Transcript Highlights:

• My daughter didn't like this teacher.
• My daughter didn't like this<00:46:16.400><c> teacher.</c> this teacher. this teacher.
• The system failed my daughter and failed us.
• It's child restraint systems as well.
• You can use restraint systems as well.

Bills: HF1027 , HF2226 , HF1916 , HF1915 , HF1567 , HF1986

Committee: House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Keywords: mortgage foreclosure, redemption, foreclosure surplus, sheriff's sale, junior lienholder, mortgagor, homeowner protections, loss mitigation, dual tracking, foreclosure redemption period, certificate of redemption, certificate of sale, sheriff, county recorder, registrar of titles, homeownership center, lien priority, real property, foreclosure by advertisement, surplus funds

Transcript Highlights:

• quotes was when I ran into him at an event early in my tenure as a state rep and I said, 'How's retirement
• He was a former police officer. who had retired and when he retired, he became employed by all of the
• Mendez Memorial Highway in memory of retired Lieutenant Colonel Paul Mendez.
• Clerk: HB 2249 by Bernal, relating to the establishment of the Teacher Recruitment Clerk: Scholarship
• Program and the Teacher Retention Incentive Program.

Bills: HB 118 , HB388 , HB 114 , HB205 , HB2789 , HB2791 , HB499 , HB2960 , HB3163 , HB3135 , HB2427 , HB1618 , HB1672 , HB1722 , HB1338 , HB787 , HB2618 , HB879 , HB 1126 , HB4134 , HB3513 , HB718 , HB1536 , HB1445 , HB1640 , HB1893 , HB1734 , HB3229 , HB3306 , HB 1276 , HB3272 , HB3276 , HB3516 , HB4145 , HB1585 , HB4810 , HB2989 , HB2558 , HB3014 , HB2742 , HB1695 , HB29 , HB 125 , HB145 , HB171 , HB255 , HB50 , HB363 , HB 116 , HB491 , HB1495 , HB368 , HB 1285 , HB1905 , HB2002 , HB917 , HB2723 , HB2067 , HB 1238 , HB745 , HB 1188 , HB1606 , HB2003 , HB2147 , HB2355 , HB2546 , HB2495 , HB2818 , HB2249 , HB3228 , HB3240 , HB1507 , HB658 , HB1748 , HB1851 , HB1922 , HB2798 , HB 107 , HB1587 , HB3684 , HB 118 , HB388 , HB 114 , HB205 , HB2789 , HB2791 , HB499 , HB2960 , HB3163 , HB3135 , HB2427 , HB1618 , HB1672 , HB1722 , HB1338 , HB787 , HB2618 , HB879 , HB 1126 , HB4134 , HB3513 , HB718 , HB1536 , HB1445 , HB1640 , HB1893 , HB1734 , HB3229 , HB3306 , HB 1276 , HB3272 , HB3276 , HB3516 , HB4145 , HB1585 , HB4810 , HB2989 , HB2558 , HB3014 , HB2742 , HB1695 , HB609 , HB630 , HB420 , HB767 , HB1708 , HB1404 , HB2457 , HB140 , HB227 , HB913 , HB2198 , HB2763 , HB 1261 , HB 1135 , HB1318 , HB2358 , HB2765 , HB2735 , HB3307 , HB 1242 , HB2842 , HB333 , HB201 , HB694 , HB2415 , HB155 , HB272 , HB405 , HB519 , HB 1136 , HB 1275 , HB1437 , HB1532 , HB1675 , HB1868 , HB1888 , HB1990 , HB2286 , HB2523 , HB3129 , HB3251 , HB3354 , HB3479 , HB3803 , HB3804 , HB3805 , HB3806 , HB3887 , HB4163 , HB4238 , HB 1240 , HB1842 , HB2029 , HB2622 , HB3255 , HB654 , HB4643 , HB4945 , HB3611 , HB3724 , HB3623 , HB3810 , HB4127 , HCR78 , HCR12 , SB767

Keywords: HB 388, HB388, coordination of benefits, COB questionnaire, health benefit plan, health insurance, insurance commissioner, Texas Department of Insurance, uniform form, primary payer, secondary payer, multiple coverage, dual coverage, Medicaid, CHIP, managed care, HMO, small employer health plan, school district health coverage, self-funded plan

