EVENTS MARCH - MAY 2012
March 12- June 4, 6:00PM - Start of 2010 Louisiana Legislature
May 19, 2010 - Board Meeting - Alexandria, LA
Cartoon: Employer to Employee, "they have changed the name of the Pension Fund to "JACKPOT."
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REPORT APRIL 19
HB 1198 (formerly HB 60) was voted out of committee last week as a substitute bill. The bill will abolish LSERS as a separate retirement system and place the management duties under the Board of Trustees for Teachers’ Retirement System of Louisiana. Eventually, the 26,000 members of LSERS will get to vote with the 8000 Lunchroom workers on one representative to the 16 member Board of Trustees for TRSL.
The Governor revised his plan for the merger by adding 88 pages of amendments on the morning of the House Retirement Committee which passed the newly amended bill to the House Floor. We were informed yesterday the bill is likely to be voted on by the full House of Representatives on Tuesday or Wednesday of next week.
I am attaching a copy of the editorial in this morning’s “Advocate”, the official Journal for the State of Louisiana, for your consideration.
Please contact your Representative before next week to let them know how you feel about the merger. Please, ask your family members and friends to do the same.
If you have questions, feel free to call me.
Thank you.
Warren D. Ponder
Executive Counsel
La. School Employees' Retirement System
HB 60 by Rep. Pearson
CALL - CALL-CALL-CALL
CAN YOU AFFORD TO SAY "MY OPINION DOESN'T COUNT?"
Merges La School Employees’ Retirement System into Teachers’ Retirement System of Louisiana:
· Abolishes the Board of Trustees for LSERS on July 1, 2012.
· Establishes a “sub plan” for LSERS members within the TRSL system.
· No representation for the 25,000 members of LSERS on the TRSL board initially, then when the Lunch Services Representative comes up for re-election, that seat will be the representative for all support workers.
· The funds will be separately maintained initially. Section 7 of the bill directs the Board of Trustees for TRSL to present a plan for the consolidation of the funds, in effect the LSERS member’s funds will help pay the TRSL initial unfunded accrued liability.
· Section 6 requires the Board for TRSL to eliminate 40 administrative positions by the end of the fiscal year, 20 by Jan. 1, 2013 and the other 20 positions by July 1, 2014. (LSERS has 40 positions)
Facts about systems:
· LSERS is $75 million better funded today than if a merger had taken place 5 years ago, $80 million if 3 years ago, and $33 million if last year.
· Saves nothing for the general fund, neither system is a “budget unit” of the state.
· Has no effect on the unfunded accrued liability for either system.
· LSERS is better funded that TRSL, in fact, LSERS is the best funded state system.
· Service to the membership of both systems will suffer (TRSL will have 25,000 new members without any additional employees to service the additional members).
· LSERS has NO initial UAL, paid off the Constitutional debt in 1991.
FYI: The Legislative Web Page can be found at: http://www.legis.state.la.us/
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Rep. Kevin Pearson, chairman of House Retirement Committee, announced that the Governor’s retirement bills will be heard THURSDAY APRIL 12 IN the House Retirement Committee
This is the link to the LSERS web page that has the bills affecting LSERS and the position taken by the Board of Trustees: http://lsers.net/lsers/Legislation.aspx
That page has a link to find your Representative and Senator. All members are encouraged to call, write or email their legislators to express how you feel about the pending bills.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
Thank you,
Warren Ponder
Executive Counsel
2012 LEGISLATURE OPENS WITH A 
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March 15, 2012 - Govenor Jindal opened his campaign for "Education Reform" by appearing before the Committee on Education. He gave information on HB 974/SB 603. There are MANY bills that have been proposed by state legislators dealing with everything from teacher tenure to issuing school vouchers. I have a link to the State Legislator Site at the end of this article. You can go to the site and pull up detailed information on the separate bills.
Most of the bills were dealing with teacher issues; however, don't feel slighted because school bus operators have their own issues. President Linda Mathieu released the following statement "We met yesterday with Rep Bob Hensgens, Senator Johnthan Perry, Senator Guillory, and Rep Simon Champagne, at the capitol on opening day of the 2012 Leg. session. They were very recepitive to our ideas.We are headed back there on Thursday."
