AMOUNT OF STATE CONTRIBUTION FOR CERTAIN JUNIOR COLLEGE EMPLOYEES.

(a) In computing the amount to be certified under Section 1551.311, for participants who are employed by public junior colleges or public junior college districts, the board of trustees shall include:

(1) 50 percent of the cost associated with eligible employees who:

(A) otherwise are eligible to participate in the group benefits program; and

(B) are instructional or administrative employees whose salaries may be fully paid from funds appropriated under the General Appropriations Act, regardless of whether such salaries are actually paid from appropriated funds; and

(2) none of the cost associated with employees who:

(A) do not meet the requirements of Subdivision (1)(B) but are otherwise eligible to participate in the group benefits program; or

(B) cannot be included as a qualifying employee under Subdivision (1) by application of Subsection (c).

(b) For qualifying employees under Subsection (a)(1), the board of trustees shall include only the amount payable by the state under Subsection (a)(1) in determining the amount to be certified under Section 1551.311.

(c) In determining the amount described by Subsection (b), the number of qualifying employees under Subsection (a)(1) whose group benefits program costs may be included for each public junior college or public junior college district in each biennium may not be adjusted in a proportion greater than the change in student enrollment at each college during the reporting period except that a college that experiences a decline in student enrollment may petition the Legislative Budget Board to maintain the number of eligible employees up to 98 percent of the level of the prior biennium.