Retirement Bills Advance
April 17, 2026
Ten bills impacting LASERS moved forward this week in the legislative session. Below is a summary of recent action and what to watch next week.
- HB 23 by Rep. Bacala moved favorably in Senate Retirement, and awaits to be heard in Senate Finance. This bill authorizes a 2% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) to eligible retirees and beneficiaries. (Board position: Support)
🔗Learn about COLA eligibility here.
- HB 312 by Rep. McFarland was amended and passed in House Appropriations and later passed on the House Floor. The amendment dedicates approximately $144.3 million to LASERS to apply to the balance of the System’s unfunded accrued liability. (Board position: Support)
- HB 8 by Rep. Bacala was reported favorably in Senate Retirement and awaits action on the Senate Floor. This bill extends legislative staff authorization to attend executive session meetings of any state or statewide retirement system board or committee from one year to four years. (Board position: Neutral)
- HB 27 by Rep. McMakin was reported favorably in House Civil Law. This bill proposes a constitutional amendment that, if approved by voters at the November 3, 2026, election, would remove the requirement that a state retirement system receiving monies apply those monies to its oldest outstanding unfunded accrued liability (UAL). (Board position: Neutral)
- HB 32 by Rep. Egan moved favorably in Senate Retirement and awaits action on the Senate Floor. It provides for technical changes in LASERS statutes. (Board position: Support)
- HB 45 by Rep. Bacala was amended and passed on the House Floor. HB 45 requires certain employees eligible for the Municipal Police Employees’ Retirement System (MPERS) nonhazardous duty plan to transfer from LASERS to MPERS. (Board position: Not yet taken)
- HB 1134 by Rep. Braud passed on the House floor. The bill creates a Back-Deferred Retirement Option Program for certain judges in LASERS. (Board position: Not yet taken)
- SB 455 by Sen. Talbot was reported favorably as amended in Senate Finance, and later amended and passed on the Senate Floor. It allows certain court employees to join the Parochial Employees’ Retirement System (PERS), including an irrevocable option for current members to transfer. (Board position: Not yet taken)
- SB 456 by Sen. Talbot passed on the Senate Floor. It provides relative to retired judges who return to work on assignment. (Board position: Not yet taken)
- SB 477 by Sen. Price passed on the Senate Floor. It establishes an exception to allow the Chair of the Gaming Control Board to be eligible for LASERS membership. (Board position: Not yet taken)
Next Week
- SB 416 by Sen. Price is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Finance Committee on Monday, April 20, at 10:30 a.m. The bill provides for the reemployment of retirees to fill critical shortage positions within the Department of Public Safety and Corrections. (Board position: Neutral)
