2014 REGULAR SESSION
ACTUARIAL NOTE SB 27
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Senate Bill 27 SLS 14RS-65
Original
Author: Senator Mike Walsworth
Date: March 30, 2014
LLA Note SB 27 .01
Organizations Affected:
Louisiana State Employees’
Retirement System
OR INCREASE APV
The Note was prepared by the Actuarial Services Department of the Office of the
Legislative Auditor. The attachment of the Note to SB 27 provides compliance
with the requirements of R.S. 24:521.
Bill Header: STATE EMPLOYEE RET. Provides for a supplemental benefit increase (2/3 – CA 10s29(F)) (6/30/14)
Cost Summary:
The estimated actuarial and fiscal impact of the proposed legislation is summarized below. Actuarial costs pertain to changes in the
actuarial present value of future benefit payments. A cost is denoted by “Increase” or a positive number. Savings are denoted by
“Decrease” or a negative number.
Actuarial Cost/(Savings) to Retirement Systems and OGB Increase
Total Five Year Fiscal Cost
Expenditures Increase
Revenues Increase
Estimated Actuarial Impact:
The chart below shows the estimated change in the actuarial present value of future benefit payments, if any, attributable to the
proposed legislation. A cost is denoted by “Increase” or a positive number. Savings are denoted by “Decrease” or a negative number.
Present value costs associated with administration or other fiscal concerns are not included in these values.
Increase (Decrease) in
Actuarial Cost (Savings) to: The Actuarial Present Value
All Louisiana Public Retirement Systems Increase
Other Post Retirement Benefits $0
Total Increase
This bill complies with the Louisiana Constitution which requires unfunded liabilities created by an improvement in benefits to be
amortized over a period not to exceed ten years.
Estimated Fiscal Impact:
The chart below shows the estimated fiscal impact of the proposed legislation. This represents the effect on cash flows for
government entities including the retirement systems and the Office of Group Benefits. Fiscal costs include estimated administrative
costs and costs associated with other fiscal concerns. A fiscal cost is denoted by “Increase” or a positive number. F iscal savings are
denoted by “Decrease” or a negative number.
EXPENDITURES 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-2018 2018-2019 5 Year Total
State General Fund $ 0 Increase Increase Increase Increase Increase
Agy Self Generated Increase Increase Increase Increase Increase Increase
Stat Deds/Other 0 0 0 0 0 0
Federal Funds 0 0 0 0 0 0
Local Funds 0 0 0 0 0 0
Annual Total Increase Increase Increase Increase Increase Increase
REVENUES 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-2018 2018-2019 5 Year Total
State General Fund $ 0 $ 0 $ 0 $ 0 $ 0 $ 0
Agy Self Generated 0 Increase Increase Increase Increase Increase
Stat Deds/Other 0 0 0 0 0 0
Federal Funds 0 0 0 0 0 0
Local Funds 0 0 0 0 0 0
Annual Total $ 0 Increase Increase Increase Increase Increase
2014 REGULAR SESSION
ACTUARIAL NOTE SB 27
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Bill Information:
Current Law
Article 10(29)(F), enacted by the legislature and the voters in 2010, states “Benefit provisions for members of any public
retirement system, plan, or fund that is subject to legislative authority shall be altered only by legislative enactment. No such
benefit provisions having an actuarial cost shall be enacted unless approved by two-thirds of the elected members of each house
of the legislature.” Based on our reading of the amendment, our discussions with General Council for the LLA, and our
discussions with legislative staff, we have concluded for the purposes of this actuarial note, that future transfers of investment
gains to the Experience Account will occur until the balance in the Experience Account is equal to the cost of a 6% benefit
increase for eligible retirees. However, because future COLA grants will require the introduction of a bill, approval by two-thirds
of the House and Senate, and the signature of the governor, we assume that COLA grants are ad hoc, and are not automatic.
Current law provides a legal template that the legislature may choose to adopt in the enactment of permanent benefit increases
(PBI). This template specifies eligibility criterion which is generally age 60 with one year of retirement and the basis for a PBI
grant which is the CPI-U. There is no requirement that PBI legislation follow the template. Nor is there any guarantee, that PBIs
in the future will even be based on the balance in the Experience Account.
The PBI template provides the following:
Eligibility:
The following retirees and beneficiaries of the Louisiana State Employees’ Retirement System (LASERS) will be eligible for
a PBI.
1. Each retiree who satisfies all of the following criteria on June 30, 2014:
• Has received a benefit for at least one year, and
• Has attained at least age 60.
2. Each non-retiree beneficiary (including each survivor of a deceased active member) receiving a benefit on June 30,
2014, who satisfies all of the following criteria:
• The deceased member or beneficiary or both combined have received benefits for at least one year, and
• The deceased member would have been at least age 60 had he lived.
3. Each disability retiree and each beneficiary who is receiving benefits based on the death of a disability retiree, who
also on June 30, 2014, has been receiving benefits for at least one year.
Permanent Benefit Increase
• Based on the template law, each eligible retiree and beneficiary will be eligible for a 1.5% PBI on the portion of a
retiree/beneficiary’s benefit that is less than $96,931.
Proposed Law
SB 27 provides that template law will apply effective June 30, 2014. It further provides that a supplemental PBI will be granted
equal to an amount to be determined later. If SB 27 is enacted, the total PBI that will be granted to eligible retirees and
beneficiaries could range from 1.5% to 3.01%.
Implications of the Proposed Changes
If SB 27 is enacted, a 1.5% PBI will be granted in accordance with template PBI rules. SB 27 will also grant a supplemental PBI,
the amount of which will be determined later.
