Breitbach's legislation would require all state legislators to pay part of the cost of their state health insurance policy

State Senator Michael Breitbach of Strawberry Point says a bill he has written just makes sense.

Breitbach was a business owner before he was elected to the State Senate in November.  "I've always been expected to contribute to my health plan," Breitbach tells decorahnews.com.  He wondered why that wasn't always the case for state legislators.  So Breitbach is sponsoring a bill that would require state legislators to pick up 20 percent of the cost of the premium if they sign up for the state's health insurance.

That's not always the case now.  Breitbach says legislators who sign up for a single plan pay nothing.  Those on a family plan pay 20 percent. 

Breitbach's legislation has now been co-sponsored by other Senate Republicans.  He's waiting to see whether the bill can attract enough support to be assigned to subcommittee hearings, the first step to a vote by the State Senate.  Breitbach says he'll know by February 15th whether his bill has been killed or has been sent on to committee.  He's hoping the legislation has a better chance of passing now that one of the State of Iowa's three large employee unions has agreed to a provision requiring union members to pay a share of their health insurance plan with the state.