SLS 14RS-280 ENGROSSED Page 1 of 5 Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law; words in boldface type and underscored are additions. Regular Session, 2014 SENATE BILL NO. 25 BY SENATOR GUILLORY SCHOOL EMPLOYEES RET. Provides for administration of the system. (2/3 - CA10s29(F)) (6/30/14) AN ACT1 To amend and reenact R.S. 11:1142, 1147(C)(2)(a)(ii), 1151(F)(1), 1151.1(A) and (C)(1),2 and 1206, to enact R.S. 11:1132.1, and to repeal R.S. 11:162(D), 1002(11), and3 1144(A)(2), relative to the administration of the Louisiana School Employees'4 Retirement System; to provide for recovery of overpayments; to provide for5 disability and survivor benefits for certain members; to provide for technical6 corrections; to provide for an effective date; and to provide for related matters.7 Notice of intention to introduce this Act has been published.8 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:9 Section 1. R.S. 11:1142, 1147(C)(2)(a)(ii), 1151(F)(1), 1151.1(A) and (C)(1), and10 1206 are hereby amended and reenacted and R.S. 11:1132.1 is hereby enacted to read as11 follows:12 §1132.1. Administrative errors; collections13 A. Effective July 1, 2014, the right to collect any benefit paid to an14 individual to whom the benefit was not due resulting from an administrative15 error by the system shall apply only to amounts paid during the16 thirty-six-month period immediately preceding the date on which notice of such17 SB NO. 25 SLS 14RS-280 ENGROSSED Page 2 of 5 Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law; words in boldface type and underscored are additions. error is sent to the member, except in the case of fraud.1 B. Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsection A of this Section, if the2 individual receiving the payment committed a fraud against the system, the3 right to collect such fraudulent payment shall extend to the entire amount of4 overpayment obtained through fraud.5 C. Recovery of any amount paid to an individual to whom the benefit6 was not due, collected as provided in this Section, shall be in accordance with7 the provisions of R.S. 11:192.8 * * *9 §1142. Withdrawal from service after ten years; retirement allowance at age sixty10 vesting11 A. Any member whose first employment making him eligible for12 membership in one of the state systems occurred on or before June 30, 2010,13 who has credit for ten or more years of regular, full-time creditable service, may14 withdraw from service and elect to leave his accumulated contributions in the system15 and upon reaching age sixty, he shall be eligible to receive a retirement allowance16 based on the credits he had at the time of his withdrawal from service. 17 B. Any member whose first employment making him eligible for18 membership in one of the state systems occurred on or after July 1, 2010, who19 has five or more years of creditable service, may withdraw from service and20 elect to leave his accumulated contributions in the system and upon reaching21 age sixty, he shall be eligible to receive a retirement allowance based on the22 credits he had at the time of his withdrawal from service.23 * * *24 §1147. Disability retirement25 * * *26 C.(1) * * *27 (2)(a)(i) * * *28 (ii) A disability retiree whose membership in the system began on or after29 SB NO. 25 SLS 14RS-280 ENGROSSED Page 3 of 5 Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law; words in boldface type and underscored are additions. July 1, 2006, but whose first employment making him eligible for membership1 in one of the state systems occurred on or before June 30, 2010, who is not eligible2 to receive a regular service retirement allowance and who has at least ten years of3 creditable service, shall receive a disability retirement allowance equal to three4 percent of his average compensation multiplied by his years of creditable service.5 * * *6 §1151. Survivor benefits; members hired on or before June 30, 20107 * * *8 F.(1) No beneficiary or beneficiaries survivor or nonretiree beneficiary9 shall receive more than one survivor's benefit at any one time. Whenever two or10 more survivor benefits are payable, the survivors shall receive the larger benefit as11 long as it is payable,. then Thereafter, the survivor shall receive the other benefit,12 if the survivor is still eligible.13 * * *14 §1151.1. Survivors' benefits; members hired on or after July 1, 201015 A.(1) Survivor benefits shall be due and payable by the system effective the16 first day of the next month following the death of a member whose first employment17 making him eligible for membership in one of the state systems occurred on or after18 July 1, 2010, but shall not be paid until a properly completed and acceptable19 application is received by the system and all proper certifications have been received20 by the system.21 (2) No survivor or nonretiree beneficiary shall receive more than one22 survivor benefit at any one time. Whenever two or more survivor benefits are23 payable, the survivor shall receive the larger benefit as long as it is payable.24 Thereafter, the survivor shall receive the other benefit, if the survivor is still25 eligible.26 * * *27 C.