1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to retirement; providing continued insurance 
  1.3             coverage for spouses of certain retirees. 
  1.4   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.5      Section 1.  [SPOUSE INSURANCE COVERAGE.] 
  1.6      (a) If the spouse of a retired employee who received 
  1.7   employer-paid hospital, medical, and dental benefits under Laws 
  1.8   1993, chapter 224, article 8, section 18, was covered as a 
  1.9   dependent of the retired employee when the employee retired, the 
  1.10  spouse may continue coverage under the retired employee's group 
  1.11  until the latter of the time the spouse or the retired employee 
  1.12  attains the age of 65.  The spouse must pay for coverage after 
  1.13  the retired employee attains the age of 65.  Eligibility is 
  1.14  subject to changes in coverage and payment amounts that apply to 
  1.15  employees in positions from which the retired employee retired.  
  1.16  This section does not apply if the retired employee terminated 
  1.17  coverage because the employee became eligible for employer-paid 
  1.18  health insurance from a new employer. 
  1.19     (b) A spouse whose coverage had been discontinued before 
  1.20  the effective date of this section because the retired employee 
  1.21  attained the age of 65 may receive coverage for which the spouse 
  1.22  becomes eligible under paragraph (a) only if the spouse notifies 
  1.23  the former employer within 180 days of the effective date of 
  1.24  this act. 
  2.1      Sec. 2.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  2.2      Section 1 is effective the day following final enactment.  
  2.3   In addition to application to a spouse of a retired employee 
  2.4   when the retired employee attains the age of 65 after the 
  2.5   effective date, the section also applies to a spouse who was 
  2.6   terminated from coverage before the effective date because the 
  2.7   retired employee attained the age of 65.