Text of UT SB 299 (2008)

2nd Sub. S.B. 299 LEGISLATIVE GENERAL COUNSEL 6 Approved for Filing: R.H. Rees 6 6 03-04-08 2:10 PM 6 S.B. 299 2nd Sub. (Salmon) *SB0299S02* Representative Michael E. Noel proposes the following substitute bill: 1 REVISION TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT 2 2008 GENERAL SESSION 3 STATE OF UTAH 4 Chief Sponsor: Gregory S. Bell 5 House Sponsor: ____________ 6 7 LONG TITLE 8 General Description: 9 This bill enacts provisions relating to county and municipal authority. 10 Highlighted Provisions: 11 This bill: 12 < enacts provisions authorizing counties and municipalities to enact an ordinance 13 making health care benefits generally available to employees and their dependents, 14 including a financially dependent adult designee of an employee; 15 < prohibits an ordinance making health care benefits available to employees from 16 creating, modifying, or affecting a spousal, marital, or parental status, duty, or right; 17 < prohibits counties and municipalities from: 18 C creating or maintaining a registry or other means that defines, identifies, or 19 recognizes and gives legal status or effect to a domestic partnership, civil union, 20 or other domestic relationship other than marriage; and 21 C using any other method, means, or action to identify or designate an eligible 22 adult dependent of an employee; and 23 < makes void any ordinance, executive order, rule, regulation, or other action that is 24 inconsistent with this bill. 25 Monies Appropriated in this Bill: 2nd Sub. (Salmon) S.B. 299 03-04-08 2:10 PM 26 None 27 Other Special Clauses: 28 None 29 Utah Code Sections Affected: 30 ENACTS: 31 10-8-1.5, Utah Code Annotated 1953 32 17-50-324, Utah Code Annotated 1953 33 34 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah: 35 Section 1. Section 10-8-1.5 is enacted to read: 36 10-8-1.5. Authority to make health care benefits generally available to employees 37 and their dependents -- Financially dependent adult designees. 38 (1) A municipality may, by ordinance enacted by the municipal legislative body, make 39 health care benefits generally available to all municipal employees and their dependents, 40 including an employee's financially dependent adult designee if the health care benefits are not 41 otherwise available to the designee. 42 (2) The verification of financial dependency sufficient to qualify an adult designee for 43 health care benefits and the recognition of the financially dependent adult designee as eligible 44 for health care benefits are not and may not be treated the same as or substantially equivalent to 45 marriage. 46 (3) An ordinance under Subsection (1) making health care benefits available to a 47 financially dependent adult designee of a municipal employee may not create, modify, or affect 48 a spousal, marital, or parental status, duty, or right. 49 (4) Except as provided in this section, a municipality may not use any other method, 50 means, or action to identify or designate an eligible adult dependent of an employee. 51 (5) A municipality may not create or maintain a registry or other means that defines, 52 identifies, or recognizes and gives legal status or effect to a domestic partnership, civil union, 53 or other domestic relationship other than marriage. 54 (6) An ordinance, executive order, rule, or regulation adopted or other action taken 55 before or after the effective date of this section that is inconsistent with this section is void. 56 (7) A municipality may share information concerning an employee's designation of a - 2 - 03-04-08 2:10 PM 2nd Sub. (Salmon) S.B. 299 57 financially dependent adult with the designee's: 58 (a) private health care insurer; or 59 (b) employer. 60 Section 2. Section 17-50-324 is enacted to read: 61 17-50-324. Authority to make health care benefits generally available to 62 employees and their dependents -- Financially dependent adult designees. 63 (1) A county may, by ordinance enacted by the county legislative body, make health 64 care benefits generally available to all county employees and their dependents, including an 65 employee's financially dependent adult designee if the health care benefits are not otherwise 66 available to the designee. 67 (2) The verification of financial dependency sufficient to qualify an adult designee for 68 health care benefits and the recognition of the financially dependent adult designee as eligible 69 for health care benefits are not and may not be treated the same as or substantially equivalent to 70 marriage. 71 (3) An ordinance under Subsection (1) making health care benefits available to a 72 financially dependent adult designee of a county employee may not create, modify, or affect a 73 spousal, marital, or parental status, duty, or right. 74 (4) Except as provided in this section, a county may not use any other method, means, 75 or action to identify or designate an eligible adult dependent of an employee. 76 (5) A county may not create or maintain a registry or other means that defines, 77 identifies, or recognizes and gives legal status or effect to a domestic partnership, civil union, 78 or other domestic relationship other than marriage. 79 (6) An ordinance, executive order, rule, or regulation adopted or other action taken 80 before or after the effective date of this section that is inconsistent with this section is void. 81 (7) A county may share information concerning an employee's designation of a 82 financially dependent adult with the designee's: 83 (a) private health care insurer; or 84 (b) employer. - 3 -