Senate Bill No. 223 aims to make permanent two health care subsidy programs for paraeducators, which were set to expire on June 30, 2025. The bill expands eligibility to include paraeducators employed in charter schools, thereby broadening the scope of the program. The first program provides subsidies to paraeducators who either open a health savings account or are Medicare-eligible and enroll in a high deductible health plan. The subsidy amount is determined by the Comptroller and is based on a percentage of the deductible for the paraeducator's health plan, minus any employer contributions to health savings or reimbursement accounts. The second program offers subsidies to local or regional boards of education that provide health coverage to paraeducators, covering up to 10% of the aggregate premium costs, which must be used to offset the paraeducators' share of the premium.

The bill also includes several key changes to existing law. It replaces the fiscal years ending June 30, 2024, and June 30, 2025, with June 30, 2027, and each fiscal year thereafter, thereby extending the program's duration. Additionally, it modifies the language regarding the employment of paraeducators, changing it from being employed by a local or regional board of education to being employed in a public school. The bill eliminates an obsolete provision related to a memorandum of understanding between the Comptroller and the Commissioner of Education regarding the use of appropriated funds for paraeducators. The effective date for these changes is set for July 1, 2026.