Transcript Highlights:

• and local retirement systems.
• income comes from our public retirement systems, do not have... ...share of their retirement income
• itself, make up the Hampden County Regional Retirement System, a system that serves over 3,000 active
• The retirement system started in 1935.
• Employees started to contribute to their retirement systems in 1946.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Service

Summary: The committee heard testimony on a range of public retirement and municipal health insurance bills. Mass Retirees and the American Federation of Teachers supported House 2890/Senate 1848 on transparency in municipal health insurance, arguing that broker and consultant roles should be clearly defined, commissions disclosed, and dual roles prohibited to reduce conflicts of interest and costs. They also supported House 2799/Senate 1848 on protecting municipal retirees from future premium contribution increases, House 2854 on voting rights for surviving spouses in retirement board elections, and Senate 1917 on updating the definition of veteran for retirement purposes. Committee members discussed whether the veteran definition should simply conform to the federal definition going forward. Educators testified in support of House 2769/Senate 1921, which would allow teachers with at least 20 years of service to buy back creditable service for periods when they worked part-time while raising children. Multiple teachers described the financial and retirement penalties they experienced after stepping down to part-time work for child care, calling the current system inequitable and a “mom tax.” Sponsors and supporters said the bill is intended to correct that disparity and help retain teachers, while one committee member noted it appeared neutral on an actuarial basis. The committee also heard strong support for Senate 1908, which would raise the cap on outside income for public pension recipients, from retired State Police troopers who said the current limit is outdated and unfair to those forced into disability retirement after line-of-duty injuries. Another State Police representative supported House 2910 on state police pensions, citing recruitment and retention problems under current pension rules. In contrast, Hampden County Regional Retirement System officials and the Massachusetts Association of Contributory Retirement Systems opposed House 2745, a bill to restructure the Hampden County system’s governance, arguing it would weaken PERAC oversight and create an unworkable local system. They instead supported House 2813, which would extend the time to fill a vacant fifth member seat on retirement boards. At the end of the hearing, the committee voted to adjourn the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 2396 deals with provisions of the Missouri teacher retirement system, better known as the
• PSRS system, and it governs the retirement of the teachers in the state and the public schools.
• So, just on full disclosure, I have a retired wife who's a teacher, many friends who are retired teachers
• And lastly, you can't do anything that's going to do terrible damage to the retirement system for teachers
• The teachers didn't leave because the retirement system looked too good.

Committee: House Elementary and Secondary Education

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 2396 deals with provisions of the Missouri teacher retirement system, better known as the
• PSRS system, and it governs the retirement of teachers in the state and the public schools.
• retired from that system.
• Working year after year to make changes in teacher certification or in the retirement system to try to
• The teachers didn't leave because the retirement system looked too good.

Committee: House Elementary and Secondary Education

Summary: The committee met in executive session first and took up House Bill 3239, adopting a Hurlbert amendment that capped the program at $4 million and then adopting the House Committee Substitute. The substitute bill passed 11-7. The committee then combined House Bill 2913 and House Bill 3228 into one substitute; members discussed that it would not cover student teachers and was intended to start with the current scope and broaden later. The combined substitute passed unanimously, 19-0. In open session, the committee heard House Bill 2195, which would create a Missouri Integrated Safe Driving Program to let DESE vet and distribute safe-driving lesson materials for voluntary use in existing courses starting in 2027-2028. Sponsor Representative Reedy said the bill is intended to improve teen driver safety without a fiscal note. Supporters included AAA Missouri, traffic-safety and motorcycle groups, MoDOT, and the Missouri Insurance Coalition, who cited teen crash and fatality data, the benefits of formal driver education, and the need to address distracted driving, traffic stops, and motorcycle awareness. No one testified in opposition. The committee also heard House Bill 2502, which would clarify how records from closed nonpublic schools and charter schools are transferred and stored so students can later obtain transcripts and graduation records. The sponsor said the bill responds to missing records from closed schools and would direct records to the appropriate public district; a technical correction was noted to avoid including homeschool records. Missouri NEA supported the bill and suggested charter-school performance contracts include compliance expectations. The committee then heard House Bill 2396, which would allow retired teachers to return to PSRS-covered teaching jobs without a time limit, similar to existing critical-shortage provisions. The sponsor argued it would help districts, especially smaller ones, and could benefit teachers and students without harming the retirement system. PSRS/PEERS testified that the bill could raise contribution rates by an estimated 1.44% to 2.45% and raised concerns about behavior changes and IRS qualification issues; Missouri NEA and the Missouri State Teachers Association opposed the bill, saying it would not solve recruitment and retention problems and could damage the retirement system. The Missouri Retired Teachers Association testified for informational purposes, warning that the bill could prompt many eligible teachers to retire sooner.

