RETIREMENT/MUNICIPAL EMP: Provides relative to participation in the Municipal Employees' Retirement System (EN NO IMPACT APV)
HB 21 clarifies Louisiana's Municipal Employees' Retirement System rules for local government workers and employers. It updates definitions to treat elected officials as employees unless declared otherwise, adjusts refund timing for accumulated contributions (requiring 30 days of termination), and allows municipalities to switch between retirement plans without transferring past service credits. The bill also modifies retirement benefit calculations, adding 0.5% per year of elected service for certain members. These changes directly affect municipal employees, their employers, and the retirement system's administration.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
May 2026
House Passage
Apr 2026
Senate Passage
May 2026
Signed into Law
May 2026
Introduced Jan 20, 2026
Signed May 22, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons
What changed between versions
HB21 Original
→
HB21 Act 278
·
5 edits
MODERATE
This bill updates the Municipal Employees' Retirement System by formally enacting new definitions for elected officials and employers, clarifying tax exemptions, and adjusting rules for returning accumulated contributions. The changes ensure that elected officials are explicitly recognized as employees for retirement purposes and refine how refunds are handled when members leave their municipalities.
Scope change
The bill expands the scope of the Municipal Employees' Retirement System by adding specific statutory definitions and clarifying the application of existing laws to elected officials and participating employers.
DEFINITION
Added a specific definition for elected officials not subject to R.S. 11:164, presuming they meet the 'employee' definition unless stated otherwise.
Added a specific definition for 'employer' or 'participating employer' to include entities operating under R.S. 11:1751.2.
REQUIREMENT
Modified the rules for returning accumulated contributions, requiring a 30-day termination period and confirmation of submitted contributions before refunds can be issued.
Clarified that contributions paid by a municipality to secure back service credit may be assigned to the municipality until the employee repays them or the municipality releases them.
TECHNICAL
Updated the act's title and preamble to reflect the enactment of new sections and the repeal of a previous act.
Floor votes · Senate May 13, 2026 · House Apr 15, 2026
How they voted
35–0
Passed · 5 other
Total votes 40
May 13, 2026
D
Democratic12
83% Yea
R
Republican28
89% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
20
Key actions
4
Committee
4
May 13, 2026
Upper · Passed
Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 34 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
upper
May 6, 2026
Committee
Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
upper
May 5, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported favorably.
upper
Apr 15, 2026
Lower · Passed
Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 93, nays 0. The bill, having received two-thirds vote of the elected members, was finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
lower
Apr 9, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported with amendments (11-0).
lower
Mar 24, 2026
Committee
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Retirement.
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Brian Glorioso
RRepublican
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