LRB-3704/1
RAC:wlj:jf
1999 - 2000 LEGISLATURE
December 1, 1999 - Introduced by Representatives Pocan, Boyle, Berceau, Black,
Bock, Carpenter, Colon, J. Lehman, Miller, Richards, Sinicki, Travis and
Young, cosponsored by Senator Risser. Referred to Committee on Insurance.
AB609,1,4
1An Act to amend 40.02 (20) and 40.55 (1); and
to create 40.02 (21c) and 40.02
2(21d) of the statutes;
relating to: providing coverage for domestic partners
3under health care coverage plans and long-term care insurance policies offered
4by the group insurance board.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, the group insurance board offers health care coverage plans
for state employes, local government employes, school district employes and
annuitants under the Wisconsin retirement system. In addition, the group
insurance board currently offers long-term care insurance policies to state employes
and state annuitants. Under the health care coverage plans, the employes and
annuitants are able to receive coverage for dependents; under the long-term care
insurance policies, the employes and annuitants are able to purchase the policies for
their spouses and parents.
This bill provides that domestic partners of employes and annuitants are
eligible to receive coverage under the health care coverage plans offered by the group
insurance board and that state employes and state annuitants are able to purchase
the policies for their domestic partners. Under the bill, a domestic partner is defined
as any individual who is in a relationship with any other individual that satisfies all
of the following:
1. Each individual is at least 18 years old and otherwise competent to enter into
a contract.
2. Neither individual is married to, or in a domestic partnership with, another
individual.
3. The two individuals are not related by blood in any way that would prohibit
marriage under current law.
4. The two individuals consider themselves to be members of each other's
immediate family.
5. The two individuals agree to be responsible for each other's basic living
expenses.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be
printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB609, s. 1
1Section
1. 40.02 (20) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB609,2,102
40.02
(20) "Dependent" means the spouse,
domestic partner, minor child,
3including stepchildren of the current marriage dependent on the employe for support
4and maintenance, or child of any age, including stepchildren of the current marriage,
5if handicapped to an extent requiring continued dependence. For group insurance
6purposes only, the department may promulgate rules with a different definition of
7"dependent" than the one otherwise provided in this subsection for each group
8insurance plan
, except that the department may not promulgate a rule excluding
9domestic partners from a group insurance plan that provides coverage for any
10dependent.
AB609, s. 2
11Section
2. 40.02 (21c) of the statutes is created to read:
AB609,2,1212
40.02
(21c) "Domestic partner" means an individual in a domestic partnership.
AB609, s. 3
13Section
3. 40.02 (21d) of the statutes is created to read:
AB609,2,1514
40.02
(21d) "Domestic partnership" means a relationship between 2
15individuals that satisfies all of the following:
AB609,2,1716
(a)
Each individual is at least 18 years old and otherwise competent to enter
17into a contract.
AB609,3,2
1(b)
Neither individual is married to, or in a domestic partnership with, another
2individual.
AB609,3,43
(c) The 2 individuals are not related by blood in any way that would prohibit
4marriage under s. 765.03.
AB609,3,65
(d) The 2 individuals consider themselves to be members of each other's
6immediate family.
AB609,3,87
(e) The 2 individuals agree to be responsible for each other's basic living
8expenses.
AB609, s. 4
9Section
4. 40.55 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB609,3,17
1040.55 Long-term care coverage. (1) Except as provided in sub. (5), the state
11shall offer, through the group insurance board, to eligible employes under s. 40.02
12(25) (bm) and to state annuitants long-term care insurance policies which have been
13approved for sale in this state by the office of the commissioner of insurance and
14which have been approved for offering under contracts established by the group
15insurance board if the insurer requests that the policy be offered and the state shall
16also allow an eligible employe or a state annuitant to purchase those policies for his
17or her spouse
, domestic partner or parent.
AB609,3,2019
(1) This act first applies to coverage under group insurance plans offered by the
20group insurance board on January 1, 2001.