Transcript Highlights:

• I am a retired teacher, and I have, when you retire... ...money is I am a retired teacher, and I have
• I am a part of the teachers' retirement system, too.
• It simply brings the teachers' retirement system in line with updated IRS law.
• I'm the director of the Teachers' Retirement System. Rep.
• House Bill 42 by Chairman Bacala, relative to the Teachers' Retirement System of Louisiana, to provide

Committee: House Retirement

Summary: The Retirement Committee met on March 26, 2026, with a quorum present. House Bill 24 was voluntarily deferred at the start of the meeting. The committee then heard House Bill 20, which would have allowed retired teachers to return to work under superintendent discretion while drawing retirement benefits. Representative Bagley argued the bill would help address teacher shortages by letting districts hire experienced certified teachers, while Representative Taylor raised broader concerns about how returning retirees are treated. After discussion, HB 20 was voluntarily deferred. The committee next considered House Bill 25, a technical update to the Teachers’ Retirement System to conform with changes in the Internal Revenue Code, including benefit commencement and surviving spouse election provisions. Catherine Whitney of TRSL said the bill is routine compliance legislation reviewed periodically by the system’s tax attorney. An amendment was adopted, and HB 25 was reported favorably as amended. House Bill 23, a cost-of-living adjustment bill for LASERS retirees, was also amended to raise the benefit cap from $80,000 to $81,201 and then reported favorably as amended. House Bill 42 proposed a phased retirement program for higher education employees in the Teachers’ Retirement System, allowing partial retirement and part-time work with partial benefits. Bacala said it was intended to help retain talent at universities and was based on prior task force recommendations; an amendment was adopted to set the participation framework for universities, and the bill was reported favorably as amended. House Bill 32, a LASERS cleanup bill addressing disability retiree restoration, administrative errors, and benefit calculations, was described by LASERS as technical in nature and was reported favorably. House Bill 13, a State Police Retirement System reamortization bill, was amended to adjust timing and technical provisions and then reported favorably as amended. Finally, the committee took up House Bill 41 on the Firefighters’ Retirement System board makeup. A new amendment package replaced earlier amendments and would eliminate term limits, expand elected active-member seats from two to five, remove chief association appointments, and require vacancies to be filled by election. Supporters described it as a compromise intended to better represent the system’s active members, while the Louisiana Fire Chiefs Association objected that chiefs had been left out of the negotiations and said they provide important budget and governance expertise. Despite the opposition, the committee adopted the amendments and reported HB 41 favorably as amended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Part of the law says that a teacher can retire and go back to work and draw 25% of their retirement.
• I am a retired teacher, and I have, when you retire... ...money is—I am a retired teacher, and I have
• , if I leave that in the retirement system, I hadn't caused the retirement system anything.
• And he argued, and at the end, he said... ...system, I hadn't caused the retirement system anything.
• I am a part of the teachers' retirement system, too.

Committee: House Retirement

Transcript Highlights:

• to teacher retirement.
• to teacher retirement.
• the opportunity to buy into the same retirement system that all newly hired teachers are automatically
• These are primarily members of the Massachusetts Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement Systems.
• As a retired public school teacher of 35 years, As a retired public school teacher of 35 years, I was

