(1) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2003, p. 1934, § 10, effective May 22, 2003.)

(2) (a) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2003, p. 1934, § 10, effective May 22, 2003.)

(b)

(I) The total premium for each particular group benefit plan offered to state employees pursuant to this part 6 and for each tier of said plan shall be the same for all eligible employees. The amount of the state contribution for each tier shall be determined by the director in accordance with section 24-50-104 (4) and shall be the same for all eligible employees within the state personnel system; except that, beginning with the 2008-09 state fiscal year, the state contribution shall be supplemented for eligible state employees, as defined in section 24-50-609.5 (2)(a), in accordance with section 24-50-609.5. For purposes of this section, "tier" means the particular coverage options offered to eligible employees, including single employee, employee with one covered dependent, and employee with two or more covered dependents.

(II) Repealed.

(3) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2003, p. 1934, § 10, effective May 22, 2003.)

(4) For purposes of this section, "employee" does not include elected state officials who do not receive compensation other than expense reimbursements from state funds.

(5) The supplemental state contribution fund is hereby created in the state treasury. The principal of the fund consists of tobacco litigation settlement moneys transferred by the state treasurer to the fund pursuant to section 24-75-1104.5 (1.7)(j). The principal of the fund is continuously appropriated to the department of personnel and shall be expended in its entirety in each fiscal year by the department to pay the costs of increased nonsupplemental state contributions, as defined in section 24-50-609.5 (3)(c)(II), and supplement the state contribution, as defined in section 24-50-609.5 (2)(d), for each eligible state employee, as defined in section 24-50-609.5 (2)(a), enrolled in a qualifying group benefit plan, as defined in section 24-50-609.5 (2)(c), as required by section 24-50-609.5; except that the department shall expend no more than the amount needed to pay the costs of increased nonsupplemental state contributions and reduce the employee contribution, as defined in section 24-50-609.5 (2)(b), of each eligible state employee for all qualifying group benefit plans to zero. The principal of the fund remains in the fund until expended and shall not be transferred to the general fund or any other fund. Interest and income earned on the deposit and investment of moneys in the fund shall be credited to the fund, shall not be transferred to the general fund or to any other fund, and shall be used by the department, subject to annual appropriation, solely to pay the costs of the department related to the supplementation of the state contribution for each eligible state employee required by section 24-50-609.5.