S 406 109th Congress Senate

Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2005

Official title: A bill to amend title I of the Employee Retirement Security Act of 1974 to improve access and choice for entrepreneurs with small businesses with respect to medical care for their employees.

Introduced: February 17, 2005 See on congress.gov

Health Administrative feesAdministrative procedureBankruptcyChambers of commerce

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Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority IssuesCollective bargainingCommerceCongressCongressional reporting requirementsConsumer protectionCrime and Law EnforcementDelegation of powersDepartment of LaborDiscrimination in insuranceDiscrimination in medical careEconomics and Public FinanceEmployee health benefitsFederal advisory bodiesFederal preemptionFederal-state relationsFinance and Financial SectorFines (Penalties)Flexible benefit plansFranchises (Retail trade)Government Operations and PoliticsGovernment paperworkGovernment trust fundsHealth care fraudHealth insuranceInjunctionsInsuranceInsurance agentsInsurance premiumsLabor and EmploymentLabor contractsLabor unionsLawLicensesMedical economicsMedically uninsuredProfessional associationsSmall businessStandardsState lawsState taxationSurety and fidelityTax ratesTaxationTrade associationsTrusts and trusteesValuation

Everywhere this bill has been 5 steps

Introduced

In committee

Reported out

Passed House

Passed Senate

To President

Became law

May 9, 2006

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4173)

Apr 21, 2005

Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 109-120.

Feb 16, 2005

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1542-1549)

Feb 16, 2005

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1541-1542)

Feb 16, 2005

Introduced in Senate

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Latest action May 9, 2006

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4173)

Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2005 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to provide for establishment and governance of association health plans (AHPs), which are group health plans whose sponsors are trade, industry, professional, chamber of commerce, or similar business associations, and which meet certain ERISA certification requirements. (Thus, through ERISA preemption of State laws, certified AHPs are exempted from State regulation of health insurance providers, including State consumer protection laws and State requirements for health care benefits to be offered by such entities, with certain exceptions.)

Related & companion bills 1

Bill text 1 version

Introduced in Senate Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

Committees of jurisdiction 1

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
Senate

Cosponsors 3

Thune, John

South Dakota · Mar 14, 2005

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APA

U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 406: Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2005. 109th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-406/

MLA

"S. 406: Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2005." 109th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-406/.

Bluebook (legal)

S. 406, 109th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-406/.

Markdown link

[S. 406: Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2005](https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-406/)