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Service

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Service held a hearing focused first on teacher retirement legislation, especially H. 2932 and S. 1884, which would give long-serving educators a one-time opportunity to enroll in Retirement Plus after the program’s 2001 rollout was described as confusing and inconsistently communicated. Legislators, union leaders, and many teachers testified that some educators missed the opt-in window because of faulty notices, leave status, transfers, or misinformation about payroll deductions, and that many have had to work several extra years as a result. Supporters said the bills would correct an unfair administrative error, provide a buyback option with interest, and could also save local school districts money by allowing earlier retirements. Representative Mark Sylvia also testified for H. 4234, a Fairhaven-specific bill to raise the age limit for special police officers from 65 to 70 and clarify appointing authority, citing experience and budget needs. The committee then heard testimony on several pension investment and divestment bills. Supporters of H. 2811 and related climate-risk measures argued that PRIM should assess, disclose, and address climate-related financial risk in the state pension fund, warning that fossil fuel investments could threaten long-term returns and public finances. Environmental advocates and financial experts said climate risk is systemic and urged transparency, divestment planning, and alignment with the Commonwealth’s climate goals. Another set of speakers supported H. 2984, which would divest pension investments from companies selling weapons to Israel; they argued the state should not be complicit in violence in Gaza and cited humanitarian and human rights concerns. Additional testimony supported H. 2900 and S. 1869 to divest from the firearm industry, with speakers saying pension investments should not undermine Massachusetts gun laws. No votes were taken during the hearing. The chairs repeatedly thanked speakers, limited testimony time, and noted that written testimony could be submitted later. The hearing concluded with the committee moving through the sign-up list and hearing extensive public testimony on the teacher retirement and divestment proposals.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> teachers elects to retire early. teachers elects to retire early.
• We are losing great teachers to neighboring states because our retirement system is falling behind.
• We are losing great teachers to neighboring states because our retirement system is falling behind.
• </c><01:37:40.159><c> teacher</c> And that is when a t retired teacher And that is when a t retired teacher
• Paul Teachers Retirement Fund.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill would allow nurses working in our public schools to purchase credit in the retirement system
• That, along with Senate 1900, would allow vested members in the retirement system to purchase credible
• That, along with Senate 1900, would allow vested members in the retirement system to purchase credible
• They are part of the Massachusetts Port Authority retirement system.
• Out of all 105 Massachusetts public retirement systems, the Massport Retirement System has one of the

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Service

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Service held a hearing on a wide range of credible service and retirement-related bills, with testimony largely focused on allowing public employees to buy back prior service time or receive more appropriate retirement classifications. Bills discussed included retirement buyback for Joint Base Cape Cod firefighters (H. 4317), clarification of call firefighter buyback rights (H. 2883/S. 1915), veterans’ buyback (H. 2957), a Bridgewater State University police death-benefit/heart-law issue (filed by Rep. Gallagher), unpaid parental leave buyback for municipal employees (H. 2946), school nurse creditable service (H. 2887/S. 1787), former private/parochial school teacher buyback (S. 1900/H. 2873), Massport police retirement classification (S. 1888), contract employee buyback (H. 2795), Retirement Plus late entry (H. 2792), CVTE/teacher-related buyback issues (H. 2762), Peace Corps/AmeriCorps creditable service (H. 2927), and institutional school teacher retirement fairness (H. 2757). Several speakers also referenced related bills for teachers and nurses that had been heard previously or were filed in parallel in the other branch. Testimony was overwhelmingly in support of the bills. Speakers argued that the measures would correct inequities, recognize prior public service, and help recruit and retain workers in hard-to-fill public jobs. Firefighters described the unique federal-to-state transition at Joint Base Cape Cod and said some members were left out of earlier buyback opportunities. Veterans, teachers, school nurses, correctional educators, and Massport police all described service requirements, administrative gaps, or outdated statutory language that they said unfairly limited retirement credit or placed them in the wrong retirement group. Several witnesses emphasized that the proposals were fiscally responsible because employees would pay the cost of the buybacks, and some noted that similar bills had been filed repeatedly in prior sessions. Committee members asked a few clarifying questions, mostly about why certain employees had been excluded under current law or how the retirement provisions would work. No opposition testimony was presented. The hearing concluded after all scheduled witnesses testified, with the chairs thanking participants for their service and the committee voting to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 42 provides relative to the phased retirement program within the Teacher Retirement System
• Retirement System.
• Well, she's still paying into the retirement system, or he's still paying into the retirement system.
• I'm the director of the Teacher Retirement System.
• Employee Retirement System.

