Part-Time Community College Faculty Health Insurance Program.

The bill text was reformatted from a printed legislative document (with line numbers, page headers like '96' and 'AB 1171', and column layout) into a web-based display format with site navigation elements (home, accessibility, FAQ, search, etc.).

The digest key section changed from 'State-mandated local program: yes no' to 'Local Program: YESNO', which appears to be a display artifact on the web version showing both options rather than a substantive change.

Section 87482.2 is entirely removed. This section would have required that a part-time faculty member whose total teaching assignments at two or more community college districts equals or exceeds a full-time teaching assignment be provided the same benefits as a full-time faculty member.

Section 87866 no longer applies only to districts 'that establishes a program pursuant to this article.' The new version applies to all community college district governing boards, removing the conditional language.

Section 87867(a) changes the state apportionment from 'up to one-half of the total cost of the individual premiums required to be paid for health insurance coverage' to 'the total cost of the reimbursements for part-time faculty and multidistrict part-time faculty as determined by Sections 87864 and 87865.' This shifts state funding from a 50% cap on premiums to covering the full reimbursement amount.

The bill's appropriation status changes from 'Appropriation: no' and 'Fiscal committee: no' to 'Appropriation: yes' and 'Fiscal committee: yes,' reflecting that the bill now carries an annual $200 million General Fund appropriation.

Section 87867(b) is removed entirely. This subdivision required districts to meet four criteria to receive additional funds: offering coverage to all eligible part-time faculty, providing the same benefits as full-time faculty, limiting individual premiums to no more than what full-time faculty pay, and offering coverage to multidistrict part-time faculty.

Section 87866 is simplified. The requirement that governing boards 'negotiate with the exclusive representative as to the payment of the portion of the health insurance premium that is not funded by the state' is removed. The section now only requires districts to send verification of participant numbers to the Chancellor by June 1.

The program is recharacterized from a 'state incentive program to encourage districts to offer health insurance' to a 'state-mandated and state-funded' program, fundamentally changing its legal nature from voluntary to compulsory.

A new $200 million annual appropriation from the General Fund is added (Section 87868), on or before June 30 of each fiscal year, to augment existing funds for part-time faculty health insurance. The bill now requires fiscal committee approval and is designated a state-mandated local program.

The Chancellor's annual apportionment is changed from 'up to one-half of the total cost of individual premiums' to 'the total cost of reimbursements for part-time faculty and multidistrict part-time faculty.' A new second tier of funding is added for districts that meet four criteria: offering coverage to all eligible part-time faculty, providing the same benefits as full-time faculty, capping individual premiums at no more than the full-time premium, and offering coverage to all eligible multidistrict faculty.

Part-time faculty (not just multidistrict part-time faculty) are now explicitly eligible to participate in the program. A new definition of 'part-time faculty' is added, covering anyone whose teaching assignment equals or exceeds 40% of a minimum full-time teaching assignment.

The threshold for 'multidistrict part-time faculty' is lowered from those whose total assignments at two or more districts equal or exceed a full-time teaching assignment (100%) to those whose total assignments equal or exceed 40% of a minimum full-time teaching assignment.

A new Section 87864 allows part-time faculty who individually purchase health insurance benefits to participate in the program and receive reimbursement from their district. The reimbursement rate is the lesser of 50% of the total premium paid for 12 months of coverage or the district's proportionate share of its most commonly subscribed family coverage plan.

The previous exclusion of faculty whose health insurance premiums are paid by an employer other than a community college district is removed (old Section 87863/87864), meaning such faculty may now be eligible.

Districts that establish a program must now both negotiate with the exclusive representative about the non-state-funded portion of premiums AND send verification of participant numbers to the Chancellor by June 1 of each year (previously only negotiation was required).

A state mandate reimbursement provision is added, requiring that if the Commission on State Mandates determines the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement shall be made to local agencies and school districts pursuant to Government Code Part 7.