Louisiana Senate Bill SR15

Louisiana 2020 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/31/20
• Refer: 5/4/20
• Report Pass: 5/11/20
• Passed: 5/12/20

Caption

Urges and requests the state retirement systems to provide information to the legislature regarding permanent benefit increases for retirees.

Impact

The resolution highlights the context of Louisiana's commitment to maintaining the sustainability of its retirement systems. However, it notes that efforts to manage funding and decrease debt have resulted in less money being available for benefit increases, causing lengthy delays since the last permanent adjustment. Most recently, benefit increases for specific groups, such as retired teachers and state employees, were minimal and insufficient to address inflation or increased living costs.

Summary

Senate Resolution No. 15 urges and requests the state retirement systems in Louisiana to examine alternative methods for implementing permanent benefit increases for retirees. The resolution emphasizes the need for approaches that would preserve the purchasing power of recipients of retirement benefits, acknowledging that current provisions do not include a mechanism for regular adjustments. The lack of annual cost-of-living adjustments, which other beneficiaries like those receiving Social Security enjoy, is pointed out as a significant issue contributing to the erosion of retirees' financial stability over time.

Sentiment

Overall, the sentiment surrounding Senate Resolution No. 15 appears to be proactive and supportive of retirees. There is a shared recognition among legislators of the necessity to find viable solutions that address the financial challenges faced by retirees. The language used in the resolution calls for collaboration among the retirement systems to find solutions, indicating a cooperative approach rather than one of contention.

Contention

While the resolution itself does not oppose existing retirement structures, it does implicitly criticize the limitations of the current setup, which lacks any scheduled automatic increases tied to inflation. The call for a report from the state retirement systems by December 1, 2020, suggests a sense of urgency among legislators, indicating a growing concern about retirees' well-being. The debate may surface points of contention regarding the feasibility of proposed increases and the financial implications of implementing a new system of adjustments.