Legislation which would prohibit elected and appointed public officials from collecting health care benefits from more than one publicly financed health insurance plan cleared the Senate State Government Committee unanimously today. The committee agreed to amend the bill to make it more comprehensive and to prohibit a public entity from paying individuals for not taking health benefits. Senator Beck is a member of the Senate State Government Committee.
“Allowing state elected or appointed officials to collect multiple sets of state health benefits is an insult to private sector employees struggling to make ends meet,” Beck stated. “Although its adoption is long overdue, this legislation will end most instances of this reckless practice and is a first step towards better regulating state health benefits.”
The bill, A-1405/1433 ACS, sponsored in the General Assembly by Declan O’Scanlon, is identical to legislation originally sponsored by then Assemblywoman Beck in June 2006, which she tried to get through the General Assembly. The legislation applies to all elected or appointed officials on a governing or advisory body of a State independent authority, board, commission, agency or instrumentality. Current law only prohibits members of the General Assembly or the State Senate from receiving health benefits coverage from more than one public health insurance plan.
“This common-sense legislation is a good first step that will eliminate a loophole that some public officials have exploited, albeit legally, for many years,” Beck continued. “Unfortunately, this law contains no enforcement mechanism; it is self enforcing in some instances. More ethics reform legislation needs to be adopted. New Jersey must implement a total ban on dual office holding as well as a forfeiture of pension benefits for corrupt public officials before the end of the session. It is the only way for government to regain the trust of the people.”
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February 9, 2010