HB 192 - Provides relative to extended sick leave for tea hers, school bus operators and other school employees, including privisions concerning duration of leavem cimpensation during leave and conditions required for the granting of such leave.
The present law allows an employee to take a maximum of 90 days of extended sick leave in each six-year period of employement, which may be used for personal illness or illness of an immediate family member when the employee has no remaining regular sick leave balance. Provides that while on extended sick leave, tehy shall be paid 65% of the salary paid to them at the time extended sick leave begins.
PROPOSED CHANGES
Changes maximum of days permitted for extended sick leave in each six year period from 90 days to 45 days
Changes salary percentage paid during extended sick leave from 65% to 50%.
Instead of requiring that the leave is medically necessary for the employee or that the immediate family member's illness is serious and requires the employee's presence, requires that it is a medical necessity for the employee to be absent for at least 10 consecutive work days. Defines a "medical necessity" as the result of a catastrophic illness or injury, which mans a life-threatening, chronic, or incapacitating contition of the employee or a memaber of his/her immediate family
HB 716 - Provides that the provisions of state law relative to the ACQUISITION OF TENURE by school bus operators (becoming permanent employees) shall not be applicable to any operator whose date of first employement with tthe school system is July 1,2012, or thereafter. Also provides relative to removal of school bus operators first hired after this date.
HB 677 - Authorizes public school boards to reduce the salary of any employee at any time and throught any means , requires a public hear prior to such reduction.
PROPOSED CHANGE
Proposed law authorizes a public school board to reduce the salary of any employee or category thereof at any time and through any means as determined by the board. Retains requirement that public hearing be held prior to such reduction but reduces number of days prior to hearing that notice must be published from 30 to 1-. Defines "employee" as any person employed by a city parish, or other local public school board.
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http://www.modernprocess.net/tl1-catalog/tl1-fy.html
ASSOCIATION NEWS
EBR PARISH - School Bus Operator was attacked by a student in her high school route. The student was angry at the driver for being written up. The driver call 911 and police and ambulance arrived shortly thereafter. This is one of many incidents all over the state and country where drivers have been physically attacked and verbally abused. What is being done to protect drivers?
EBR PARISH considering using public transit buses to pick up middle and high school students. This is been discussed several times before and did not work out. The public transit system seems to think it can make up for its deficit by utilizing its buses to pick up students. As we understand it the students will go to the regular bus stop to catch the bus and get off at the closes bus stop to the school, rain sleet or snow! What do you think about this? What are some of the issues that will be encountered by students? Send you comments to kathykeas@cox.net. We need your thoughts to counter this proposal!
Buses retrofitted with external cameras to try and stop motorists from running stop arms - EBR is in the process of putting external cameras on 30 of the newest buses acquired by the parish. Motorists who run the stop arms will have a picture taken of their license plate similar to the one taken at an intersection when motorists run a red light. Motorist could receive a citation costing three hundred dollars or more. Drivers are happy to have anything that will stop the illegal passing of buses picking up students. The transportation department is in the process of making motorists aware of these new buses. The buses have "LIVE VIDEO FEED" on the back door. The cameras have a live feed to the company that monitors the buses and to transportation giving transportation immediate information on what is happening. A GREAT HELP FOR A SERIOUS PROBLEM!
BOSSIER PARISH - Miki Royer reports there are some problems with coaches driving buses on field trips and not being certified drivers. As far as she can ascertain they do not have the needed 4 hours inservice training needed to be certified. Any other parishes having this problem give Juliana a call and get her telephone number or go to the Board Members page and get the number..
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A COUPLE WENT INTO THE BANK TO BORROW SOME MONEY. THE HUSBAND LOOKED AT THE BANKER AND SAID, "I SHOULD BE ABLE TO PAY OFF THIS LOAN EVENTUALLY, SINCE I BELIEVE IN REINCARNATION."
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Repeal the WEP and GPO! For more information, go to ssfairness.com
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EMERGENCY EVACUATION ARE IMPORTANT - DON'T FORGET TO DO THEM!
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Thoughts and prayers -
This space is for drivers who may need our prayers and support to get through a difficult time. Please submit information to link below. Everyone needs help at some point in their life.
Comments and information contribution
Send to cvjw103@yahoo.com
