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• Introduced by Rep. Joel Johnson (R) on April 21, 2011, to prohibit the state, local governments and public schools from providing employee health insurance benefits whose premiums cost more that $5,000 for a single person, $10,000 for a couple and $13,000 for a family plan, indexed to the consumer price index. The cap would not become effective until existing government employee union contracts requiring more costly coverage have expired.
  • Referred to the House Oversight, Reform, and Ethics Committee on April 21, 2011.
    • Reported in the House on June 22, 2011, with the recommendation that the substitute (H-7) be adopted and that the bill then pass.
  • Substitute offered in the House on June 23, 2011, to replace the previous version of the bill with one that has higher caps, looser cost indexing, and other detail changes. The substitute passed by voice vote in the House on June 23, 2011.
  • Amendment offered by Rep. David Nathan (D) on June 23, 2011, to exclude from the cap government commissions or authorities whose money comes from a source other than the state or a local government. The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on June 23, 2011.
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on June 23, 2011, to use reductions in the government reform "incentive payments" authorized by the 2012 state budget as the sanction for local governments that break the cap, rather than statutory revenue sharing payment reductions. The amendment passed by voice vote in the House on June 23, 2011.
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Holly Hughes (R) on June 23, 2011, to increase the maximum benefit cost caps for singles and couples. The amendment passed by voice vote in the House on June 23, 2011.
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Lisa Brown (D) on June 23, 2011, to allow government employers to vote to opt out of the cap, and eliminate the sanctions for ones who violate it. The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on June 23, 2011.
• Passed 58 to 51 in the House on June 23, 2011, to prohibit the state, local governments, public schools, colleges and universities from providing employee health insurance benefits whose premiums cost more that $5,500 for a single person, $11,000 for a couple and $15,000 for a family plan, indexed to the medical price index. The cap would not become effective until existing government employee union contracts requiring more costly coverage have expired. Government employers who break the cap would get less state money.
  Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
• Received in the Senate on June 28, 2011.
  • Referred to the Senate Reforms, Restructuring and Reinventing Committee on June 28, 2011.