                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

COVERED INSTITUTIONS; OPERATIONAL AUTHORITY; HUMAN RESOURCES; CERTAIN INSURANCE
PLANS (§ 23.1-1025)

A. Insurance plans provided under this article and all proceeds from such plans
are subject to the same provisions regarding exemption from levy, garnishment,
and other legal process as is provided to Virginia Retirement System plans under
&#xA7; 51.1-510, provided, however, that (i) permitted assignments shall be made
through completion of forms provided by the covered institution or its vendor
and (ii) for insurance plans established by a covered institution, the covered
institution shall exercise the authority granted to the Board of the Virginia
Retirement System in &#xA7; 51.1-510.

B. Each covered institution (i) shall purchase or make available group life and
accidental death and dismemberment insurance plans covering in whole or in part
those of its participating covered employees eligible to participate in the
Virginia Retirement System and (ii) may purchase or make available such
additional insurance plans covering its participating covered employees as it
deems appropriate. Participating covered employees shall not be required to
present evidence of insurability satisfactory to an insurance company for basic
group life insurance coverage. Each covered institution shall offer all salaried
participating covered employees basic group life insurance at a level of
coverage determined by the institution&#8217;s governing board. A covered
institution may require participating covered employees to pay all or a portion
of the cost of the insurance coverage offered pursuant to this subsection, which
may be collected through a payroll deduction program. If the institution&#8217;s
governing board so elects, and subject to the execution of such participation
agreements as the Virginia Retirement System may require, the covered
institution&#8217;s participating covered employees may be covered by the
Virginia Retirement System&#8217;s group insurance programs established pursuant
to Chapter 5 (&#xA7; 51.1-500 et seq.) of Title 51.1 with the same terms, costs,
conditions, and benefits as other state employees.

C. For those of its participating covered employees eligible to participate in
the Virginia Retirement System, a covered institution shall (i) purchase
disability insurance; (ii) subject to the execution of such participation
agreements as may be necessary, appropriate, and in the best interests of the
Commonwealth, continue to participate in the disability insurance program
established for state agencies; (iii) establish a self-insured disability
insurance program; or (iv) perform any combination of clauses (i), (ii), and
(iii). A covered institution may require participating covered employees to pay
all or a portion of the cost of the insurance coverage offered pursuant to
clause (i), (iii), or (iv), which may be collected through a payroll deduction
program. However, no such covered institution shall be required to contribute to
the program established for state agencies on behalf of participating covered
employees who do not participate in that program.

D. If a covered institution&#8217;s governing board so elects, and subject to
the execution of such participation agreements as may be necessary, appropriate,
and in the best interests of the Commonwealth, each such institution or its
participating covered employees, or both, may participate in any future
insurance programs established for state employees with the same terms,
conditions, and benefits as other state employees.

HISTORY: 2005, cc. 933, 945, § 23-38.119; 2016, c. 588.