It is hereby declared that the purpose of Section 1361 et seq. of this title is:

1. To recognize that the employee benefit needs of individual state employees differ, depending on the age, salary and family status of the employee, and that it is needful to permit participating employees to select and tailor the benefits they receive in a manner calculated to best meet the particular needs of themselves and their families;

2. To furnish state employees with choices among various employee benefits or cash compensation;

3. To provide state employees and their dependents with basic group health insurance, basic group term life insurance, and basic long-term disability insurance;

4. To provide state employees and their dependents with optional employee benefits, to include, but not be limited to, enhanced health insurance coverage, health maintenance organization services, life insurance, dental insurance and enhanced long-term disability insurance;

5. To provide state employees with reimbursement for qualifying dependent care expenses for which a dependent care tax credit is not taken, reimbursement for qualifying health care expenses not reimbursed by any other insurance plan or taken as a tax deduction, additional benefits which are currently taxable, additional benefits which are not currently taxable, and cash compensation;

6. To provide state employees with tax sheltered income deferment plans;

7. To provide uniform benefit options for all state employees regardless of their place of residence within this state;

8. To manage the provision of health care benefits in a manner that allows for the long term control of costs;

9. To provide for the coordination and design, in accordance with applicable law, of all employee benefits offered to state employees so as to increase the efficient delivery and effectiveness of those benefits;

10. To enable the state to attract and retain qualified employees by providing employee benefits which are competitive with those provided private industry;

11. To offer uniformity in those benefits that are offered to both state employees and those eligible for participation in the State and Education Employees Group Insurance Act, Section 1301 et seq. of this title;

12. To recognize and protect the state's investment in each employee by promoting and preserving good health and longevity among state employees;

13. To recognize the service to the state by elected and appointed officials by extending to them the same benefits as are provided under the flexible benefits program to state employees; and

14. To recognize long and faithful service, and to encourage employees to remain in state service until eligible for retirement by providing employee benefits.

Added by Laws 1992, c. 400, § 2, eff. July 1, 1992. Amended by Laws 1993, c. 359, § 8, eff. July 1, 1993; Laws 1997, c. 48, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 1997.