Legislative Updates: Insights on Bills

Senate Bill No. 13 by Sen. Ed Price: This bill seeks to affect the flow of funds to the various segments of the UAL after the oldest segment of the UAL (debt) is paid off. TRSL is sponsoring this bill.

• LRTA Supports.
• Pending House Retirement

Senate Bill No. 14 by Sen. Ed Price: This bill seeks to address many of the issues that came out of the teacher shortage taskforce on retiree “return to work.” The taskforce made up of a variety of people from school superintendents to higher education staff and the Louisiana Department of education have endorsed these changes. The bill seeks to clarify many aspects of return to work for retirees and school systems and makes it easier for retirees to return to work. The earning threshold for part-time workers will move from 25 to 50%, thus allowing a retiree to work as a substitute teacher longer and/or spend more time tutoring. It will also allow all employees 65 years old or older to return to work without penalty regardless of position.

• LRTA Supports.
• Pending Senate Floor Action

Senate Bill No. 16 by Sen. Ed Price: This bill seeks to lower the number of required educational hours for board members of TRSL trustees.

• LRTA is Neutral.
• Voted favorably out of Senate Finance Committee on March 30, 2026
• Pending House Retirement

House Bill No. 42 by Rep. Tony Bacala: This bill seeks to create a phased retirement program for higher education. It would allow a person to be retired and working at the same time at an agreed upon percentage, i.e., 50% working and 50% retired. The bill is favored by the colleges and universities.

• LRTA is Neutral.
• Pending House Floor Action

House Bill No. 20 by Rep. Larry Bagley: This bill seeks to make changes to the return to work waiting period and adjusts it from one year to three months.

• LRTA Opposes.
• Bill Voluntarily Deferred

House Bill No. 25 by Rep. Annie Spell: A technical bill to align TRSL with some federal requirements regarding required minimum distributions. This bill is sponsored by TRSL.

• LRTA Supports.
• Pending House Floor Action

House Bill No. 14 by Rep. Roger Wilder: This bill seeks to create more options for making disabled adult children beneficiaries of TRSL retirees.

• LRTA Neutral.
• Pending House Retirement

House Bill No. 8 by Rep. Tony Bacala: This bill seeks to extend the amount of time legislative staff may be authorized to participate in the executive sessions of state retirement systems from one year to four.

• LRTA is Neutral.
• Pending Senate Introduction

House Bill No. 27 by Rep. Dixon McMakin: This bill seeks to remove the requirement that state retirement systems be required to use supplemental state allocations to pay their oldest UAL.

• LRTA is Neutral.
• Pending House Floor Action

House Bill No. 24 by Rep. Charles Owen: This bill seeks to allow a TRSL retiree to work for a school system as a contractor without penalty after completing a one year waiting period.

• LRTA is Neutral.
• Bill Voluntarily Deferred

House Bill 4 by Rep. Dixon McMakin (One to watch): This bill seeks to have a state constitutional convention and prescribes the dates and participants for it.

• LRTA is Neutral.