§36-29-14.1. Election by soil and water conservation districts to receive coverage for officers and employees.

(a) The governing body of any county soil and water conservation district may, by resolution legally adopted to conform to rules prescribed by the State Employees' Insurance Board, elect to have its officers and employees who are full-time employees working at least a 40-hour work week and its retiring employees who worked full time at least a 40-hour work week during their active employment become eligible to participate in the State Employees' Health Insurance Plan. The term "officers" and "employees" as used in this section shall include those persons appointed or employed by the individual officers and performing their duties in public offices, but shall not include members of soil and water conservation district boards, known as district supervisors who are expressly prohibited from participating in said health insurance plan.

(b) Each employee who is covered by the State Employees' Health Insurance Plan pursuant to this section shall be entitled to the coverage and benefits as though he were a state employee.

(c) The cost of the insurance coverage for the employee shall be paid by the employer; however, each employee who chooses to have dependent coverage shall agree to pay the cost of coverage for his dependents. The chief fiscal officer of each employer shall pay to the State Employees' Insurance Board to the credit of the State Employees' Insurance Fund the amount of premiums paid by the employer and the employees.

(d) The agreement of any employer to have its officers and employees and its retiring employees to be covered under the State Employees' Health Insurance Plan shall be irrevocable except it can be terminated by the employer, by resolution of the governing body, signifying its intention and desire to withdraw from such plan in writing and delivering a copy of such resolution to the State Employees' Insurance Board; provided, however, any officer or employee who becomes covered under such plan shall be entitled to a minimum of five consecutive years of coverage.

(e) The State Employees' Insurance Board shall promulgate such rules and regulations as may be required for the effective administration of the provisions of this article.

(Acts 1991, No. 91-565, p. 1045, §§ 1-5.)