Texas House Passes Bill That Resolves Dispute Over Community College Health Insurance Costs

The Texas House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill that would end the dispute over
the state’s share of community college health insurance costs. As amended, the bill would link any increases in the state share of these costs to student enrollment growth or decline. The bill will now move to the Senate for deliberation.

The bill, HB 2083, was authored by Representative Burt Solomons and more than 80 co-authors. It includes an amendment offered by Solomons that incorporates a compromise with Governor Rick Perry on proportionality, which is the share of community college health care costs that the state pays.

“The Alamo Colleges, along with our fellow community colleges and the Texas Association of Community Colleges, had made it a priority for the legislature to codify its historical commitment of funding community college group healthcare insurance based on employee eligibility,” said Alamo Colleges’ Chancellor Dr. Bruce H. Leslie. “We are gratified that an agreement has been reached on this issue that will benefit our employees and therefore help us to continue to offer quality education to our students,” he added.

“Community colleges are thankful for the leadership of Governor Perry and Representative Solomons on this critical issue,” said Dr. Millicent Valek, Chair of the Texas Association of Community Colleges and President of Brazosport College. Dr. Valek continued, “The Governor brought this issue to the attention of the Legislature and after careful deliberation an agreement has been reached on the matter. We are pleased that this compromise agreement will take effect in both the Appropriations bill (SB 1) and also in HB 2083 so that colleges and future Legislatures will have a statutory reference for addressing the issue of community college health insurance benefits.”

At the Alamo Colleges, high quality education and low costs provide exceptional value to students and alumni who are major contributors to the economy and culture of our community.  For more information, visit our website at www.alamo.edu.