HLS 11RS-54 ORIGINAL Page 1 of 4 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions. Regular Session, 2011 HOUSE BILL NO. 417 BY REPRESENTATIVE CORTEZ Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana. RETIREMENT/TEACHERS: Relative to the Teachers' Retirement System of Louisiana (TRSL), allows retirees rehired as substitute teachers to collect retirement benefits during reemployment under certain circumstances AN ACT1 To amend and reenact R.S. 11:710(A)(1), (D), and (H) and to enact R.S. 11:710(A)(4),2 relative to the Teachers' Retirement System of Louisiana; to allow certain retirees3 reemployed as substitute teachers to receive benefits during reemployment; to4 provide limitations; to provide an effective date; and to provide for related matters.5 Notice of intention to introduce this Act has been published6 as provided by Article X, Section 29(C) of the Constitution7 of Louisiana.8 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:9 Section 1. R.S. 11:710 (A)(1), (D), and (H) are hereby amended and reenacted and10 R.S. 11:710(A)(4) is hereby enacted to read as follows: 11 ยง710. Employment of retirees12 A. For purposes of this Section, "retired teacher" shall mean any of the13 following:14 (1) A retired member who returns to active service covered by the provisions15 of this Chapter as a full-time or part-time classroom teacher who teaches any student16 in kindergarten through twelfth grade in a critical teacher shortage area. For17 purposes of this Paragraph, "critical shortage area" shall mean any subject area18 where a shortage of certified teachers exists in that subject area, subject to the19 HLS 11RS-54 ORIGINAL HB NO. 417 Page 2 of 4 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions. provisions of Subsection F of this Section. For purposes of this Paragraph Section,1 "classroom teacher" shall mean any employee, whose position of employment2 requires a valid Louisiana teaching certificate and who is assigned the professional3 activities of instructing pupils in courses in classroom situations for which daily4 pupil attendance figures for the school system are kept. Such classroom situations5 may include teaching in a school classroom or in other settings such as a home or6 hospital or other learning situations such as cocurricular activities, which instruction7 may be provided in person or through an approved medium such as television, radio,8 computer, Internet, multimedia telephone, and correspondence that is delivered9 inside or outside the classroom or in other teacher-student settings.10 * * *11 (4) A retired member who has at least thirty years of service credit or who12 has attained the age of sixty and who returns to active service covered by the13 provisions of this Chapter as a substitute classroom teacher who teaches any student14 in kindergarten through twelfth grade in a subject for which there are no non-retiree15 members of this system qualified to teach on the school's list of substitute classroom16 teachers. For purposes of this Paragraph "substitute classroom teacher" shall mean17 a classroom teacher employed in a temporary capacity to fill the position of another18 classroom teacher who is unavailable to teach for any reason.19 * * *20 D. When any retiree returns to active service with an employer covered by21 the provisions of this Chapter, the employing agency shall, within thirty days22 thereafter, notify the board of trustees in writing of such employment, the date on23 which employment commenced, and a determination by the employer as to whether24 such person is a "retired teacher" pursuant to Subsection A of this Section. Upon25 termination, the agency shall provide the same notice. In addition, the employing26 agency shall also report to the retirement system within forty-five days after June27 thirtieth of each year, the name of all persons being paid by the employing agency28 employees of the employing agency and all persons having received a benefit29 HLS 11RS-54 ORIGINAL HB NO. 417 Page 3 of 4 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions. pursuant to the provisions of this Section, their along with such individuals' social1 security numbers, their positions and the amount of their earnings during the2 previous fiscal year ending on June thirtieth of the reporting year. Should failure to3 give notice of return to active service or failure to report any other information4 required by this Section result in any payment being made in violation of this5 Section, the employing agency shall be liable to the system for the repayment of such6 amounts.7 * * *8 H. By August 15, 2010, each employer shall report to the system and to the9 House and Senate committees on retirement the names, positions, and salaries of10 each person reemployed by such employer as of January 1, 2010, who was receiving11 a retirement benefit pursuant to the provisions of this Section. Each calendar year12 thereafter, by January fifteenth of such year, the employer shall report to the system13 and to the House and Senate committees on retirement the names, positions, and14 salaries of each person reemployed by such employer as of January first of that year15 who was receiving a retirement benefit pursuant to the provisions of this Section.16 If any "retired teacher" as defined in Paragraph (A)(4) of this Section is17 reemployed for more than ninety working days in a fiscal year, the benefits payable18 to the retiree shall be reduced by the amount he earns for work beyond ninety days.19 Section 2. This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2011; if vetoed by the governor20 and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become effective on July 1,21 2011, or on the day following such approval by the legislature, whichever is later.22 DIGEST The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)] Cortez HB No. 417 Abstract: Relative to the Teachers' Retirement System of La. (TRSL), allows certain retirees reemployed as substitute teachers to receive a retirement benefit during reemployment. HLS 11RS-54 ORIGINAL HB NO. 417 Page 4 of 4 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions. Present law prohibits any TRSL retiree other than a "retired teacher" from receiving a retirement benefit while reemployed. Provides that anyone other than a "retired teacher" shall have his benefit suspended during reemployment. Defines "retired teacher" as: (1)Any retired member who returns to work full-time or part-time as a classroom teacher offering instructional services to any student in grades K through 12 in a "critical shortage area". (2)Any other retired member reemployed on or before June 30, 2010. (3)Any retired member who returns to active service as a full-time certified speech therapist, speech pathologist, or audiologist whose position of employment requires a valid La. ancillary certificate approved and issued by the state Dept. of Education in a school district where a shortage exists. Proposed law adds to the definition of "retired teacher", and therefore to the list of reemployed retirees who may receive a benefit during reemployment, retirees who have at least 30 years of service credit or are at least 60 years of age and who are reemployed as substitute K through 12 classroom teachers. Proposed law provides that if a K through 12 substitute works more than 90 days in a fiscal year, his retirement benefits shall be reduced by the amount he earns for work beyond 90 days. Present law requires each employer to report to the system and to the House and Senate committees on retirement the names, positions, and salaries of each person reemployed by such employer as of Jan. 1, 2010, who was receiving a retirement benefit pursuant to the provisions of present law. Requires such reports annually. Proposed law changes the date of such reporting to within 45 days after June 30th. No longer requires reporting to the House and Senate committees on retirement, and instead requires such information to be reported to TRSL only. Present law provides that if a failure by an employing agency to report on a reemployed retiree causes any overpayment of benefits, the employer shall be liable to TRSL for repayment of such overpayment. Proposed law retains present law and provides further that the failure of the employing agency to report to TRSL any information required by present law shall cause the employer to be liable to TRSL for any overpayment of benefits. Effective July 1, 2011. (Amends R.S. 11:710(A)(1), (D), and (H); Adds R.S. 11:710(A)(4))