Louisiana § RS 11:721.1 - Option to participate in system

§ RS 11:721.1. Option to participate in system

            A. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the superintendent of the Orleans or Jefferson Parish school system is not required to participate in the Teachers' Retirement System of Louisiana; however, he shall have the option of retaining membership in the Teachers' Retirement System of Louisiana if he is eligible, provided that his retirement benefit computation shall be in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter.

            B. Notwithstanding the provisions of R.S. 11:701(33)(a) or any other provision of law to the contrary, no director or individual staff member of the Associated Professional Educators of Louisiana or the Louisiana Resource Center for Educators shall be required to participate in the Teachers' Retirement System of Louisiana; however, such person shall have a one-time irrevocable option of membership in the Teachers' Retirement System of Louisiana if he is eligible, provided that his retirement benefit computation shall be in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter. Any employee who has retired from the Teachers' Retirement System of Louisiana shall be governed by all laws applicable to retirees returning to work.

            C.(1) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, any person who has a doctorate degree and who was employed by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education for at least five years and who is or was employed by the East Baton Rouge Parish School System for at least ten years and who is employed by that system at any time during 1999 as supervisor of social studies teachers shall not have their retirement benefits reduced or suspended during such employment.

            (2) The provisions of Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph shall be effective July 1, 1998, and shall be applied retroactively to that date. Funds not paid to the retiree because of a reduction of benefits by the system as a result of employment on or after July 1, 1998, shall be retained by the system; however, on and after April 30, 2000, benefits shall not be reduced by the system based on employment occurring on or after July 1, 1998.

            D.(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, membership is optional for each person who is sixty years of age or older at the time of first employment in a position covered by the Teachers' Retirement System of Louisiana and for each person who is fifty-five years of age or older who has credit for at least forty quarters in the Social Security system at the time of first employment in a position covered by the Teachers' Retirement System of Louisiana.

            (2) The provisions of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection shall not apply to rehired retirees.

            Acts 1993, No. 582, §1, eff. June 15, 1993; Acts 1997, No. 1133, §1, eff. July 1, 1997; Acts 1999, No. 1348, §1, eff. July 1, 1999; Acts 2000, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 114, §1, eff. April 19, 2000; Acts 2003, No. 559, §1, eff. June 27, 2003; Acts 2011, 1^st Ex. Sess., No. 15, §1, eff. June 12, 2011; Acts 2025, No. 47, §1, eff. July 1, 2025.