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Tuesday, January 17, 2006

Ind. Law - Speaker may make major changes to lawmaker health benefits

"Speaker to make major changes to lawmaker health benefits" is the headline to an AP story by Mike Smith available at the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel website. Some quotes:

Republican House Speaker Brian Bosma said Tuesday he would soon make significant changes to the health care benefits for legislators, who now receive lifetime coverage if they have served a day more than six years. * * *

In 2002, Senate President Pro Tem Robert Garton, R-Columbus, and then-Democratic Speaker John Gregg added a benefit for lawmakers who had served at least six years and a day that allowed them to lock in their taxpayer-funded health care plan for life. The move also allowed lawmakers and their spouses to lock in monthly premiums at the current level when the lawmaker retired, meaning premiums would not rise even if health insurance costs did.

Members of the General Assembly over recent years have passed legislation making them employees of the speaker and pro tem. Bosma said he had clear authority to change the benefits for House members and had been considering a number of revisions. They would affect House members who serve on Nov. 8 and later, he said.

Under the Indiana Constitution, "Senators shall be elected for the term of four years, and Representatives for the term of two years, from the day next after their general election." Election day this year is Nov. 7, 2006.

That means, as I read it, that any current House members (only the House is suggesting that it will make any change to the plan) who are in their 4th term (i.e. "they have served a day more than six years") who retire or are defeated this year will retain the current expansive coverage, as will those already receiving the benefits.

More from the story:

The prospect of change sparked contention in the House, where both parties interrupted business Tuesday to discuss the issue privately.

Republicans control the House 52-48. Some Republicans have made the benefit an issue in past campaigns against Democrats.

Republican Billy Bright of North Vernon, who defeated long-term Democratic incumbent Markt Lytle of Madison in 2004, has called for the benefit to be rescinded, as has freshman Rep. Troy Woodruff, R-Vincennes. Woodruff, who defeated Democrat John Frenz in the last election, has filed a bill this session to eliminate the lifetime benefit.

For earlier related ILB entries, select "Legislative Benefits" from the list of categories in the right column.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on January 17, 2006 07:35 PM
Posted to Indiana Law | Legislative Benefits