§5-16-4. Public Employees Insurance Agency Finance Board.

(a) The Public Employees Insurance Agency Finance Board is continued and consists of the Secretary of the Department of Administration or his or her designee, as a voting member, and 10 members appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, for terms of four years and each may serve until his or her successor is appointed and qualified. Members may be reappointed for successive terms. No more than six members, including the Secretary of the Department of Administration, may be of the same political party. Members of the board shall satisfy the qualification requirements provided for by subsection (b) of this section. The Governor shall make appointments necessary to satisfy the requirements of subsection (b) of this section to staggered terms as determined by the Governor.

(b) (1) Of the 10 members appointed by the Governor with advice and consent of the Senate:

(A) One member shall represent the interests of education employees. The member shall hold a bachelor’s degree, shall have obtained teacher certification, shall be employed as a teacher for a period of at least three years prior to his or her appointment, and shall remain a teacher for the duration of his or her appointment to remain eligible to serve on the board.

(B) One member shall represent the interests of public employees. The member shall be employed to perform full- or part-time service for wages, salary, or remuneration for a public body for a period of at least three years prior to his or her appointment and shall remain an employee of a public body for the duration of his or her appointment to remain eligible to serve on the board.

(C) One member shall represent the interests of retired employees. The member shall meet the definition of retired employee as provided in §5-16-2 of this code.

(D) One member shall represent the interests of a participating political subdivision. The member shall have been employed by a political subdivision for a period of at least three years prior to his or her appointment and shall remain an employee of a political subdivision for the duration of his or her appointment to remain eligible to serve on the board. The member may not be an elected official.

(E) One member shall represent the interests of hospitals. The member shall have been employed by a hospital for a period of at least three years prior to his or her appointment and shall remain an employee of a hospital for the duration of his or her appointment to remain eligible to serve on the board.

(F) One member shall represent the interests of non-hospital health care providers. The member shall have owned his or her non-hospital health care provider business for a period of at least three years prior to his or her appointment and shall maintain ownership of his or her non-hospital health care provider business for the duration of his or her appointment to remain eligible to serve on the board.

(G) Four members shall be selected from the public at large, meeting the following requirements:

(i) One member selected from the public at large shall generally have knowledge and expertise relating to the financing, development, or management of employee benefit programs;

(ii) One member selected from the public at large shall have at least three years of experience in the insurance benefits business;

(iii) One member selected from the public at large shall be a certified public accountant with at least three years of experience with financial management and employee benefits program experience; and

(iv) One member selected from the public at large shall be a health care actuary or certified public accountant with at least three years of financial experience with the health care marketplace.

(2) No member of the board may be a registered lobbyist.

(3) All appointments shall be selected to represent the different geographical areas within the state and all members shall be residents of West Virginia. No member may be removed from office by the Governor except for official misconduct, incompetence, neglect of duty, neglect of fiduciary duty, or other specific responsibility imposed by this article or gross immorality.

(4) All members of the board shall have a fiduciary responsibility to protect plan assets for the benefit of plan participants.

(5) Beginning July 1, 2023, and every year thereafter, all board members shall complete fiduciary training and timely complete any conflict-of-interest forms required to serve as a fiduciary.

(c) The Secretary of the Department of Administration shall serve as chair of the finance board, which shall meet at times and places specified by the call of the chair or upon the written request to the chair by at least two members. The Director of the Public Employees Insurance Agency shall serve as staff to the board. Notice of each meeting shall be given in writing to each member by the director at least three days in advance of the meeting. Six members shall constitute a quorum. The board shall pay each member the same compensation and expense reimbursement that is paid to members of the Legislature for their interim duties for each day or portion of a day engaged in the discharge of official duties.

(d) Upon termination of the board and notwithstanding any provisions of this article to the contrary, the director is authorized to assess monthly employee premium contributions and to change the types and levels of costs to employees only in accordance with this subsection. Any assessments or changes in costs imposed pursuant to this subsection shall be implemented by legislative rule proposed by the director for promulgation pursuant to §29A-3-1 et seq. of this code. Any employee assessments or costs previously authorized by the finance board shall then remain in effect until amended by rule of the director promulgated pursuant to this subsection.