BILL NUMBER: AB 1606	CHAPTERED  09/04/03

	CHAPTER  271
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  SEPTEMBER 4, 2003
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  SEPTEMBER 3, 2003
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 21, 2003
	PASSED THE SENATE  JULY 21, 2003
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 2, 2003
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 9, 2003

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Shirley Horton

                        FEBRUARY 21, 2003

   An act to add Section 22816.1 to the Government Code, relating to
public employees' health benefits, and declaring the urgency thereof,
to take effect immediately.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1606, Shirley Horton.  Public employees'  health benefits:
military duty.
   The Public Employees' Medical and Hospital Care Act authorizes
specified state employees enrolled in a health benefits plan to
continue their enrollment, and the enrollment of their family
members, in the plan during an approved leave of absence or for up to
one year after being laid off.
   This bill would authorize an employee of a contracting agency and
his or her family members to continue their enrollment in a health
benefits plan for up to one year while the employee is on military
duty.
   The bill would declare that it would take effect immediately as an
urgency statute.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  Section 22816.1 is added to the Government Code, to
read:
   22816.1.  An employee of a contracting agency and his or her
family members may continue enrollment in a health benefits plan
under this part if the employee is granted a leave of absence by the
contracting agency for military duty.  The coverage may continue for
up to one year.
  SEC. 2.  This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the
meaning of Article IV of the Constitution and shall go into immediate
effect.  The facts constituting the necessity are:
   In order to ensure that employees of contracting agencies can
elect to receive continuing health benefits coverage while on active
military duty, including coverage of their family members, and avoid
any disruption of their existing coverage, it is necessary that this
act take effect immediately.