapacitated
prior to attaining such age or marital status which precludes
them from obtaining gainful employment, and such children shall
continue to be considered qualified children so long as such disability
continues. and "qualified children"
also includes, for purposes of eligibility to enroll in the health
care program pursuant to section 24511204 (1) (a),
children who are not natural or adopted children of the benefit
recipient but who otherwise meet all the other conditions of this
subsection (37), reside full time with the benefit recipient,
and are dependents of the benefit recipient for federal income
tax purposes.
SECTION 2. 24511204 (1) (a), Colorado Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
24511204. Health care program eligibility. (1) The following persons are eligible to enroll in the health care program:
(a) All benefit recipients, and their dependents, INCLUDING ANY DEPENDENT, AS DEFINED IN SECTION 1016102 (14), C.R.S., ANY UNMARRIED CHILDREN WHO ARE NOT NATURAL OR ADOPTED CHILDREN OF THE BENEFIT RECIPIENT BUT WHO RESIDE FULL TIME WITH THE BENEFIT RECIPIENT, ARE DEPENDENTS OF THE BENEFIT RECIPIENT FOR FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES, AND MEET THE AGE REQUIREMENTS OF SECTION 10-16-102 (14), C.R.S., AND ANY QUALIFIED CHILDREN AS DEFINED IN THE RULES ADOPTED BY THE BOARD.
SECTION 3. Safety clause. The general assembly hereby finds, determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety.