Projo Politics Blog

While some bills are introduced with great fanfare — never to be seen or heard again — Sen. Amy Rice, D-Portsmouth, has formally asked for a hearing on her bid for a public referendum on making lawmakers pay 10 percent of the cost of the health-insurance packages they now get for free.

At Political Scene’s request, House spokesman Berman unearthed the March 7 request she filed, in writing, for a hearing on her bill (H5836) by the committee to which it was assigned: House Finance.

Berman said the committee, chaired by Rep. Steven Costantino, D-Providence, has been busy with almost daily budget hearings for the last two months, and is now turning its attention to the backlog of bills in its file cabinets.

“Chairman Costantino said he will definitely schedule it for a hearing in the coming weeks, although no date has been determined yet. I will keep you posted,” Berman said. “It will be scheduled shortly.”

Where it goes from there is anyone’s guess.

At issue are benefits that cost the state’s taxpayers $5,131.68 annually for an individual UnitedHealthcare plan, $14,385.72 for family coverage, for a state lawmaker. Delta Dental costs an additional $306 (individual) to $856.92 (family), and a Vision Service Plan (VSP) $76.20 (individual) to $161.76 (family).

Together, these benefits represent $1.39 million of the General Assembly’s $36.6-million budget this year.

Of the 75 members of the House, 47 receive family benefits, 10 have individual plans, and 18 have waived coverage. Of the 38 Senate members, 28 receive family benefits, 4 have individual plans, and 6 have waived coverage. In return for waiving the free UnitedHealthcare coverage, the lawmakers get a $2,002 waiver bonus while keeping their free dental and vision benefits.

Sen. Paul Fogarty, D-Glocester, has filed a proposal for a matching 10-percent contribution proposal, but it, too, is currently languishing in a committee. Senate staff were unable to confirm late last week whether he, too, had filed a request for a hearing.

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