HB 48 Louisiana House · 2026 Regular Session

RETIREMENT/SHERIFFS FUND: Provides relative to membership in the Sheriffs' Pension and Relief Fund (EN SEE ACTUARIAL NOTE FC)

HB 48 amends Louisiana law to clarify membership requirements and contribution rules for the Sheriffs' Pension and Relief Fund. It requires all deputies (including those in Orleans Parish), criminal/civil deputies, and specific court criers (Orleans Civil District Court and Louisiana Supreme Court) aged 18+ with minimum salaries to automatically join the fund. The bill mandates monthly deductions from members' salaries and employer payments covering both employee and employer shares, to be remitted to the fund's treasurer. If employers fail to pay, the fund's treasurer notifies the legislative auditor, who can withhold the employer's funds until payments are made. This bill directly affects Louisiana sheriffs' deputies and court officers in designated roles.

Issues: ✓ Labor & Employment

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Apr 2026

House Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

May 2026

Signed into Law

May 2026

Introduced Jan 23, 2026 Signed May 11, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB48 Original → HB48 Act · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates the Sheriffs' Pension and Relief Fund by adding the Louisiana Supreme Court criers as eligible members and clarifying employer responsibilities for remitting contributions. It also establishes a new rule preventing individuals who receive benefits from this fund from simultaneously receiving benefits under the state disability system. The changes expand the fund's membership to include a new group of court employees and strengthen the link between pension eligibility and state disability benefits.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of the retirement fund to include criers of the Louisiana Supreme Court and employees of the Louisiana Supreme Court who later become criers, while also adding a cross-system eligibility restriction.

ELIGIBILITY

Added criers of the Louisiana Supreme Court as eligible members of the Sheriffs' Pension and Relief Fund, effective September 30, 2026.

Created a provision allowing current employees of the Louisiana Supreme Court who are members of another retirement system to remain in that system if they later become criers, provided they notify the fund within thirty days of their new employment.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new restriction stating that no one receiving benefits from this pension fund is eligible to receive benefits under the state disability system (R.S. 13:75).

Clarified that employers must remit contributions from an appropriate funding source, not just the sheriff's general fund.

Floor votes · Senate May 5, 2026 · House Mar 26, 2026

How they voted

37–0

Passed · 3 other

Total votes 40

May 5, 2026

D Democratic12

11 Yea 1

91% Yea

R Republican28

26 Yea 2

92% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 5, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read by title, passed by a vote of 36 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

upper

Apr 21, 2026

Committee

Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

upper

Apr 20, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported favorably.

upper

Mar 26, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 93, nays 0. 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 (12-0).

lower

Mar 9, 2026

Committee

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

lower

Jan 23, 2026

Committee

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

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors