HB 19: RETIREMENT/FIREFIGHTERS: Provides relative to the administration and participation in the Deferred Retirement Option Plan for the Firefighters' Retirement System (EN SEE ACTUARIAL NOTE APV) - Louisiana

Senate Floor Bureau Note, #1757, Price, Adopted → HB19 Act · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill enrolls the final version of HB 19, which updates Louisiana's Firefighters' Retirement System laws. It modifies existing statutes to clarify exemptions for disability retirees over 62 and establishes new rules for refunding employee contributions and managing the Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP). The changes aim to provide financial relief to older disability retirees and streamline administrative processes for contribution refunds and DROP participation.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of exemptions for disability retirees by adding a specific provision for those with bilateral knee injuries who are over 62, in addition to the general age-based exemption for all disability retirees over 62.

ELIGIBILITY

Added a specific exemption for disability retirees over 62 who suffered a bilateral knee injury while on duty, preventing their benefits from being reduced due to earned income.

Updated language to change references from 'Subpart' to 'Chapter' regarding when members can apply for refunds, clarifying the administrative structure.

REQUIREMENT

Revised the Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP) section to clarify that employee contributions are not payable during participation and set specific dates for when employer contributions must be paid.

TECHNICAL

Added new statutory sections (R.S. 11:2257(L), 2257.1, and 2260(A)(9)(b)(v)) to address reporting costs and related administrative matters.

HB19 Original → Senate Floor Bureau Note, #1757, Price, Adopted · 1 edit

MINOR

The bill was amended to correct a legal classification error by changing a reference from 'Subpart' to 'Chapter' within the Firefighters' Retirement System. This technical fix ensures the bill aligns with the correct structural divisions of the state's retirement laws, preventing potential administrative confusion.

Scope change

The scope of the bill remains focused on the Firefighters' Retirement System, but the amendment clarifies the specific legal section being referenced.

TECHNICAL

On page 2, line 27, the word 'Subpart' was deleted and replaced with 'Chapter' to accurately reflect the statutory structure of the retirement system.

HB19 Enrolled → HB19 Original · 2 edits

MINOR

The bill was renumbered from an Enrolled version to an Original version and had its sponsors reduced from a large group of representatives and senators to a single representative. The substantive policy text regarding retirement benefits, refund rules, and the Deferred Retirement Option Plan remains identical to the previous version, with no changes to eligibility criteria, funding mechanisms, or effective dates.

Scope change

The bill's scope and applicability remain unchanged; the only modification is the reduction of the sponsoring legislators from a bipartisan group to a single sponsor.

TECHNICAL

Removed the list of co-sponsors, reducing the bill's sponsors from multiple representatives and senators to only Representative Kerner.

Changed the document header from 'ENROLLED' to 'ORIGINAL' and updated the page count from 6 to 8, indicating this is the pre-final draft version.

HB19 Reengrossed → HB19 Enrolled · 2 edits · Jun 20, 2025

MINOR

The bill was finalized for signature (Enrolled) after being re-engrossed, updating the list of sponsors to include additional senators. The substantive policy change involves extending the deadline for employer contributions to the Deferred Retirement Option Plan from December 31, 2025, to March 31, 2026, providing a longer window for retirees to defer benefits without paying employer contributions.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on the Firefighters' and Police Employees' Retirement Systems; however, the specific timeline for the Deferred Retirement Option Plan was adjusted.

TIMELINE

The deadline for employer contributions to the Deferred Retirement Option Plan was extended from December 31, 2025, to March 31, 2026, allowing retirees an additional quarter to defer their retirement benefits.

TECHNICAL

The bill status changed from 'Reengrossed' to 'Enrolled,' and the list of sponsoring legislators was updated to include additional senators.

HB19 Engrossed → HB19 Reengrossed · 2 edits · Jun 8, 2025

MINOR

The bill was reengrossed to add four new sponsors to the original list of representatives. The primary substantive change extends the deadline for employer contributions to a specific participation period from March 31, 2026, to December 31, 2025, effectively shortening the window for these payments by approximately three months.

Scope change

The bill's scope regarding the number of legislative sponsors was expanded, while the scope of the funding timeline was adjusted to an earlier date.

TIMELINE

The deadline for employer contributions was moved from March 31, 2026, to December 31, 2025.

TECHNICAL

Four additional representatives (Chassion, DeWitt, Horton, Mike Johnson, Moore, and Taylor) were added to the list of bill sponsors.

RETIREMENT/FIREFIGHTERS: Provides relative to the administration and participation in the Deferred Retirement Option Plan for the Firefighters' Retirement System (EN SEE ACTUARIAL NOTE APV)

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