Session News #11: House retirement committee takes action on PBI bill, passes more return-to-work legislation

May 14, 2015

The House Retirement Committee met and voted on the following legislation affecting TRSL and its members.

The committee voted to report HB 42 (Rep. Jones) unfavorably to the full House. The bill would provide a 1.5% permanent benefit increase (also known as a COLA) to eligible retirees of the four state retirement systems.
 
Last week the House Retirement Committee failed to report the bill to the full House. The chamber, then directed the committee to report the bill to the full House floor by May 14. The full House can now either accept or reject the unfavorable report from the committee.
 
In other action, the committee voted to report SB 20 by Sen. Long favorably, as amended. SB 20 changes TRSL’s return-to-work law as follows:

• expands the grandfathered group of “retired teachers” to include individuals who retired on or before June 30, 2010, regardless of whether or not they were rehired by that date;

• allows retirees serving as substitute teachers under the 25% earnings limit to proctor certain tests. Combined earnings through substitute teaching and test proctoring will still be subject to the 25% earnings limit;

• requires employers to post a job notice at a the career development office or similar entity at every post-secondary institution within a 120-mile radius of the school board, and annually certify that a critical shortage of certain positions exists in the school district; and

• adds school counselors, school social workers, and educational diagnosticians to the list of critical shortage positions that qualify as “retired teachers.”

Re-employed TRSL members classified as “retired teachers” are eligible to receive a salary and their retirement benefits after a 12-month waiting period.

The committee also voted to favorably report SB 16 by (Sen. Guillory), which would make technical corrections to Act 399 of 2014.

Senate bills 16 and 20 now move to the full House for consideration. 
 
Coming up next week:

The Senate Retirement Committee will meet at 12 p.m., Monday, May 18. Three bills affecting TRSL are scheduled to be heard.

• HB 10 (Rep. Pearson) would allow TRSL members to purchase service credit for out-of-state private teaching service.

• HB 43 (Rep. LeBas) would gradually raise the salary cap to 50% of the retirement benefit for TRSL retirees re-employed as substitute classroom teachers.

• SB 18 (Sen. Adley) provides for higher education liability payments.

House Retirement Committee is not scheduled to meet next week. To view a comprehensive list of all legislation affecting TRSL this session, visit the Legislation page of TRSL’s website.