House Bill No. by Representative Hilferty amends and reenacts sections R.S. 11:3384 and 3386 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes, which govern the retirement benefits for firefighters in the New Orleans Firefighters' Pension and Relief Fund. The bill outlines eligibility criteria for retirement benefits based on the date of employment, specifying that firefighters hired between December 31, 1967, and December 31, 2014, must be at least 50 years old with 12 years of service; those hired between January 1, 2015, and August 15, 2016, must be at least 52 years old; and those hired after August 15, 2016, must reach the full retirement age as defined by federal law. The bill also details accrual rates for retirement benefits, which vary based on the years of service and the date of hire.

Additionally, the bill includes provisions for service credit requirements, survivor benefits, contributions, and the process for withdrawals from service prior to retirement. Notably, it makes several technical corrections to existing law, including changing the phrasing from "enters the employ of" to "begins employment with" and clarifying the conditions under which members can withdraw from service while retaining their membership in the retirement system. The proposed changes aim to streamline the retirement process and ensure clarity in the eligibility and benefits structure for firefighters in New Orleans.

Statutes affected:
HB31 Original: