SB 85 Louisiana Senate · 2026 Regular Session

SHERIFFS: Provides for funding of certain insurance costs for retirees of the St. Charles Parish Sheriff's Office. (8/1/26)

SB 85 creates a permanent "St. Charles Parish Sheriff Retired Employees Insurance Fund" (SCREIF) to help cover group insurance premiums for retired sheriffs and deputy sheriffs in St. Charles Parish. The fund is built through optional contributions from the sheriff and requires specific investments (at least 25% in equities and 25% in investment-grade fixed income). Earnings from the fund can be used to pay retiree insurance costs only after the fund reaches $4 million in total value, and if the fund drops below that, the sheriff’s general fund must cover the costs. The bill also establishes an investment advisory board and mandates audits to ensure compliance.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

May 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

House Passage

May 2026

Signed into Law

May 2026

Introduced Feb 20, 2026 Signed May 15, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB85 Original → SB85 Act · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill establishes a new investment fund for retired St. Charles Parish law enforcement officers, shifting from direct payment of insurance premiums to a savings model. The sheriff must now invest the fund's assets in equities and fixed-income securities to build a reserve of at least $4 million before any earnings can be used to pay premiums. A three-member advisory board was created to oversee these investment decisions.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from a discretionary fund for specific retirees to a mandatory investment program for all eligible retired officers, with strict asset allocation and withdrawal thresholds.

REQUIREMENT

Created a mandatory investment requirement where the sheriff must invest at least 25% in equities and 25% in fixed income, with 75% of fixed income rated as investment grade.

Established a $4 million principal and earnings threshold that must be met before any investment earnings can be withdrawn to pay insurance premiums.

ENFORCEMENT

Created a new three-member SCREIF Board to provide investment recommendations and oversee the fund's management.

Added a requirement for financial audits to specifically verify compliance with the new investment and withdrawal rules.

FISCAL

Changed the funding mechanism from immediate payment of premiums to a system where premiums are paid only after the fund reaches the $4 million target, otherwise paid from the general fund.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 17, 2026 · House May 12, 2026

How they voted

39–0

Passed

Total votes 39

Mar 17, 2026

D Democratic11

11 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican28

28 Yea

100% 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 96, nays 0. 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

Mar 23, 2026

Committee

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

lower

Mar 17, 2026

Upper · Passed

Senate floor amendments read and adopted. Read by title and passed by a vote of 37 yeas and 0 nays; ordered reengrossed and sent to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

upper

Mar 10, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported favorably.

upper

Mar 9, 2026

Committee

Introduced in the Senate; read by title. Rules suspended. Read second time and referred to the Committee on Judiciary B.

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors