A.  The provisions of the retirement system established by La. Rev. Stat. 11:1401 may be amended by action of the legislature in the same manner as any other statute may be amended by the legislature.  In addition, action of the board with respect to the payment of cost-of-living adjustments, as provided in La. Rev. Stat. 11:241 through 248, the payment of employee contributions, actuarial assumptions as provided in La. Rev. Stat. 11:1402, and any changes required for conformity with requirements of the Internal Revenue Code, shall be considered amendments to the provisions of the retirement fund.

B.  No amendment to this retirement system shall operate to deprive any member of a benefit to which he is already entitled.  In the case of any merger or consolidation with, or transfer of assets or liabilities to, any other retirement system, each member in the retirement system would, if the retirement system is then terminated, receive a benefit immediately after the merger, consolidation, or transfer which is equal to or greater than the benefit he would have been entitled to receive immediately before the merger, consolidation, or transfer if the retirement system had then terminated.

C.  Upon the termination or partial termination of the retirement system, the board of trustees shall reevaluate and redetermine the benefit of each member, and the entire benefit of each member may be paid or commence to be paid and distributed to such member, or in the case of his death before such distribution, to the beneficiary or beneficiaries designated by such member, unless the member is still employed, in the case of a partial termination, in which case payment shall not be made until retirement or termination, or may be held until payment is otherwise due under the provisions of the retirement system.  A member’s right to his benefit is not conditioned upon a sufficiency of plan assets in the event of termination.

D.  Upon termination or partial termination of the retirement system, a member’s interest in the system shall be nonforfeitable to the extent funded.

E.  Repealed by Acts 2011, No. 364, §2, eff. July 1, 2011.

F.  Amendments to the retirement system required for the purpose of maintaining continued compliance with the Internal Revenue Code and the regulations thereunder that do not require legislative action shall be promulgated as rules in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act.

Acts 1997, No. 691, §1, eff. July 1, 1997; Acts 2011, No. 364, §§1, 2, eff. July 1, 2011; Acts 2012, No. 230, §1, eff. July 1, 2012; Acts 2012, No. 482, §1, eff. July 1, 2012.