HB1080
To Repeal The Requirement For A Fiscal Impact Statement For Bills Related To Health Benefit Plans; And To Repeal The Bill Filing Deadline For Bills Affecting Health Benefit Plans Of Entities Of The State.
AI-Generated Summary
This bill proposes to repeal two existing requirements within Arkansas law concerning health benefit plans for state entities. First, it seeks to eliminate the mandate for a fiscal impact statement for any proposed legislation that imposes new or increased cost obligations on health benefit plans of state entities. This statement would have previously estimated the financial costs associated with such legislation. Second, the bill aims to remove a specific bill filing deadline for legislation that affects the State and Public School Life and Health Insurance Program and other health benefit plans of state entities. Currently, these bills must be introduced within the first fifteen days of a regular session, with exceptions requiring supermajority votes. The proposed changes would remove these procedural hurdles for legislation concerning state health benefit plans.
Potential Impact Analysis
Who Might Benefit?
The primary beneficiaries of this bill would be state legislators and the entities they represent who wish to introduce or amend legislation impacting state health benefit plans. By removing the requirement for fiscal impact statements, legislators may find it easier and quicker to introduce bills without the immediate burden of quantifying potential costs. Similarly, the removal of the bill filing deadline for such legislation allows for greater flexibility in introducing these types of bills later in a legislative session or even during special sessions, without the need for supermajority approval. This could lead to a broader range of proposed changes to state health benefit plans being considered.
Who Might Suffer?
The groups most directly negatively impacted by this bill would be the public, taxpayers, and potentially the recipients of state health benefit plans. The repeal of the fiscal impact statement requirement means that legislators and the public will have less information about the potential financial consequences of proposed legislation affecting state health benefit plans. This could lead to the passage of bills with unforeseen or significant costs to the state's budget, ultimately borne by taxpayers. Furthermore, without the prior analysis provided by fiscal impact statements, it may be more difficult to assess how changes to these plans could affect the quality or accessibility of healthcare services for employees and other beneficiaries of state health plans.