SB70-SSA2-SA1,53 Section 53. 40.03 (2) (ig) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-SSA2-SA1,45,7 40.03 (2) (ig) Shall promulgate, with the approval of the group insurance board, all rules required for the administration of the group health, long-term care, income continuation or life insurance plans established under subchs. IV to and VI and health savings accounts under subch. IV.

SB70-SSA2-SA1,54 Section 54. 40.03 (6) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-SSA2-SA1,45,13 40.03 (6) Group insurance board. (intro.) The With respect to the group insurance plans provided for by this chapter other than the group income continuation insurance plan established under ss. 40.61 and 40.62 and the group long-term disability insurance plan established under s. 40.64, the group insurance board:

SB70-SSA2-SA1,55 Section 55. 40.03 (6) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-SSA2-SA1,45,18 40.03 (6) (a) 1. Except as provided in par. (m), shall, on behalf of the state, enter into a contract or contracts with one or more insurers authorized to transact insurance business in this state for the purpose of providing the group insurance plans provided for by this chapter; or

SB70-SSA2-SA1,56 Section 56. 40.03 (6) (d) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-SSA2-SA1,45,24 40.03 (6) (d) (intro.) May take any action as trustees which that is deemed advisable and not specifically prohibited or delegated to some other governmental agency, to carry out the purpose and intent of the group insurance plans provided under this chapter, including, but not limited to, provisions in the appropriate contracts relating to:

SB70-SSA2-SA1,57 Section 57. 40.03 (6) (i) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-SSA2-SA1,46,3 40.03 (6) (i) Shall accept timely appeals of determinations made by the department affecting any right or benefit under any group insurance plan provided for under this chapter that the group insurance board oversees.

SB70-SSA2-SA1,58 Section 58. 40.23 (1) (bm) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-SSA2-SA1,46,11 40.23 (1) (bm) If an application by a participant age 55 or over, or by a protective occupation participant age 50 or over, for group long-term disability insurance benefits under s. 40.64 is disapproved under rules promulgated by the department, the date which would have been the effective date for the insurance benefits shall be is the retirement annuity effective date if requested by the applicant within 60 days of the disapproval or, if the disapproval is appealed, within 60 days of the final disposition of the appeal.

SB70-SSA2-SA1,59 Section 59. 40.61 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-SSA2-SA1,47,4 40.61 (2) Except as provided in sub. (4), any an eligible employee may become covered by group income continuation insurance by electing coverage within 30 days of initial eligibility, to be effective as of the first day of the month that first occurs during the 30-day period, or by electing coverage within 60 days of initially becoming eligible for a higher level of employer contribution towards the premium cost to be effective as of the first day of the month following the date of eligibility for teachers employed by the university and effective as of the following April 1 for all other employees. Any An employee who does not so elect at one of these times, or who subsequently cancels the insurance, may not thereafter become insured unless the employee furnishes evidence of insurability under the terms of the contract, or as otherwise provided by rule for employees under sub. (3), at the employee's own expense or obtains coverage subject to contractual waiting periods if contractual waiting periods are provided for by the contract or by rule for employees under sub. (3). An employee who furnishes satisfactory evidence of insurability under the terms of the contract shall become insured as of the first day of the month following the date of approval of evidence. The method to be used shall be determined by the group insurance board under sub. (1).

SB70-SSA2-SA1,60 Section 60. 40.61 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-SSA2-SA1,47,12 40.61 (3) Any An employer under s. 40.02 (28), other than the state, may offer to all of its employees an a group income continuation insurance plan through a program offered by the group insurance board. Notwithstanding sub. (2) and ss. 40.05 (5) and 40.62, the department may by rule establish different eligibility standards or contribution requirements for such those employees and employers and may by rule limit the categories of employers which that may be included as participating employers under this subchapter.

SB70-SSA2-SA1,61 Section 61. 40.62 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-SSA2-SA1,47,21 40.62 (1) The group insurance board shall establish an a group income continuation insurance plan providing for full or partial payment of the financial loss of earnings incurred as a result of injury or illness with separate provisions for short-term insurance with a benefit duration of no more than one year and long-term insurance covering injury or illness of indefinite duration. Employees An employee insured under the plan shall be is eligible for benefits upon exhaustion of accumulated sick leave and completion of the elimination waiting period established by the group insurance board.

SB70-SSA2-SA1,62 Section 62. 40.64 of the statutes is created to read:

SB70-SSA2-SA1,47,24 40.64 Long-term disability insurance coverage. The board may establish a group long-term disability insurance plan.

SB70-SSA2-SA1,9113 Section 9113. Nonstatutory provisions; Employee Trust Funds.

SB70-SSA2-SA1,48,1 (1) Transfer of oversight of group disability benefit insurance plans.

SB70-SSA2-SA1,48,6 (a) Tangible personal property. On the effective date of this paragraph, all tangible personal property, including records, of the group insurance board that is primarily related to the group income continuation insurance plan or long-term disability insurance plan, as determined by the secretary of employee trust funds, is transferred to the employee trust funds board.

SB70-SSA2-SA1,48,13 (b) Contracts. All contracts entered into by the group insurance board in effect on the effective date of this paragraph that are primarily related to the group income continuation insurance plan or long-term disability insurance plan, as determined by the secretary of employee trust funds, remain in effect and are transferred to the employee trust funds board. The employee trust funds board shall carry out any obligations under those contracts unless modified or rescinded by the employee trust funds board to the extent allowed under the contract.

SB70-SSA2-SA1,48,18 (c) Rules. All rules promulgated by the secretary of employee trust funds and approved by the group insurance board in effect on the effective date of this paragraph that are primarily related to the group income continuation insurance plan or long-term disability insurance plan remain in effect until their specified expiration dates or until amended or repealed by the employee trust funds board.

SB70-SSA2-SA1,48,25 (d) Pending matters. Any matter pending with the group insurance board on the effective date of this paragraph that is primarily related to the group income continuation insurance plan or long-term disability insurance plan, as determined by the secretary of employee trust funds, is transferred to the employee trust funds board. All materials submitted to or actions taken by the group insurance board with respect to the pending matter are considered as having been submitted to or taken by the employee trust funds board.”.

SB70-SSA2-SA1,49,1 117. Page 374, line 11: after that line insert:

SB70-SSA2-SA1,49,2 “ Section 63. 15.165 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-SSA2-SA1,49,3 15.165 (title) Same; attached boards and offices.