Sec. 157.102. GROUP HEALTH AND RELATED BENEFITS FUND. (a) The commissioners court of a county that adopts rules under Section 157.101 may require persons participating in the group health and related benefits plan to contribute toward the payment of the plan. The commissioners court may establish a fund to pay for the group health and related benefits. The fund may take the form of a single nonprofit trust as described by Section 222.002(c)(5)(A), Insurance Code.

(b) A person who elects to participate in any aspect of the group health and related benefits plan and is required to make contributions toward the payment of the plan must authorize contributions to the fund by salary deduction. The authorization must be submitted in writing to the county officer authorized by the commissioners court to administer payroll deductions. The authorization remains in effect as long as the person is required to make contributions toward the payment of the plan. If the amount of the person's required contributions changes after the date the request for deduction is submitted, the county shall notify the person of the change before the change takes effect. The county and any participating flood control district or hospital district may also contribute to the fund.

(c) The fund may be used only for the purposes stated in Subsection (a). Employees who are discharged or who end their employment voluntarily have no vested right to contributions made to the fund. The fund shall continue to be used for the benefit of the remaining employees.

(d) Claims shall be paid from the fund in the same manner as provided by law for the payment of other claims of the county or flood control district.

(e) If a plan established under this section is terminated by the commissioners court, the remaining funds shall be transferred to the county and to any participating flood control district in proportion to the total contributions made by them.

Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 630, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.

Amended by:

Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 728 (H.B. 2018), Sec. 11.145, eff. September 1, 2005.

Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 1094 (H.B. 2120), Sec. 26, eff. September 1, 2005.