This year’s General Appropriations Act, which sets the benefits for State of Florida employees, made some important changes to state employee health and life insurance benefits which will become effective July 1, 2010. The Department of Management Services (Department), specifically the Division of State Group Insurance (DSGI) within the Department, must immediately amend Rule 60P-6.0075, F.A.C., to account for these changes in benefits. With this emergency rule amendment to immediate reflect this sessions legislative changes, the regular rule promulgation procedure, rather than the emergency-rule process, will be undertaken to memorialize this delegation. Without this rule emergency rule, until the Department is able to adopt their new rules following the regular rule promulgation procedure, the actions of DSGI would be open to litigation and rule challenges from the public. Rules which reflect such a drastic change in legislation are critical to ensure the proper functioning of DSGI in handling health insurance claims for all employees Florida State government and their dependents. Absent this emergency rule, which would only “bridge the gap” until the new rules can be adopted through the regular rule promulgation procedure, a lapse in the DSGI’s ability to administer these critical functions would result. If DSGI is unable serve these functions, the safety and welfare of the public that has state group health insurance is put at risk. This emergency rule allows the Department’s seamless transition from the old rule to the new. With the filing of this emergency rule, a mirror, non-emergency rule is simultaneously being noticed for promulgation. The non-emergency version of this rule will offer all of the protections required by Chapter 120, F.S. This emergency rule version will only be effective for 90 days or until the permanent rule is promulgated, whichever occurs first.