This bill amends Minnesota Statutes to establish a new "Educator group insurance program" aimed at regulating health insurance for school employees. It introduces key definitions such as "school employee," "retired school employee," and "school employee pool," which collectively create a mandatory health insurance pool for eligible school employees. The bill outlines the responsibilities of the commissioner in administering both the public employee insurance program and the new educator program, including the formation of a labor management committee to address insurance-related issues. Additionally, it modifies participation requirements for school employers, mandating that they provide necessary employee information to program administrators and transition employees to the school employee pool by January 1, 2027.

Furthermore, the bill specifies that school districts must contribute 85% of family premiums and 95% of single premiums for the highest value health plan available, with provisions for contributions to high-deductible plans and continuation of employer-paid premiums post-employment. It also introduces financial assistance for school districts to cover additional employer premium costs due to the new requirements and outlines the appropriations necessary for this aid. The bill repeals a previous subdivision that mandated a response timeframe for the public employees insurance program to school district proposals, thereby streamlining health insurance management for schools.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 43A.316