(1) In addition to the amount payable in accordance with Subsection B of28 this Section, for the benefit of the surviving minor child, or children, there shall be29 SB NO. 25 SLS 14RS-280 ENGROSSED Page 4 of 5 Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law; words in boldface type and underscored are additions. paid for each such child, subject to a maximum of two children, per month fifty1 percent of the benefit to which a spouse would be entitled under Subsection B of this2 Section. Benefits shall be payable to such children even if no spouse eligible for3 survivor benefits is present, provided the member had at least five years of service4 credit. Benefits for a child shall cease when the child is no longer a minor child as5 defined by this Chapter. No surviving minor child shall receive more than one6 survivor's benefit at any one time. If two benefits are applicable, only the larger shall7 be paid.8 * * *9 §1206. Employee contributions; discontinuance10 The retirement benefits provided by this Part shall not annually exceed one11 hundred percent of average compensation, and when a member has earned accrued12 a benefits equal to one hundred percent of his average compensation, no further13 contributions shall be required of him. However, the employer shall continue to pay14 employer contributions to the system.15 Section 2. R.S. 11:162(D), 1002(11), and 1144(A)(2) are repealed.16 Section 3. The cost of this Act, if any, shall be funded through employer17 contributions, in compliance with Article X, Section 29(F) of the Constitution of Louisiana.18 Section 4. This Act shall become effective on June 30, 2014; if vetoed by the19 governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become effective on20 June 30, 2014, or on the day following such approval by the legislature, whichever is later.21 The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Margaret M. Corley. DIGEST Guillory (SB 25) Present law (R.S. 11:192) requires all state and statewide retirement systems to recover overpayments of benefits. Proposed law authorizes the Louisiana School Employees' Retirement System (LSERS) to recover overpayments paid during the 36-month period immediately preceding the date notice of such error is sent to the member, except in the case of fraud. Provides that, in the case of fraud, the right to collect the overpayment extends to the full amount. Present law, due to a technical error, does not provide for a disability benefit for LSERS SB NO. 25 SLS 14RS-280 ENGROSSED Page 5 of 5 Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law; words in boldface type and underscored are additions. members whose first employment making them eligible for state system membership occurred on or before June 30, 2010. Proposed law corrects the technical error, providing these members with eligibility for disability benefits after 10 years of service credit and a benefit equal to 3% of his average compensation multiplied by his years of service. Proposed law provides for other technical corrections to present law applicable to the LSERS. Effective June 30, 2014. (Amends R.S. 11:1142, 1147(C)(2)(a)(ii), 1151(F)(1), 1151.1(A) and (C)(1), and 1206; adds R.S. 11:1132.1; and repeals R.S. 11:162(D), 1002(11), and 1144(A)(2)) Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Retirement to the original bill 1. Present law provides that any member who has ten or more years of regular service may withdraw from service and elect to leave his contributions in the system and upon reaching age 60, he may be eligible to receive a retirement allowance based on the credits he had at the time of his withdrawal from service. 2. Proposed law provides that any member whose first employment making him eligible for membership in one of the state systems occurred on or before June 30, 2012, who has ten or more years of regular service may withdraw from service and elect to leave his contributions in the system and upon reaching age 60, he may be eligible to receive a retirement allowance based on the credits he had at the time of his withdrawal from service. 3. Proposed law provides that any member whose first employment making him eligible for membership in one of the state systems occurred on or after June 30, 2012, who has five or more years of regular service may withdraw from service and elect to leave his contributions in the system and upon reaching age 60, he may be eligible to receive a retirement allowance based on the credits he had at the time of his withdrawal from service.