A. Eligibility for disability benefits, procedures for application for disability benefits, procedures for the certification of continuing eligibility for disability benefits, the authority of the board of trustees to modify disability benefits, and procedures governing the restoration to active service of an employee who formerly had a disability are specifically described and provided for in La. Rev. Stat. 11:201 through 224.

            B. The board of trustees shall award disability benefits to any sworn, commissioned law enforcement officer of the office of state police whose first employment making him eligible for membership in one of the state systems occurred on or before December 31, 2010, who is eligible and who has been officially certified as having a disability by the State Medical Disability Board. The disability benefit shall be determined as follows:

            (1) Upon application for retirement due to a total and permanent disability caused solely as the result of injuries sustained in the performance of his official duties, a member shall receive a disability benefit equal to fifty percent of his average salary, plus one and one-half percent of his average salary for each year of service credit in excess of ten years. Such benefit shall not exceed one hundred percent of the member’s average salary and the provisions of La. Rev. Stat. 11:221 shall be inapplicable with respect to such disability retiree.

            (2) Upon application for retirement due to a total and permanent disability caused as the result of any other reason, a member with at least five years service credit shall receive a disability benefit equal to fifty percent of his average salary plus one and one-half percent for each year of service credit in excess of ten years. Such benefit shall not exceed one hundred percent of the member’s average salary.

            (3)(a) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, upon application for retirement due to a total and permanent disability caused solely as the result of injuries sustained in the performance of official duties, and such injuries include loss of limb, loss of organ, total loss of sight or hearing, paralysis, or permanent damage to the brain or spinal cord, a member shall receive a disability benefit equal to one hundred percent of his average annual salary, or thirty-six thousand dollars annually, whichever is greater.

            (b) Any person who is a disability retiree of the system on June 30, 2003, and who has a qualifying disability as defined in Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph shall be eligible for the disability benefits provided thereunder; however, any increase in benefits to such a disability retiree shall be payable prospectively from July 1, 2003 only.

            (c) The provisions of this Paragraph shall not apply to any person whose disability occurs on or after June 30, 2003.

            C. The board of trustees shall award disability benefits to any sworn, commissioned law enforcement officer of the office of state police whose first employment making him eligible for membership in one of the state systems occurred on or after January 1, 2011, who is eligible and who has been officially certified as having a disability by the State Medical Disability Board. The disability benefit shall be determined as provided in La. Rev. Stat. 11:1345.7.

            D. If the application for disability benefits is not filed while the member is in service, it shall be presumed that the disability was not incurred while the member was an active contributing member in active service. Such presumption may be overcome only by clear, competent, and convincing evidence that the disability was incurred while the member was an active contributing member in active service.

            Acts 1989, No. 509, §1; Redesignated from La. Rev. Stat. 40:1428 by Acts 1991, No. 74, §3, eff. June 25, 1991; Acts 2003, No. 538, §1, eff. July 1, 2003; Acts 2010, No. 992, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2011; Acts 2014, No. 811, §4, eff. June 23, 2014; Acts 2016, No. 322, §1, eff. June 30, 2016.

NOTE: Acts 2014, No. 811 changed terminology referring to persons with disabilities throughout the La. Revised Statutes and codes of law, and included a listing of terms that were deleted and their respective successor terms (See Acts 2014, No. 811, §36). The Act provides that it is not the intent of the legislature that changes in terminology effected therein alter or affect in any way the substance, interpretation, or application of any law or administrative rule; further provides that nothing in the Act shall be construed to expand or diminish any right of or benefit for any person provided by any law or administrative rule (See Acts 2014, No. 811, §35(C) and (D)).