Welcome to the Louisiana Medicaid Employees' Association website!!!!!!!!!!!!!

RAFFLE

(Click to see larger)

18 x 24 framed, canvas oil painting donated by Pat Hair of Region 8.

Tickets are $3 each
and 2 for $5.

Deadline to enter is
Friday, July 6th.

Drawing to be held on
Monday, July 9th.

To enter, please send your name, address, phone number with a check made payable to

LMEA to:
Pat Simpson, LMEA Reg. 8 Rep.
174 Duke Lane
Eros, LA 71238

Cell phone: 318-348-1873 -
for any questions regarding the painting

Raffle
basket

Congratulation to:
Susan Wright
Winner of Basket!!

8th Annual State Conference
2011
Memories

click to view pictures

Tracy Wirtz, keynote speaker, sends a thanks and some quotes to make you think. check them out!

Mediterranean Cruise 2009
MOMENTS

Click to see all the Pictures

22012
SESSION REPORT
May 17, 2012

SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE
May 19, 2012 at 9:00am

House Bill 1 scheduled for debate

HOUSE RETIREMENT COMMITTEE MEETING
May 17, 2012 upon Adjournment of House

Senate Bill 47 - 5 year calculation
Reported Favorably and sent to House floor
with Amendments

Senate Bill 740 - Cola changes for Retirees
Reported Favorably and sent to House floor

HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING
May 21, 2012 at 9:00am

House Bill 963 -
prohibits contracts or SALE of OGB without legislative approval

FULL SENATE CONSIDERATION ON THE FOLLOWING BILLS ON
May 21, 2012 at 1:00 pm:

3rd Reading and Final Passage - Subject to Call
Senate Bill 749 - Motified retirement Age

SENATE FLOOR ON MAY 17, 2012

3rd Reading and Final Passage
House Bill 61: Creates a Cash Balance Retirement System
Passed by Senate and needs reconcile with house version
(does not effect current employees)

Senate Bill 749 - Motified retirement Age
Passed with Amendments
Now Begins June 30, 2013

Gradual phasing in of Age 67:
Now Exempts:
Persons age 55 yrs old on 7/1/2013
Anyone with 20 years of service
Hired Prior to 7/1/2006 with 30 - current retirement rules
Hired after 7/1/2006 can retire at 30 years + at age 60

15 - 20 = 55 yr of age
10 - 15 =57 yr of age
05 - 10 = 60 yr of age
under 5 = 65 yr of age
New = 67 yr of age

Legislative Retirement Committee Members
(click on the committee name to view their names)

House Retirement Committee

Senate Retirement Committee

Public Retirement System Actuarial Committee
*

Letter drafted by RSEA to help in contacting your Legislators:

1215 BILLS FILED

Click on HB# or Rep Name to see information on particular bill or Rep.

RETIREMENT

SB47 Reengrossed E. GUILLORY

All State Employees now will have their final average compensation to be Five Years instead of 36 months starting July 1, 2013.

Amends allow for a gradual increase in the calculation months starting July 1, 2013 by one month each month there after until it reaches 60 months.

Amendment added to delay implementation until after court makes final decision.

Retirement Committee: Reported favorible and sent to House Floor

SB52 Reeengrossed E. GUILLORY

Proposal increases employees contributions to the state retirement system.

Persons hired on or before June 30, 2006 will see their contribution rise from 7.5% to 9.5%

Persons hired on or after July 1, 2006: from 8% to 10%.

Increased contributions shall be applied to the UAL which incurred pre 1988. The Agency's liability to the fund will not be reduced.

Increase will be 2% phased in over four Years:

0.5% July 1, 2013

1.0% July 1, 2014

1.5% July 1, 2015

2.0% July 1, 2016

Amendement changes start date to the later of July 2014 or First Merit increase of no less than 4% with starting date the first July after receipt of merit.

Retirement Committee: waiting to be heard

SB740 Reengrossed E. GUILLORY

Bill divides Retireees into Regular and Hazardous Pay catagories for COLA consideration. Regular Retirees cannot get a COLA increase until their Retirement Fund reaches 100% funding. Hazardous Pay Retirees cannot get a COLA until the same retirement fund reaches 80% funding. Bill will basically kill COLAs for Retirees.

Amended to reduce to 80% funding of a System for all Retired members to qualify for a COLA.

Retirement Committee: Reported favorably and sent to Full House

HB53 PEARSON
Bill EXEMPTS: Person born prior to July 1, 1957, specified group of law enforcement officers, and judges in office on effected date.

Proposal calls for all current LASER employees to work until the age of 67 in order to obtain full retirement benefits.

However, employees hired prior to July 1, 2013 can still retire under current provision with an added penalty for doing so before age 67. Benefits will actuarially be reduced from what it would have been if you continue service to age 67.

Assigned to Retirement Committee

HB55 PEARSON

Proposal changes the Final Average Compensation from three-years to five-years all LASER employees.

Assigned to Retirement Committee

HB56 PEARSON

Proposal increases employees contributions to the state retirement system.

Persons hired on or before June 30, 2006 will see their contribution rise from 7.5% to 10.5%

Persons hired on or after July 1, 2006: from 8% to 11%.

Assigned to Retirement Committee

HB985 THOMPSON

Provides for a defined contribution retirement plan for new hires employeed or reemployed after Jan. 1, 2013 in all state retirement systems.

Assigned to Retirement Committee

HB1018 PEARSON

Changes current law to state that until A Retirement System's accrued assets can cover at least 80% of its accrued liabilities, NO funds can be transferred to the accounts used to fund cost-of-living adjustments (COLAS) for retirees.

Assigned to Retirement
Committee heard and deferred for further study.

HB1132 PEARSON

Assigned to Retirement
Committee

CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION

HB87 ABRAMSON

Calls for the Evaluation and determination that a Constitutional Convention is needed so the legislative branch can change areas within the Constitution.

Assigned to Governmental Affairs

OFFICE OF GROUP BENEFITS

HB963 JOHNSON

Requires Legislative approval to sell or otherwise change any aspect of the Office of Group Benefits.

Appropriations Committee: Scheduled for May 21, 2012 at 9:00am

765 BILLS FILED

Click on HB# or Rep Name to see information on particular bill or Rep.

RETIREMENT

HB61 Reengrossed PEARSON

Senate Floor: Passed and needs reconcile with House version

SB17 PEACOCK

Constitutional Amendment to change the State Retirement Systems from a Defined benefit plan to a Defined Contribution plan starting with new employees effective Jan. 1, 2013. This will basically remove the guarantee of benefits within the retirement plans.

Assigned to Retirement Committee but pulled for further research

SB23 E. GUILLORY
Proposal changes age at which a RETIREE can benefit from a cost of living increases- changing from 60 to 55 the age to participate. Also changes the formula used in determining when an increase maybe given and provides a regular schedule of benefit increases.

Assigned to Retirement Committee but Voluntarily Deferred.

SB25 E. GUILLORY

Beginning January 1, 2013, LASER active member employees will make an additional contribution of 2% to the system in order to fund COLA benefits every odd number years to LASER retirees who are already retired from the system on June 30, 2011. These COLAs will begin on January 1, 2017.

Assigned to Retirement Committee but Voluntarily Deferred.

SB42 CORTEZ

Proposal to increase the Final Average Compensation from 36 months to 60 months when determining retirement benefits.

Assigned to Retirement Committee but not heard on 4/16.

SB749 Reengrossed E. GUILLORY

Start date changed to June 30, 2013:

Bill EXEMPTS: Specified groups of law enforcement officers, judges in office on effected date, and employees of the Dept of Revenue .

Bill does exempt any current employee who was born on or before June 30, 1957.

Changes Gradual Scale as follow:

Bill Presented with Amendments :
Gradual phasing in of Age 67:
Exempts:

1: Persons over 55yrs of age

2: More than 20 years service

3: Person hired before 7/1/2006 can retire at 30 years any age.

4: Person hired after 7/1/2006 can retire with more than 30 years at 60 yrs of age

15 - 20 = 55 yr of age
10 - 15 =57 yr of age
05 - 10 = 60 yr of age
under 5 = 65 yr of age
New = 67 yr of age

Senate Floor: On May 21ST Agenda but subject to call.

SB53 E. GUILLORY

Creates a "Cash Balance" Retirement plan for LASERS for new hires after July 1, 2013, however, the Acturial Report states the Plan will be more costly to the taxpayers than the current set benefit plan. Also members will not be guaranteed continued benefits through their retirement if they become disabled.

Assigned to Retirement Committee

STATE EMPLOYEES REDUCTION

HB328 RICHARD

Calls for the reduction of 5000 positions each year begining 2012-2013 for the next three years in the Executive Branch.

Assigned to Senate Finance