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24LSO-0024
ORIGINAL Senate
File No
.
SF0008
ENROLLED ACT NO. 33,
SENATE
SIXTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2024 Budget Session
AN ACT relating to compensation and benefits; authorizing volunteer firefighters, volunteer emergency medical technicians and volunteer search and rescue persons to participate in the state employees' and officials' group insurance plan as specified; making conforming amendments; requiring rulemaking; and providing for effective dates.
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:
Section 1.
W.S. 9
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3
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220 is created to read:
9
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3
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220.
Volunteer firefighters, volunteer emergency medical technicians and volunteer search and rescue persons participation in the state employees' and officials' group insurance plan; requirements.
(a)
Volunteer firefighters, emergency medical technicians and volunteer search and rescue persons may elect to participate in the state employees' and officials' group insurance plan as defined by W.S. 9
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3
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203(a)(v) and implemented under W.S. 9
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202 through 9
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219. These volunteers are eligible to enroll in the group insurance plan within the first thirty
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one (31) days of the enactment of this section or after initially volunteering for ninety (90) days. After the ninety (90) day period is over, the volunteer shall have thirty
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one (31) days to enroll in the group insurance plan. Eligible volunteers who elect not to become enrolled within the time prescribed in this subsection may be enrolled at a later date upon conditions the department may impose. Continued participation in the program is limited to a volunteer who:
(i)
May or may not receive compensation for services rendered as a volunteer firefighter, volunteer emergency medical technician or volunteer search and rescue person and who:
(A)
Is carried on the regular rolls of a volunteer fire department as defined by W.S. 35
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9
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616(a)(ix), meets the definition of a volunteer emergency medical technician as defined by W.S. 35
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9
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616(a)(viii) or meets the definition of a volunteer search and rescue person as defined by W.S. 35
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9
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616(a)(xiii);
(B)
During the course of one (1) year, attends not less than fifty percent (50%) of the monthly volunteer meetings if the person is a volunteer firefighter; and
(C)
During the course of one (1) year, responds to not less than twenty
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five percent (25%) of calls for services.
(ii)
Is not eligible for health insurance coverage under a government sponsored health care program; and
(iii)
Resides in the state.
(b)
Volunteer firefighters, volunteer emergency medical technicians and volunteer search and rescue persons participating in the state employees' and officials' group insurance plan shall pay their group insurance premiums in their entirety and shall not benefit from employer contributions to cover a portion of the cost of their premiums. Volunteers shall submit their monthly premiums to the department. The procedure for submittal of premiums shall be established by the department.
(c)
Volunteer firefighters, volunteer emergency medical technicians and
volunteer search and rescue persons participating in the state employees' and officials' group insurance plan shall submit monthly verification of their continued volunteer status to the department. The verification shall be reviewed and signed by their supervisor.
Section 2.
W.S. 9
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203(a)(iv) and (xvii), 9
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207(b), 9
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210(a) and 9
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211(a) are amended to read:
9
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3
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203.
Definitions.
(a)
As used in this act:
(iv)
"Employee" means any employee of a participating school district or participating board of cooperative educational services whose salary is paid by funds of the district or board,
a volunteer firefighter, volunteer emergency medical technician or a volunteer search and rescue person as provided by W.S. 9
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220
or any official or employee of the state of Wyoming whose salary is paid by state funds, including employees and faculty members of the University of Wyoming and various community colleges in the state, except persons employed on intermittent, irregular, or less than halftime basis and any at
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will contract employee who does not meet the requirements established under W.S. 9
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3207(a)(xi)(F)(III) or (IV). "Employee" shall not include employees of the agricultural extension service of the University of Wyoming who hold federal civil service appointments, are required to participate in federal civil service retirement and who elect to participate in the federal employees' health benefit program as authorized in W.S. 9
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210(d);
(xvii)
"This act" means W.S. 9
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202 through
9
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219
9
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220
.
9
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3
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207.
Eligibility for membership in plan; state employees; thirty-one (31) day period to elect enrollment; new employees; later enrollment.
(b)
An eligible employee who enters state service
, enters service as a volunteer firefighter, volunteer emergency medical technician or volunteer search and rescue person
or
enters
service of a voluntary participating employer has thirty
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one (31) days from the initial date of employment
or ninety (90) days from the initial date of becoming a volunteer firefighter, volunteer emergency medical technician or volunteer search and rescue person as provided by W.S. 9
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to elect to be enrolled or not be enrolled in the group insurance plan.
A person who enters service as a volunteer firefighter, volunteer emergency medical technician or volunteer search and rescue person shall volunteer for ninety (90) days before becoming eligible for coverage under the group insurance plan. After the ninety (90) day period is over, a volunteer shall have thirty
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one (31) days to elect to be enrolled or not be enrolled in the group insurance plan.
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210.
Amount of state's contribution; estimates submitted to state budget officer; specified employees participation in federal program; participating employers contributions.
(a)
Except for voluntary participating employers,
volunteer firefighters, volunteer emergency medical technicians and volunteer search and rescue persons under W.S. 9
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220,
the state shall contribute monthly the amount established and appropriated by the legislature for each employee and official enrolled in the plan in accordance with subsections (b) and (c) of this section.
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211.
Deductions from salaries of monthly contributions by employees and officials; establishment of procedure.
(a)
The amount of monthly contribution to be made by eligible employees and officials
, excluding volunteer firefighters, volunteer emergency medical technicians and volunteer search and rescue persons under W.S. 9
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220,
enrolled in the group insurance plan for themselves and their dependents shall be deducted from the monthly salaries of the employees and officials by the various agencies or voluntary participating employers and remitted to the department. The procedure for deductions and remittances shall be established by the department. If a flexible benefits plan is chosen, the employees' and officials' contribution shall be applied to the chosen benefits in an amount determined by the employee or official.
Section 3
.
The department of administration and information shall promulgate all rules necessary to implement this act.
Section 4.
(a)
Except as otherwise provided by subsection (b) of this section, this act is effective July 1, 2024.
(b)
Sections 3 and 4 of this act are effective immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution.
(END)
Speaker of the House
President of the Senate
Governor
TIME APPROVED: _________
DATE APPROVED: _________
I hereby certify that this act originated in the Senate.
Chief Clerk
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