HLS 22RS-195 REENGROSSED
2022 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 38
BY REPRESENTATIVE THOMPSON
INSURANCE/GROUP-SHERI FFS: Creates an Employee Insurance Fund for the Richland
Parish Sheriff's Office
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 13:5554(R)(2) and (3) and to enact R.S. 13:5554(R)(4) and
3 5554.8, relative to the payment of group insurance premium costs for persons retired
4 from the Richland Parish Sheriff's Office; to provide for eligibility for payment of
5 such costs for retired sheriffs and retired deputy sheriffs of the Richland Parish
6 Sheriff's Office; to provide for effective dates; to create a permanent fund; to require
7 the depositing of certain monies into the fund; to provide for investment of monies
8 in the fund; to authorize the withdrawal of earnings; to provide for limitations on
9 appropriations from the fund; to provide for audits of the fund; to provide for the
10 membership and election on the investment advisory board; and to provide for
11 related matters.
12Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
13 Section 1. R.S. 13:5554(R)(2) and (3) are hereby amended and reenacted and R.S.
1413:5554(R)(4) and 5554.8 are enacted to read as follows:
15 §5554. Group insurance; kinds; amounts; subrogation
16 * * *
17 R. Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsection D of this Section, the
18 sheriff of Richland Parish shall pay from the sheriff's general fund the premium costs
19 of group insurance for any sheriff or full-time deputy sheriff who is entitled to
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HB NO. 38
1 receive monthly benefits from the Sheriff's Pension and Relief Fund and who retires
2 from the Richland Parish Sheriff's Office as follows:
3 * * *
4 (2) For any sheriff or deputy sheriff who first becomes eligible to retire and
5 subsequently retires after August 31, 2013, and before July 1, 2022, fifty percent of
6 the premium costs of group hospital, surgical, and medical expense insurance and the
7 first ten thousand dollars of life insurance contracted for under the provisions of this
8 Section if the sheriff or deputy sheriff retires with at least twenty-five years of
9 creditable service with the Richland Parish Sheriff's Office and has attained the age
10 of fifty-five.
11 (3) For any sheriff or deputy sheriff who first becomes eligible to retire and
12 subsequently retires after August 31, 2013, and before July 1, 2022, One one hundred
13 percent of the premium costs of group hospital, surgical, and medical expense
14 insurance and the first ten thousand dollars of life insurance contracted for under the
15 provisions of this Section if the sheriff or deputy sheriff retires with thirty years or
16 more of creditable service with the Richland Parish Sheriff's Office, regardless of
17 age.
18 (4) For any sheriff or deputy sheriff who does not meet the requirements of
19 Subparagraph (1)(a) or (b) of this Subsection and retires on or after July 1, 2022,
20 from the Richland Parish Sheriff's Office and is eligible to receive benefits from the
21 Sheriff's Pension and Relief Fund and meets the requirements of Subparagraph (a),
22 (b), or (c) of this Paragraph, one hundred percent of the premium costs of group
23 hospital, surgical, and medical expense insurance and the first ten thousand dollars
24 of life insurance contracted for under the provisions of this Section, if the sheriff or
25 deputy sheriff retires with any of the following qualifications:
26 (a) At least fifteen years of creditable service and is at least sixty years of
27 age and has served twelve years of creditable service with the Richland Parish
28 Sheriff's Office.
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1 (b) At least twenty years of creditable service and is at least fifty-five years
2 of age and has served twelve years of creditable service with the Richland Parish
3 Sheriff's Office.
4 (c) At least thirty years of creditable service and has served twenty years of
5 creditable service with the Richland Parish Sheriff's Office, regardless of age.
6 * * *
7 §5554.8. Richland Parish; payment of group insurance premiums; retired sheriffs
8 and deputy sheriffs; creation of fund
9 A. There is hereby created the Richland Parish Retired Employees Insurance
10 Fund, hereinafter referred to as the "RREIF", to fund the payment by the sheriff's
11 office of Richland Parish of the premium costs for eligible retired sheriffs and retired
12 deputy sheriffs as provided in R.S. 13:5554(R).
13 B. The sheriff of Richland Parish may contribute to the RREIF at his
14 discretion.
15 C. Upon recommendation of the board established in Subsection F of this
16 Section, the sheriff of Richland Parish shall invest at least twenty-five percent in
17 fixed income investments into the RREIF, provided that a minimum of twenty-five
18 percent of the fixed income portion is rated as investment grade by a nationally
19 recognized rating agency.
20 D.(1) The earnings realized on the monies invested pursuant to Subsection
21 C of this Section shall be available for the sheriff to withdraw for the sole purpose
22 of paying the insurance premium costs provided in R.S. 13:5554(R) for retired
23 sheriffs and retired deputy sheriffs of Richland Parish, legal representation costs for
24 the RREIF Board, or both, provided that no such earnings shall be withdrawn until
25 the amount of principal and accumulated earnings in the RREIF are equal to the sum
26 of two million dollars.
