LouisianaLouisiana college boards may offer phased retirement to eligible staff
Louisiana public college and university boards may offer eligible employees voluntary phased retirement, with programs starting no earlier than July 1, 2027.
What it does
Approved participants receive a reduced retirement benefit while working part time, then the full regular benefit when the program ends. Their benefit amount and service credit stay fixed during participation.
Boards may offer eligible employees a voluntary path toward retirement, with written terms and a work schedule lasting one to three years.
The text sets a 1.8 percent of pay contribution for optional retirement plan participants, if money is appropriated.
Employers pay the full monthly fee for optional retirement plan participants starting in 2027.
Argument forA phased schedule could help colleges keep experienced employees longer and pass their knowledge to coworkers as they move toward retirement.
Argument againstParticipants may receive less income during phased retirement and stop earning defined benefit service credit while working at least half time.
More detail
The retirement system pays an approved participant a reduced benefit during phased retirement, then the full regular benefit after the program ends. This applies to a Teachers' Retirement System of Louisiana member approved for a public postsecondary institution's phased retirement program. The employee must qualify under the institution's policy and be approved to participate. The reduced benefit is based on the full regular benefit available when participation begins, reduced by the participant's share of full-time work. The participant's benefit amount, average compensation, and service credit stay fixed during participation, and neither the participant nor employer pays contributions to the defined benefit plan. The reduced benefit applies throughout participation. The full regular benefit begins when participation is complete.
A public postsecondary education management board may create a phased retirement program and must adopt a policy if it does. A board may cover employees at public postsecondary institutions under its management and supervision. Participation must be voluntary. The policy must include employees who can retire, have at least ten years of Louisiana public postsecondary service without a refund of retirement contributions, and are at least 59½ years old. Participation must last 12 to 36 months. A written agreement must set workload, schedule, and expectations, and receive required institutional approvals. Workload must be at least 50 percent, and employees must acknowledge the terms in writing. The policy must set reemployment rules for after the program and bar participants from another job eligible for a different retirement system. Boards may adopt a policy before July 1, 2027, but may not start a program before that date.
Public postsecondary boards and their institutions and agencies contribute 1.8 percent of pay for each optional retirement plan participant. This applies to optional retirement plan participants and the public postsecondary boards, institutions, and agencies that contribute for them. The contribution is subject to appropriation. The Board of Regents must tell the retirement system by the start of each fiscal year whether funds were appropriated. The stated contribution begins July 1, 2026.
The employer pays the full monthly fee for an optional retirement plan participant. This applies to the employer's monthly fee for an optional retirement plan participant. The full employer payment applies beginning July 1, 2027.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jun 9Signed by the Governor Jeff Landry. Becomes Act No. 781.Became Law
- Jun 9Effective date: 08/01/2026.
- Jun 4Sent to the Governor for executive approval.To Governor
- Jun 1Read by title, returned to the calendar.
- Vote recorded ADOPT CONFERENCE REPORT (#1838). Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded CONCUR (#1635). Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 1Called from the calendar.
- Jun 1Conference Committee Report read, roll called, yeas 101, nays 0. Having received two-thirds vote of the elected members, the Conference Committee Report was adopted.
- Jun 1Notice House adopted the Conference Committee Report.
- Jun 1Conference Committee Report read; adopted by a vote of 36 yeas and 0 nays.
- Jun 1Notice of Senate adoption of Conference Committee Report.
- Jun 1Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.Minor
- Jun 1Signed by the President of the Senate on 6/2/2026.
- May 31Conference Committee report received. Lies over under the rules.
- May 31Conference committee report received.
- May 31Scheduled for floor debate on 06/01/2026.
- May 29Read by title, roll called, yeas 95, nays 0. The Senate amendments, not having received two-thirds vote of the elected members, were rejected. Conference committee appointment pending.
- Vote recorded REJECT SENATE AMENDMENTS (#1657). Result: pass.Lower
- May 29Notice House rejected the Senate amendments.
- May 29Senate conference committee members appointed: Price, Owen, and Barthelemy.
- May 29House conferees appointed: Bacala, Turner, and Brass.
- May 29Notice House Conference Committee members appointed.
- May 29Notice of Senate conferees appointed.
- May 27Scheduled for concurrence on 05/29/2026.
- May 26Rules suspended. Senate floor amendments read and adopted. Read by title, passed by a vote of 37 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.Passed Senate
- Vote recorded FINAL PASSAGE (#1310). Result: pass.Upper
- May 26Received from the Senate with amendments.Minor
- May 21Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.Minor
- May 20Rules suspended. Recalled from Committee.
- May 20Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
- May 6Read by title. Recommitted to the Committee on Finance.
- May 5Reported favorably.Minor
- Apr 28Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Retirement.Minor
- Apr 27Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 98, nays 1. The bill, having received two-thirds vote of the elected members, was finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.Passed House
- Vote recorded FINAL PASSAGE (#725). Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 27Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.Minor
- Apr 23Scheduled for floor debate on 04/27/2026.
- Apr 22Read by title, ordered reengrossed, passed to 3rd reading.Minor
- Apr 21Reported favorably (16-0).Minor
- Mar 30Read by title, amended, ordered engrossed, recommitted to the Committee on Appropriations.
- Mar 26Reported with amendments (9-0).Minor
- Mar 9Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Retirement.Minor
- Jan 23Prefiled.Minor
- Jan 23Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Retirement.Minor
- Jan 23First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 1/23/2026.Introduced
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