Committee: Senate Retirement

Summary: The Senate Committee on Retirement met on May 5 with four members present. HB 41 was deferred until the following week, and the committee approved the April 20, 2026 minutes. The committee then took up several retirement-system bills, many of them negotiated measures involving municipal police, firefighters, teachers, district attorneys, and judges. HB 45, by Rep. Bacallat, was amended and reported favorably. It makes changes to the Municipal Police Employees Retirement System, including retention bonuses, recognition of out-of-state police service, benefits for three officers killed in the line of duty before full enrollment, a DROP fix, and more competitive accrual rates. Testimony from the Louisiana Municipal Association, MEPERS, police representatives, and Mayor Helena Marino was strongly supportive, emphasizing that the bill resolves longstanding disputes and litigation. HB 1237, also by Rep. Bacallat, was reported favorably after testimony that it eliminates partial dissolution penalties for municipal police and adjusts related firefighter provisions; witnesses said it was a negotiated fix supported by municipal and fire stakeholders. HB 42, concerning phased retirement in the Teacher Retirement System, was reported favorably as a permissive framework allowing universities to offer phased retirement options. HB 17, by the District Attorneys’ Retirement System director, was reported favorably to add the Louisiana District Attorneys Association to the definition of employer and require annual reporting on the rehire statute. HB 21, a cleanup bill for the Municipal Employees Retirement System, was also reported favorably. HB 1134, creating a backdrop retirement option for certain judges whose positions are abolished, was amended and reported favorably after LASERS raised questions about early retirement eligibility and the need to bar future judicial candidacy. HB 24, by Rep. Owen, drew the most discussion. It would allow retired or certified teachers to return to work through contracts with school systems, with a three-year sunset. The sponsor argued it would help keep qualified teachers in classrooms and avoid midyear departures, while TRSL, the Louisiana School Board Association, and committee members raised concerns about fiscal impact, contractor status, workers’ compensation, leave rules, and overlap with a separate bill being worked on by the chairman. After an amendment clarifying the independent-contractor definition was adopted, the committee chose to hold the bill in committee for further work rather than advance it immediately. The meeting ended with a motion to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• I serve as deputy executive secretary and general counsel for the Teachers Retirement System.
• Teachers Retirement System. Teachers Retirement System.
• </c> Teachers Retirement System. Teachers Retirement System.
• the retirement system for teachers.<01:20:27.920><c> And</c> teachers.
• </c> Retirement System, CERS. Retirement System, CERS.

Summary: The meeting began with roll call, confirmation of a quorum, and approval of the prior minutes. The main presentation was from KPPA officials Ryan Barrow and Erin Saratt on the annual actuarial valuations for the retirement and insurance systems. They said the systems’ funding status improved overall, with three of five insurance funds fully funded, CERS hazardous dropping from over 100% funded to 90.9% because of premium changes, and KRS receiving $650 million in supplemental funding over the biennium. They also reported strong investment returns above assumed rates, higher payroll and membership counts, and resulting actuarial losses tied to higher salaries and premiums, especially on the insurance side. Members asked several questions about what drove the actuarial losses and whether legislation affected them. KPPA said the CERS insurance loss was driven by premium increases and Senate Bill 10, while the pension-side losses were largely due to higher payroll and benefits for Tier 1 and Tier 2 members. They explained that new Tier 3 employees are designed to add no additional unfunded liability, and that the state administers the systems but does not directly control all hiring. Questions also focused on retiree health premiums, which KPPA said rose about 15% for non-Medicare retirees and 38% for Medicare retirees, with the increase attributed to utilization, prescription costs, and the Inflation Reduction Act. The committee then heard from TRS Deputy Executive Secretary and General Counsel Beau Barnes on the 2025 TRS actuarial valuation. He reported that the Retirement Annuity Trust and Health Insurance Trust both received full funding, the retirement trust’s funded ratio improved to 61%, TRS 4 remains well funded with no liability, and the health insurance trust improved to 89.1%. Barnes said TRS is on track to fully fund legacy liabilities within the amortization period, with 2044 as the point when the system reflects 100% funding and 2046 as the last year needing additional dollars for the legacy liability. He also explained that lower assumed investment returns and updated mortality assumptions increased liabilities, but that TRS uses direct rate smoothing for budgeting purposes. At the end of the meeting, the chair circulated a proposed set of “do’s and don’ts of pensions,” emphasizing that future legislation should not create unfunded liabilities. Barnes also noted he would later discuss several legislative proposals for the 2026 session, but the transcript provided ends before that discussion or any votes on those proposals.