27 (2) In the event that the total amount of monies derived from deposits
28 provided in Subsection B of this Section and investment earnings fall below the sum
29 of two million dollars, no earnings shall be withdrawn, and any balance owed for the
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HB NO. 38
1 payment of insurance premium costs as required by R.S. 13:5554(R) or legal
2 representation costs for the RREIF Board shall be paid in full from the sheriff's
3 general fund.
4 E. Any financial audit conducted of the sheriff's office of Richland Parish
5 shall specifically address compliance with the provisions of this Section.
6 F.(1) To provide recommendations concerning the investment of funds as
7 provided in Subsection C of this Section, the sheriff shall establish an investment
8 advisory board consisting of three members as follows:
9 (a) The sheriff or his designee.
10 (b) One retired sheriff or retired deputy sheriff of the department, appointed
11 by the sheriff, who shall serve a term determined by the sheriff.
12 (c) One active deputy sheriff of the department, appointed by the sheriff,
13 who shall serve a term determined by the sheriff.
14 (2) The members of the board shall elect a chairperson at its first board
15 meeting, which shall be held within thirty days after the appointment of board
16 members.
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 38 Reengrossed 2022 Regular Session Thompson
Abstract: Creates a permanent fund to pay group insurance premiums and defines the
requirements for sheriffs or deputy sheriffs who retire and become eligible for
payment of group insurance premium costs from the Richland Parish Sheriff's
Office.
Present law provides that the sheriff of Richland Parish shall pay the premium costs of group
insurance from the sheriff's general fund for any sheriff or full-time deputy sheriff who is
entitled to receive monthly benefits from the Sheriff's Pension and Relief Fund and who
retires from the Richland Parish Sheriff's Office upon meeting one of three eligibility
requirements.
Proposed law retains present law.
Present law provides that any sheriff or deputy sheriff who has attained the age of 55, is
eligible to retire, and retires after August 31, 2013, with at least 25 years of creditable
service with the Richland Parish Sheriff's Office shall receive 50% of the premium costs of
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group hospital, surgical, and medical expense insurance and the first $10,000 of life
insurance contracted for under the provisions of present law.
Proposed law expands eligibility to any sheriff or deputy sheriff who first becomes eligible
to retire and retires before July 1, 2022.
Present law provides that any sheriff or deputy sheriff who retires with 30 years or more of
creditable service with the Richland Parish Sheriff's Office, regardless of age, shall receive
100% of the premium costs of group hospital, surgical, and medical expense insurance and
the first $10,000 of life insurance contracted for under the provisions of present law.
Proposed law expands eligibility to any sheriff or deputy sheriff who first becomes eligible
to retire and subsequently retires after August 31, 2013, and before July 1, 2022.
Proposed law provides that any sheriff or deputy sheriff who does not meet the requirements
of present law and retires on or after July 1, 2022, from the Richland Parish Sheriff's Office
and is eligible to receive benefits from the Sheriff's Pension and Relief Fund and meets the
requirements of proposed law shall receive 100% of the premium costs of group hospital,
surgical, and medical expense insurance and the first $10,000 of life insurance contracted
for under present law, if the sheriff or deputy sheriff retires with any of the following
qualifications:
(1)At least 15 years of creditable service and is at least 60 years of age and has served
12 years of creditable service with the Richland Parish Sheriff's Office.
(2)At least 20 years of creditable service and is at least 55 years of age and has served
12 years of creditable service with the Richland Parish Sheriff's Office.
(3)At least 30 years of creditable service and has served 20 years of creditable service
with the Richland Parish Sheriff's Office, regardless of age.
Proposed law creates the Richland Parish Retired Employees Insurance Fund (RREIF), to
fund the payment by the Richland Parish Sheriff's Office for the premium costs of insurance
for retired sheriffs and deputy sheriffs as provided in present law.
Proposed law provides that the sheriff of Richland Parish may contribute to the RREIF at
his discretion.
Proposed law provides that the sheriff shall invest at least 25% in fixed income investments
into the RREIF, provided that a minimum of 25% of the fixed income portion is rated as
investment grade by a nationally recognized rating agency.
Proposed law provides that earnings realized from investments shall be available for the
sheriff to withdraw for the purpose of paying the insurance premium costs, provided that no
such earnings shall be withdrawn until the amount of principal and accumulated earnings in
the RREIF is equal to the sum of $2 million. Provides that if the deposits and earnings on
investments falls below $2 million, no earnings shall be withdrawn and any balance owed
for the payment of insurance premium costs shall be paid in full from the sheriff's general
fund.
Proposed law requires any financial audit by the sheriff's office to comply with all provisions
of proposed law.
Proposed law requires the sheriff to establish a three-member investment advisory board
consisting of three members as follows:
(1)The sheriff or his designee.
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(2)One retired sheriff or retired deputy sheriff of the department, appointed by the
sheriff, who shall serve a term determined by the sheriff.
(3)One active deputy sheriff of the department, appointed by the sheriff, who shall serve
a term determined by the sheriff.
Proposed law requires the board to meet within 30 days after appointment of members and
provides for election of a chairperson at the first meeting of the board.
(Amends R.S. 13:5554(R)(2) and (3); Adds R.S. 13:5554(R)(4) and 5554.8)
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