Amends the retirement eligibility rules for the Louisiana State Employees' Retirement System (LASERS). The bill modifies R.S. 11:441(A)(2) to adjust retirement eligibility criteria for LASERS members, focusing on service years and age requirements.

1. Key Provisions by Employment Date:

• Members hired on or after July 1, 2006:
• Eligible with 30 years of service at any age.
• Eligible with 5 years of service at age 60 or later.
• Eligible with 20 years of service at any age, but benefits are actuarially reduced from the earliest regular retirement age (under the 30-year or 5-year/age 60 options), excluding military service and unused leave. These members cannot join the Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP) or Initial Benefit Option.
• Members hired between January 1, 2011, and June 30, 2015 (excluding Hazardous Duty Services Plan members):
• Same as above: 30 years at any age, 5 years at age 60 or later, or 20 years with an actuarial reduction and restrictions on DROP and Initial Benefit Option.
• Members hired on or after July 1, 2015 (excluding Hazardous Duty Services Plan members):
• Eligible with 30 years of service at any age.
• Eligible with 5 years of service at age 62 or later (changed from age 60 in prior categories).
• Eligible with 20 years of service at any age, with the same actuarial reduction and restrictions as above.

1. Changes from Current Law:

• Current law ties retirement eligibility without reduction to hire date: age 60 with 5 years for those hired after July 1, 2006, or between December 31, 2010, and July 1, 2015 (for certain officials), and age 62 with 5 years for those hired after July 1, 2015.
• Proposed law standardizes the 30-years-at-any-age option across all groups and clarifies the 20-year reduced benefit option, while adjusting the 5-year minimum age to 62 for post-July 1, 2015 hires.

1. Funding:

• Any costs will be covered by additional employer contributions, per Article X, Section 29(F) of the Louisiana Constitution.

1. Scope:

• Applies to LASERS members generally, with exceptions for Hazardous Duty Services Plan members (defined in R.S. 11:612), whose eligibility is not altered here.

In summary, refines LASERS retirement eligibility by offering a consistent 30-year service option at any age, maintaining a 20-year reduced benefit option, and slightly raising the minimum age for the 5-year service option to 62 for newer hires, aiming to streamline and clarify retirement rules.

Proposes amendments to Louisiana's laws concerning penalties for operating a vehicle while impaired (DWI). The bill seeks to provide courts with the authority to offer alternatives to the mandatory installation of ignition interlock devices, specifically by allowing the use of electronic alcohol monitoring devices.

Key Provisions of the Bill:

• Alternative Monitoring Options: The bill permits courts to order offenders to wear a functioning electronic alcohol monitoring device instead of requiring the installation of an ignition interlock device on their vehicles. This alternative applies during the probation period following a DWI conviction.
• Restricted Driver's Licenses: Offenders may apply for a restricted driver's license during the suspension period by demonstrating to the Department of Public Safety and Corrections that they are either wearing a functioning electronic alcohol monitoring device or have installed a functioning ignition interlock device in their vehicle. The bill specifies that an ignition interlock device is not required for those who opt for and obtain a restricted license using the electronic alcohol monitoring device.
• Applicability: These provisions apply to both first and second offense DWI convictions, with specific amendments to various sections of the Revised Statutes and the Code of Criminal Procedure to incorporate the alternative monitoring options.

By introducing electronic alcohol monitoring devices as an alternative to ignition interlock devices, the bill aims to provide flexibility in monitoring DWI offenders while ensuring public safety.

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

Proposes a constitutional amendment to modify the distribution of severance tax revenues in Louisiana. Currently, the Louisiana Constitution mandates that 20% of the state severance tax on natural resources—excluding sulphur, lignite, or timber—be remitted to the parish where the extraction occurs. This remittance is subject to a cap, which was initially set at $850,000 annually per parish starting July 1, 2007, with adjustments for inflation each subsequent year.

The proposed amendment seeks to eliminate this cap, allowing parishes to receive the full 20% share of severance tax revenues without any dollar limitation. This change is slated to take effect on July 1, 2027, if approved. The amendment is scheduled to be presented to Louisiana voters during the statewide election on November 3, 2026.

The ballot proposition will read:

"Do you support an amendment to repeal limits on the dollar amount of state severance tax revenues paid to the parishes where the severance or production of natural resources occurs, thereby allowing parishes to keep a percentage of those revenues regardless of the dollar amount? (Effective July 1, 2027)"

NEEDS FISCAL NOTE companion to Constitutional Amendment

House Bill No. 320, introduced in the 2025 Regular Session by Representative Bagley, proposes extending state supplemental pay to public emergency medical services (EMS) practitioners. Currently, Louisiana provides a $600 monthly state supplement to regularly employed firefighters who have completed one year of service. This bill seeks to offer the same $600 monthly supplemental pay to EMS practitioners employed by political subdivisions of the state, effective July 1, 2027. Eligible EMS practitioners include licensed emergency medical technicians (EMTs), advanced EMTs, and paramedics who are full-time employees; part-time employees and volunteers are explicitly excluded. The bill also outlines procedures for disbursing these supplemental payments and specifies that the additional compensation should be factored into calculations for retirement benefits and other employment-related computations. The implementation of this act is contingent upon the adoption of a proposed amendment to Article VII of the Louisiana Constitution.

Is this really necessary and a state not local expense?