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)]
HB 15 Reengrossed 2020 Regular Session Coussan
Abstract: Relative to the Municipal Employees' Retirement System (MERS) and the Parochial
Employees' Retirement System (PERS), provides that certain employees of the Lafayette
City-Parish Consolidated Government (LCG), first employed on or after Nov. 1, 2020, shall
no longer be members of MERS but shall instead be members of PERS.
Present law, relative to MERS, provides that employees of participating incorporated cities, towns,
or villages in La. shall be members of MERS.
Present law, relative to PERS, provides that any permanent employee of a parish shall be a member
of PERS.
Present law, relative to both MERS and PERS, provides that if the governing authorities of a
municipality and a parish consolidate into one government, those members who were members of
MERS at the time of consolidation shall remain members of MERS. Those people employed after
such consolidation shall become members of PERS.
Present law provides that notwithstanding present law, any employee of the LCG first employed on
or after Nov. 1, 2010, who is in a department created by the LCG Home Rule Charter, except for
police and firefighters, shall become a member of PERS. Present law also includes certain
employees of the city court.
Proposed law, applicable to the same groups of Lafayette employees, provides that those hired on
or after Nov. 1, 2020, shall become members of PERS instead of MERS.
Proposed law requires the LCG to remit payments to cover the unfunded accrued liability for each
position covered by MERS on June 30, 2020, that is eliminated from system coverage after Oct. 30,
2020.
(Amends R.S. 11:1753(C) and 1923(C))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The House Floor Amendments to the engrossed bill:
1. Require the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government to remit payments to cover the unfunded accrued liability associated with each position covered by MERS that is
eliminated from system coverage after Oct. 30, 2020.