Transcript Highlights:

• As I understand the process now, if the retired teacher comes back, the school system pays into TRSL,
• Now, if the retired teacher comes back, the school system pays into TRSL, and the teacher pays into
• I'm the director of the Teachers' Retirement System.
• ' Retirement System.
• ' Retirement System.

Committee: House Retirement

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:14:34.000><c> again</c> retirement system um as well. again retirement system um as well. again
• ' Retirement System and the County Employees Retirement System.
• ' Retirement System and the County Employees Retirement System.
• that haven't been in the system as long, those Tier 4 teachers, that's the group that we're finding.
• , but I'm in the CS retirement system and my husband is 29 and a half years in KTRS.

Summary: The committee first took up Representative John Blanton’s bill on pension spiking and Kentucky Public Pension Authority administration. Blanton said the measure would make a prior court-related pension-spiking fix retroactive to July 1, 2022, so employees who retired between that date and the court ruling would be treated the same as those covered by the earlier legislation. KPPPA staff said they did not think the bill would go beyond the Court of Appeals ruling, but noted it could prompt requests from people who retired before July 1, 2022. Members asked about how many retirees might be affected, whether the language was narrow enough, and whether the bill could open the door to additional claims; Blanton estimated roughly 1,000 retirees would need review, with fewer actually impacted. No vote was taken on the bill in the excerpt. The committee then heard Senator Matt Nunn and Scott County Schools Superintendent Billy Parker present a proposal allowing school districts to offer teachers and other employees a voluntary payout for unused sick days. Supporters said the idea could improve attendance, reduce substitute costs and classroom disruptions, help retain younger teachers, and potentially lower long-term retirement-related costs because the payout would not count toward pension compensation. They emphasized the program would be optional for districts and employees, would require teachers to keep at least 15 sick days in reserve, and would be district-funded rather than a state cost. Members raised questions about budget impact, tax treatment, pension effects, and whether the incentive would actually change behavior; the bill sponsor and witnesses said the payout would be taxed like other compensation and would not affect TRS or CERS benefits. One member requested reporting on how the program would be used, and the sponsor said he would be open to adding that. The sponsor also noted a later committee-substitute change would allow use of accumulated sick leave for observance of religious holidays not otherwise on the school calendar, with a personal statement from the employee.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 2396 deals with provisions of the Missouri teacher retirement system, better known as the
• PSRS system, and it governs the retirement of the teachers in the state and the public schools.
• And lastly, you can't do anything that's going to do terrible damage to the retirement system for teachers
• retired from that system.
• The teachers didn’t leave because the retirement system looked too good.

Committee: House Professional Registration and Licensing

Transcript Highlights:

• Retirement System.
• </c> general counsel for the teachers general counsel for the teachers retirement<00:27:16.960><c> system
• ><c> returning</c> that retired teacher is returning that retired teacher is returning full-time<00:31
• their retirement voided by that retirement system.
• </c><00:41:38.640><c> system</c> they'll have their retirement system they'll have their retirement system

Summary: The meeting began with quorum, approval of the prior minutes, and an announcement that the June meeting had been canceled and replaced by this combined May/June meeting; the next official PPOB meeting was announced for July 21 at 2:30. Staff then gave an overview of the Public Pension Oversight Board’s required actuarial audit process, explaining that House Bill 238 requires a review every five years of the retirement systems’ actuarial assumptions and methods, funded by the systems themselves. The presentation distinguished this audit from a financial or forensic audit, described the three possible audit levels (full replication, limited/spot review, or basic review), and noted that the last audit in 2021 was a level one performed by Milleman Consulting at a cost of about $190,000. Members discussed timing for the next audit cycle, with a request to LRC likely needed in July or August to target the June 30, 2026 valuation, and several members expressed interest in another level one review. Questions also addressed whether prior audits found major issues; staff said the 2021 review was generally clean but recommended more consistency in reporting and assumptions across systems. The committee then welcomed new staff and interns, including Odet Guanzi of KPPPA and Team Kentucky intern Amamira Bowman. Bo Barnes of the Teachers Retirement System presented an overview of the statutory framework for reemployment after retirement under KRS 161.605. He explained that the law is intended to let retirees return to help with staffing needs, do so in an actuarially sound way through required contributions, and keep TRS compliant with federal tax rules for a qualified plan under section 401(a). Barnes described the required breaks in service and earnings limits for retirees returning part-time or full-time, including the three-month or 12-month break depending on the employer, the 6,900-day limit, and the daily wage threshold based on years of service. He also noted a lightly used critical shortage program that allows school districts to hire retirees without a wage cap, while still observing the break-in-service rules. Members asked questions about who decides the scope and level of the actuarial audit, how the audit would treat leave balances and other benefit-related items, and whether the prior level one audit identified substantial problems. Staff said the committee would request the audit, but LRC would handle contracting, and that the audit scope could include items like sick leave and annual leave costs if requested. On the reemployment topic, Barnes emphasized that the rules are designed to avoid pre-arranged retire-and-return arrangements that could jeopardize TRS’s tax-qualified status. No formal votes were taken beyond approving the minutes, and the meeting concluded with the presentations and discussion of these pension oversight issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• As I understand the process now, if the retired teacher comes back, the school system pays into TRSL,
• Now, if the retired teacher comes back, the school system pays into TRSL, and the teacher pays into
• I'm the director of the Teachers' Retirement System.
• retirement system.
• ' Retirement System.

Committee: House Retirement

Summary: The Retirement Committee heard several retirement-related bills and deferred two measures at the start: HB 26 and HB 993 were voluntarily deferred by the author. HB 31, by Rep. Eccles, would allow certain small municipalities to terminate participation in the municipal police employees’ retirement system and create a lower-cost “Plan C” option for small towns like Stirlington. After discussion about population and officer-count limits, the committee adopted amendments, heard concerns from the Municipal Police Employees’ Retirement System about remaining issues, and reported HB 31 as amended favorably. The committee also advanced HB 1134, which creates a backdrop-style retirement option for judges whose positions are abolished, and HB 24, which would allow retired teachers to return to work as one-year contract teachers without the current retirement contribution structure. TRSL testified that return-to-work policy is complex and that a broader Senate study-group proposal is also moving, but the committee reported HB 1134 and HB 24 favorably. HB 21, a technical correction to the Municipal Employees’ Retirement System law, was amended to remove a sunset problem that would be fixed in another bill and was reported favorably as amended. Later, the committee reported HB 1017 favorably, which limits former spouses’ claims to post-divorce earnable compensation in the Firefighters’ Retirement System, with testimony that the bill would reduce litigation over promotions and raises after divorce. HB 43, which would let certain LASERS members retire after 35 years of service at any age, drew testimony from LASERS about its cost and workforce effects but received no motion and was voluntarily deferred. HB 30 was also voluntarily deferred because its substance would be moved into another bill. The committee then took up two major municipal police bills. HB 45, after extensive negotiations among the author, the Louisiana Municipal Association, EMPERS, and the City of New Orleans, was substantially rewritten by amendment to address retention pay, out-of-state service credit purchases, survivor benefits for certain officers killed in the line of duty, COLA funding, and a reduction in the non-hazardous accrual rate. The committee adopted the amendments and reported HB 45 as amended favorably. HB 49, a related bill on municipal police and firefighter retirement issues, was also replaced by a substitute that changed opt-out procedures, revised partial dissolution rules, and preserved full dissolution liability; after testimony that the changes would save New Orleans and other cities significant money, the committee adopted the substitute and reported HB 49 as substituted favorably. The meeting ended with adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• across the public retirement system from 16 to 12 hours.
• This reduction will also assist the smaller retirement systems. Ms. Michelle...
• This reduction will also assist the smaller retirement system. Ms. Michelle.
• Catherine and Whitney from the teacher retirement system. Good afternoon. Catherine Whitney.
• I'm the director of the Teacher's Retirement System.