Cost Analysis:
Analysis of Actuarial Costs
Retirement Systems
The actuarial present value of future benefits to be paid by LASERS relative to the template PBI will increase $97,481,233 if
SB 27 is enacted. For each 0.1% supplemental PBI that is granted, the actuarial present value of future benefits will increase
$6,498,748. Additional information is shown below.
Increase in Accrued Liability Due To:
Eligible Members Number 1.5% Template PBI 0.1% Supplemental PBI
Retirees with one year of retirement age 60 and older 28,722 $ 84,301,094 $ 5,620,072
Beneficiaries and Survivors 5,515 9,230,820 615,388
Disability Retirees 2,459 3,949,319 263,288
Total 36,696 $ 97,481,233 $ 6,498,748
2014 REGULAR SESSION
ACTUARIAL NOTE SB 27
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The balance in the Experience Account as of June 30, 2013, was $195,623,963. Therefore, the unfunded accrued liability of
the Experience Account was a negative $195,623,963. A surplus of assets exists over the accrued liability of the E xperience
Account.
The following transactions will occur within LASERS if SB 27 is enacted.
Accounting for the PBI Grant under SB 27
(millions of dollars)
Regular Benefit Account Experience Account Total
AL Assets UAL AL Assets UAL AL Assets UAL
6/30/14
Balance $ 16,182.2 $ 9,740.9 $ 6,441.3 $ 0.0 $ 195.6 $ (195.6) $ 16,182.2 $ 9,936.5 $ 6,343.8
PBI Grant 97.5 97.5 0.0 0.0 (97.5) 97.5 97.5 0.0 97.5
Balance after
PBI Grant $ 16,279.7 $ 9,838.4 $ 6,441.3 $ 0.0 $ 98.1 $ (98.1) $ 16,279.7 $ 9,936.8 $ 6,343.2
1. The accrued liability (AL) of LASERS Regular Benefit Account will increase $97.5 million as benefit payments to
eligible participants are increased 1.5 %.
2. Assets in the Regular Benefit Account of LASERS will increase when $ 97.5 million is transferred from the
Experience Account to the Regular Benefit Account.
3. The unfunded accrued liability relative to the Regular Benefit Account does not change because LASERS is
receiving assets from the Experience Account that are sufficient to cover the additional liability incurred for larger
benefit payments to eligible participants.
4. However, the unfunded accrued liability that LASERS has relative to the Experience Account will increase. Before
SB 27 is enacted, the LASERS unfunded accrued liability relative to the Experience Account was a surplus of
$195.6 million. After SB 27 is enacted, the surplus UAL has been reduce to $98.1
5. The total accrued liability for LASERS has increased due to the PBI grant. Total assets have remained the same.
Therefore, the total UAL for the system will increase $97.5 million.
6. The increase in total UAL must be amortized with level payments of $14.0 million per year over ten years in order
to comply with Article (10)(29)(F) of the Louisiana constitution.
For each 0.1% supplemental increase granted under SB 27, the transactions shown above will increase proportionately.
Other Post-Employment Benefits
There are no actuarial costs associated with SB 27 for post-employment benefits other than pensions.
Analysis of Fiscal Costs
SB 27 will have the following effects on fiscal costs during the five year measurement period.
Expenditures:
1. Expenditures from the General Fund will increase $ 13,979,169 a year beginning FYE 2016 to amortize the additional
UAL created by the template PBI granted under SB 27. Each 0.1% supplemental PBI will increase annual amortization
costs by $931,945.
2. Expenditures from LASERS (Agy Self-Generated) over the next five years will increase $50,103,124, an average of
$10,020,624 a year, as larger pension benefits are distributed. Each 0.1% supplemental PBI will increase benefit
payments about $668,042 per year.
Revenues:
• LASERS revenues (Agy Self-Generated) will increase $13,979,169 a year beginning FYE 2016 relative to the template
PBI plus $931,945 a year for each 0.1% supplemental PBI granted.
Actuarial Data, Methods, and Assumptions
This actuarial note was prepared using actuarial data, methods, and assumptions as disclosed in the most recent actuarial valuation
report approved by PRSAC. These assumptions and methods are in compliance with actuarial standards of practice. This data,
methods and assumptions are being used to provide consistency with the actuary for the retirement system who may also be
providing testimony to the Senate and House retirement committees.
Exceptions: We have adjusted the results of our projected June 30, 2014 valuation, which is the benchmark for this actuarial note,
to reflect our conclusions stated below:
2014 REGULAR SESSION
ACTUARIAL NOTE SB 27
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1. No UAL should have been created when assets were transferred to the Experience Account on June 30, 2013. This
transfer merely shifted assets from one fund to another within the body of the LASERS trust.
2. The template PBI grant under SB 27 will create a new UAL for LASERS equal to $97.5 million. The accrued liability of
the LASERS Regular Benefit Account does not change. However, the surplus of assets in the Experience Account
decreases from $195.6 million to $98.1 million. Therefore, the total UAL for the system increases by $97.5 million.
Actuarial Caveat
There is nothing in SB 27 that will compromise the signing actuary’s ability to present an unbiased statement of actuarial opinion.
Actuarial Credentials:
Paul T. Richmond is the Manager of Actuarial Services for the Louisiana Legislative Auditor. He is an Enrolled Actuary, a
member of the American Academy of Actuaries, a member of the Society of Actuaries and has met the Qualification Standards of
the American Academy of Actuaries necessary to render the actuarial opinion contained herein.
Dual Referral:
Senate House
x 13.5.1: Annual Fiscal Cost ≥ $100,000 x 6.8(F)(1): Annual State Fiscal Cost ≥ $100,000
13.5.2: Annual Tax or Fee Change ≥ $500,000 6.8(F)(2): Annual State Revenue Reduction ≥ $500,000
6.8(G): Annual Tax or Fee Change ≥ $500,000