Volunteer first responder health insurance-revisions.

25LSO-0592

ORIGINAL House

ENGROSSED
Bill No
.
HB0136

ENROLLED ACT NO. 63,

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SIXTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2025 General Session

AN ACT relating to compensation and benefits; excluding the Affordable Care Act from government sponsored health care programs that would disqualify a volunteer first responder from participating in the state employees' and officials' group insurance plan; authorizing first responder departments to contribute to first responder group insurance premiums; requiring voluntary first responders to provide proof of their volunteer status on an annual basis; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1
.

W.S. 9
‑
3
‑
220(a)(ii), (b) and (c) is amended to read:

9
‑
3
‑
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
‑
3
‑
203(a)(v) and implemented under W.S. 9
‑
3
‑
202 through 9
‑
3
‑
219. These volunteers are eligible to enroll in the group insurance plan within the first thirty
‑
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
‑
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:

(ii)

Is not eligible for health insurance coverage under a government sponsored health care program
excluding the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, P.L. 111
‑
148, marketplace exchange
; and

(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
be responsible for submitting their monthly
premiums
in their entirety and shall not benefit from
to the department. An
employer
,

contributions to cover a portion of the cost of their premiums. Volunteers shall submit their monthly premiums to the
fire
department
, emergency medical service department or search and rescue department may elect to contribute a portion of the cost of a volunteer's premium
. 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
annual
verification of their continued volunteer status to the department. The verification shall be reviewed and signed by their supervisor.

Section 2
.

This act is 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 House.

Chief Clerk

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