HB 22 Louisiana House · 2026 Regular Session

RETIREMENT/CLERKS COURT: Provides relative to the Clerks' of Court Retirement System (EN INCREASE APV)

HB 22 updates the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) rules for retirees, beneficiaries, and survivors in Louisiana's Clerks' of Court Retirement System. The board of trustees can only grant COLAs if the system meets specific financial conditions, such as a funded ratio of at least 90% and a 3% increase in the Consumer Price Index compared to the previous COLA year. COLAs are capped at 2.5% per year of retirement or $40 per month, whichever is lower. The bill also modifies employer contribution rates and establishes a funding deposit account for surplus system funds.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

May 2026

House Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

May 2026

Signed into Law

May 2026

Introduced Jan 20, 2026 Signed May 22, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB22 Original → HB22 Act 279 · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was enrolled and renumbered as Act 279, formalizing its status. The most significant substantive change is the introduction of strict financial thresholds for granting cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs). Previously, the board had broad discretion to set COLAs based on available funds; now, a COLA is only permitted if the retirement system meets specific funded ratio targets (e.g., 100%, 90%, 80%, or 70%) and inflation criteria are met. Additionally, the definition of the 'target ratio' was expanded to include adjustments for historical mergers and changes in actuarial methods.

Scope change

The scope of the bill's applicability to the Clerks' of Court Retirement System remains unchanged, but the conditions under which benefits can be increased have become significantly more restrictive.

ELIGIBILITY

Cost-of-living adjustments are now conditional on the retirement system meeting specific funded ratio thresholds (100%, 90%, 80%, or 70%) and a minimum 3% inflation increase, replacing the previous standard where adjustments were paid based solely on available funds.

DEFINITION

New definitions were added for 'funded ratio' and 'target ratio,' which now include complex calculations accounting for the system's 1986 baseline and adjustments for historical mergers or changes in actuarial methods.

REQUIREMENT

The board of trustees' authority to set a maximum amount for cost-of-living adjustments was removed, as the new law mandates specific eligibility criteria that must be met before any adjustment can occur.

Floor votes · Senate May 18, 2026 · House Mar 26, 2026

How they voted

33–0

Passed · 7 other

Total votes 40

May 18, 2026

D Democratic12

10 Yea 2

83% Yea

R Republican28

23 Yea 5

82% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 18, 2026

Upper · Passed

Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 32 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

upper

May 12, 2026

Committee

Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

upper

May 11, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported favorably.

upper

Apr 14, 2026

Committee

Read by title. Recommitted to the Committee on Finance.

upper

Apr 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported favorably.

upper

Mar 26, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 92, nays 1. The bill, having received two-thirds vote of the elected members, was finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

lower

Mar 23, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported with amendments (13-0).

lower

Mar 9, 2026

Committee

Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Retirement.

lower

Jan 20, 2026

Committee

Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Retirement.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors