(a) All carriers subject to this article are strictly prohibited from marketing their product to a specific group, legal occupation, locale, zip code, neighborhood, race, religion, or any discriminatory group.
(b) For plan years beginning after June 30, 1997, in which the plan has, on the first day of the plan year, at least two enrollees who are current employees, each carrier shall accept every small employer that applies for coverage under a health benefit plan, unless such health benefit plan is made available only through a bona fide association, and consistent with public law 104-191 (Public Health Service Act section 2711 (a) (1) (B)), shall accept for enrollment in the plan every employee of the small employer, including dependents, when an employee or dependent first becomes eligible to enroll under terms of the plan and under the rules of the carrier that are uniformly applicable to small employers. This subsection shall not apply to:
(1) A network plan if the carrier: