SB 416 Louisiana Senate · 2026 Regular Session

STATE EMPLOYEE RET: Provides relative to reemployment of retirees to fill critical shortage positions within the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, corrections services. (2/3-CA10s(29)(F)) (8/1/26) (EN SEE ACTUARIAL NOTE FC)

This bill allows retired state employees to return to work in specific critical shortage positions within the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, overriding the usual two-year reemployment ban for those who retired under early retirement incentive plans. To qualify, positions must be full-time roles that have been advertised through civil service rules but received too few applicants, including leadership roles like majors and captains, as well as nurses and social workers. Retirees who return to these positions can keep their full retirement benefits while both they and the department continue making required contributions to the retirement system, though they do not earn additional service credit or benefits. The department secretary must certify the need for each position and review annually whether reemployment remains necessary, while disability retirees are excluded from returning under this provision.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2026

Committee Review

May 2026

Senate Passage

Apr 2026

House Passage

May 2026

Signed into Law

May 2026

Introduced Mar 23, 2026 Signed May 15, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB416 Original → SB416 Act · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates the reemployment rules for retired state employees in critical shortage positions within the Department of Public Safety and Corrections. It adds specific roles like nurses and social workers to the list of eligible positions and clarifies that retirees can return to work without losing their retirement benefits, though they cannot earn additional service credit. The changes aim to ensure these departments can quickly fill essential vacancies while protecting the financial interests of retired employees.

Scope change

The scope was expanded to include specific new job titles (such as registered nurses and social workers) and to explicitly include election-related personnel and forestry employees in the general reemployment framework, whereas the original text was more limited in its specific examples.

SCOPE

Added specific job titles including major, captain, lieutenant, specialized sergeant-master, cadet, sergeant, master sergeant, registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, and social worker to the list of critical shortage positions eligible for retiree reemployment.

Explicitly included election-related personnel in the Department of State and seasonal fire fighting personnel in the Department of Agriculture and Forestry within the reemployment provisions.

ELIGIBILITY

Clarified that retirees reemployed in these positions continue to receive their full retirement benefits during the reemployment period but do not earn additional service credit or accrue new retirement benefits.

REQUIREMENT

Added a requirement that the department secretary must annually review and certify in writing the continued necessity of filling the critical shortage position or reemploying the specific retiree.

DEFINITION

Refined the definition of a 'critical shortage position' to include positions advertised under civil service rules that received an insufficient number of suitable applicants, with suitability determined by operational needs.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 22, 2026 · House May 12, 2026

How they voted

35–2

Passed · 3 other

Total votes 40

Apr 22, 2026

D Democratic12

10 Yea 2

83% Yea

R Republican28

25 Yea 2 Nay 1

89% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 12, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 91, nays 5. The bill, having received two-thirds vote of the elected members, was finally passed, ordered to the Senate.

lower

May 6, 2026

Introduced

Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments.

lower

May 5, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported favorably (16-0). Referred to the Legislative Bureau.

lower

Apr 27, 2026

Committee

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

lower

Apr 22, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read by title, passed by a vote of 34 yeas and 2 nays, and sent to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

upper

Apr 20, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported favorably.

upper

Apr 8, 2026

Committee

Read by title. Committee amendments read and adopted; ordered engrossed and recommitted to the Committee on Finance.

upper

Apr 7, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported with amendments.

upper

Mar 23, 2026

Introduced

Introduced in the Senate. Read by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors