House Bill No. by Representative Glorioso amends and reenacts several sections of the Louisiana Revised Statutes related to the Municipal Employees' Retirement System (MERS). The bill introduces new definitions, including that any elected official not subject to certain provisions is presumed to be an "employee" unless stated otherwise by their governing authority. It also expands the definition of "employer" to include those who hire individuals in positions that would typically require participation in the Louisiana State Employees' Retirement System (LASERS) but who have opted to remain in MERS. Additionally, the bill modifies language throughout the statutes, replacing references to "municipality" with "participating employer."

The bill addresses various aspects of retirement benefits, including the return of accumulated contributions, computation of retirement allowances, and optional membership in different retirement plans. It specifies that refunds of accumulated contributions will only be made after a member has been separated from their employer for thirty days and all contributions have been submitted. Furthermore, it allows municipalities with employees covered under Social Security to opt into Plan A while prohibiting the transfer of service credit from Plan B. The bill also repeals a previous act that set a termination date for certain provisions, thereby extending their applicability.

Statutes affected:
HB21 Original: 11:1735(A), 11:1759(D), 11:1782(1), 11:1788(A), 11:1802(1)