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)]
Pearson HB No. 38
Abstract: For members joining the system on or after July 1, 2014, changes the retirement age
from 60 to 62 for new rank-and-file members of the La. State Employees' Retirement
System (LASERS) and all new members of the Teachers' Retirement System of La.
(TRSL) and the La. School Employees' Retirement System (LSERS).
RETIREMENT ELIGIBILITY
Present law for LASERS and TRSL except certain TRSL members paid from school food service
funds provides the following retirement eligibilities for members whose first employment making
them eligible for membership in any state retirement system occurred on or after Jan. 1, 2011:
(1)Retirement at age 60 after five years of service.
(2)Retirement at any age after 20 years of service; however, the member's benefit will be
actuarially reduced from age 60.
Present law provides the following retirement eligibilities for members of TRSL paid from school
food service funds:
(1)Five years of service and at least age 60.
(2)30 years of service and at least age 55.
Proposed law retains present law for such members hired on or before June 30, 2014.
Present law for LSERS provides the following retirement eligibilities for members whose first
employment making them eligible for membership in any state system occurred on or after July 1,
2010:
(1)Retirement at age 60 after five years of service.
(2)Retirement at any age after 20 years of service; however, member's benefit will be actuarially
reduced from age 60.
Proposed law retains present law for such members hired on or before June 30, 2014.
Proposed law provides for retirement eligibility for the following members whose first employment
making them eligible for membership in a state retirement system began on or after July 1, 2014: (1)Rank-and-file members of LASERS.
(2)All members of TRSL.
(3)All members of LSERS.
Proposed law provides that such members are eligible for retirement at age 62 after five years of
service. For all of the above members that are presently eligible, eligibility for an actuarially reduced
retirement after 20 years of service at any age has been retained. The actuarial reduction for new
members under proposed law would be from age 62.
Proposed law establishes the following retirement eligibilities for TRSL members paid from food
service funds whose first employment making them eligible for membership in a state system
occurred on or after July 1, 2014:
(1)Five years of service and at least age 62.
(2)20 years of service at any age, actuarially reduced from age 62.
DISABILITY
Present law provides that members of LASERS, TRSL, and LSERS who become disabled are
required to have a physician certify their continued total disability every three years until they attain
age 60. Proposed law retains present law for all members whose first employment making them
eligible for membership in a state retirement system occurred prior to July 1, 2014. Proposed law
further provides that for all members whose first employment making them eligible for membership
in a state retirement system occurred on or after July 1, 2014, such certification must continue until
the member attains age 62.
COST-OF-LIVING ADJUSTMENTS
Present law provides the following qualifications for eligibility for permanent benefit increases
granted pursuant to a system's experience account:
(1)The retiree must have attained at least age 60 and have been retired for at least one year prior
to the granting of the increase.
(2)The retiree or the beneficiary of a retiree must have received benefits for at least one year
prior to the granting of the increase, and the retiree would have attained age 60 by the time
the increase is granted.
(3)Disability retirees, regardless of age, must have received benefits for at least one year prior
to the granting of the increase.
Proposed law retains present law for all members, regardless of the date the member joined the
system.
Proposed law further provides technical corrections to present law. (Amends R.S. 11:441(A)(2)(b), 461(B)(3)(b), 726(B), 761(A)(3) and (4), 765(A) and (B)(1), 780,
783(A)(3)(a), 786(A)(2) and (3), 802, 1141(A), 1142, and 1147(C)(4); Adds R.S. 11:441(A)(2)(c),
461(B)(3)(c), 761(A)(5), and 786(A)(4))