Bills: SB8 , SB10 , SB11 , SB12 , SB13 , SB14 , SB16 , SB17 , SB18 , SB20 , SB21 , SB22 , SB416 , SB455 , SB456 , SB477

Committee: House Retirement

Summary: The Retirement Committee met on April 29, 2026, established a quorum, and heard a series of retirement-related bills, mostly cleanup or technical measures affecting various public retirement systems. SB 22 would extend Municipal Employees Retirement System eligibility to certain positions in the Second City Court constable’s office in New Orleans. SB 17 would create a funding deposit account for cost-of-living adjustments for registrars of voters’ employees’ retirement system. SB 455 would allow certain district and parish courts to participate in the Parochial Employees Retirement System. SB 456 would update compensation rules for assigned retired judges, and SB 8 would add the Louisiana Asset Management Pool as a participating employer in MERS. All of these bills were described as aligning statutes with current practice or expanding participation options, and each was reported favorably without objection. The committee also heard several Louisiana State Police retirement bills. SB 10 would repeal outdated priority allocation and retiree raise rules and adjust handling of surplus employee contributions; SB 11 would increase the funding cap for benefit increases from 2.5% to 3.5%; and SB 12 would update membership and definition language to reflect the State Police Commission rather than the Civil Service Commission. SB 18 would repeal a special exception allowing certain MERS retirees to return to part-time work while collecting full benefits, while protecting roughly 30 current participants. SB 20 and SB 21 would update actuarial gain/loss and unfunded liability funding rules for school employees’ retirement and LASERS, respectively, in light of the new permanent benefit increase funding structure. Each of these bills was supported by system officials as cleanup or modernization measures and was reported favorably. The committee spent the most time on education and return-to-work issues for teachers and public employees. SB 16 would reduce annual trustee training requirements for retirement system boards from 16 hours back to 12 hours, which witnesses said would better fit smaller systems and match the original intent of the law. SB 13 would similarly update TRSL’s actuarial funding rules after the sunset of the experience account. SB 14, based on a 2025 study work group, would consolidate and simplify TRSL return-to-work rules and expand options for retired teachers, with witnesses emphasizing teacher shortages and the need to retain experienced educators. All three were reported favorably. Finally, SB 416 would allow certain Department of Public Safety and Corrections retirees to return to critical shortage positions after one year, and SB 477 would classify the chairman of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board as a full-time state employee for retirement purposes. Both bills drew questions and discussion, especially SB 416, and both were reported favorably. The chair announced the committee’s next meeting would be moved from Monday to Tuesday, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• In March, we will find out that we could have not just an exodus of teachers, but a mass exodus of retiring
• It's a benefit for teachers because that retirement is not subject to state income tax; it's sitting
• That was a question: if you got a bonus check as a retiring teacher, you wouldn't get that.
• I think the retirement system is like 68% funded now.
• Retired employees and educators help us with those retirement systems. I know...

Bills: SB45 , SB73 , SB169 , HB243 , SB177

Committee: House Fiscal Responsibility

Keywords: athlete agents, commission, state regulation, Alabama, higher education, athletics, membership diversity, catastrophe savings account, catastrophe fund, storm savings, disaster savings, hurricane, windstorm, floodwaters, hail, tornado, property insurance, homeowners insurance, insurance deductible, FORTIFIED

Transcript Highlights:

• Member of Senate Bill 366 basically states that if a public school system sells or leases a building
• And then they wrapped that parent piece into their accountability system.
• And with our accountability system, we had the opportunity in Oklahoma to ensure that no matter what
• This gives them a legal way to attend to an email distribution system.
• It's just helping our agencies to run efficiently with email distribution systems.

Bills: SB1627 , SB227 , SB366 , SB1193 , SB1433 , SB1450 , SB1481 , SB1749 , SB1810 , SB1812 , SB1921 , SB1948 , SB2044 , SB2178 , SB169 , SB1877 , HB1409 , SB1266 , SB1432

Keywords: criminal code cleanup, duplicate statutes, statutory consolidation, repealer bill, emergency clause, Title 21 crimes, Title 47 DUI, child abuse reporting, child neglect, child sexual abuse material, child pornography, sex offenses, rape, stalking, domestic abuse, domestic violence, human trafficking, sex trafficking, gang-related offense, eluding police