As used in this Chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings ascribed to them unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

(1)  “Accumulated employee contributions” means the sum of all amounts deducted from a member’s salary and paid to the fund.

(2)  “Board” means the board of trustees of the Clerks’ of Court Retirement and Relief Fund.

(3)  “Designated beneficiary” means the person most recently designated in writing by a member to receive any benefits to which he may be entitled.

(4)  “Employee” means any regular employee of a clerk, minute clerk, and employees of the Louisiana Clerks of Court Association, the Louisiana Clerks’ of Court Retirement and Relief Fund, and the Louisiana Clerks of Court Insurance Fund, who works more than an average of twenty hours per week. Any court reporter employed by either Orleans Parish or East Baton Rouge Parish who was enrolled in the fund on or before July 1, 2001, shall be allowed to remain in the fund as a member or active member of the fund and to become eligible to receive retirement benefits as required by law.

(5)  “Fund” means the Clerks’ of Court Retirement and Relief Fund.

(6)  “Minor child” means a child who is less than the age of eighteen years or who has a physical or mental disability, regardless of age, who is the issue of a marriage of the member or former member, the legally adopted child of a member or former member, the natural child of a female member or former member, or the child of a male member or former member if a court of competent jurisdiction has, during the lifetime of such male member or former member, issued an order of filiation declaring the paternity of such male member for the child.

(7)  “Monthly average final compensation” means the average of a member’s monthly salary during the highest compensated sixty consecutive months or successive joined months if service was interrupted.  However, the salary to be considered for the thirteenth through the twenty-fourth month may not exceed one hundred ten percent of the salary for the first through the twelfth month.  The salary to be considered for the twenty-fifth through the thirty-sixth month may not exceed one hundred ten percent of the salary for the thirteenth through the twenty-fourth month.  The salary to be considered for the thirty-seventh through the forty-eighth month may not exceed one hundred ten percent of the salary for the twenty-fifth through the thirty-sixth month.  The salary to be considered for the forty-ninth through the sixtieth month may not exceed one hundred ten percent of the salary for the thirty-seventh through the forty-eighth month.

(8)  “Salary” means the full rate of regular compensation paid to a member for the performance of his official duties, but shall not include bonuses, payment for accrued vacation, annual or sick leave, payment for overtime, terminal pay, severance pay, deferred salary, or any other type of irregular or nonrecurring payment.  It shall include salary supplement payments from the Clerks’ Supplemental Compensation Fund as authorized by La. Rev. Stat. 13:761 and the expense allowance authorized by La. Rev. Stat. 13:782(H).

(9)  “Surviving spouse” means the spouse of a deceased member or former member who was married to and living with the deceased member or former member at the time of his death.

(10)  “System” means the Clerks’ of Court Retirement and Relief Fund.

(11)  “Per-page transcription” payments means the amount a court reporter earns for each page of court proceeding that is transcribed, at the rate per page established by each district court.

Acts 1986, No. 1063, §1, eff. Oct. 1, 1986; Acts 1987, No. 395, §2; Acts 1991, 3rd E.S., No. 7, §1, eff. Aug. 1, 1991; Redesignated from La. Rev. Stat. 13:933 by Acts 1991, No. 74, §3, eff. June 25, 1991; Acts 1992, No. 157, §1, eff. July 1, 1992; Acts 1993, No. 337, §1, eff. July 1, 1993; Acts 1999, No. 109, §1, eff. July 1, 1999; Acts 2001, No. 739, §1, eff. July 1, 2001; Acts 2006, No. 780, §1, eff. June 30, 2006; Acts 2010, No. 273, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2011; Acts 2014, No. 811, §4, eff. June 23, 2014.

NOTE:  SEE SEC. 2 OF ACT 7 OF 1991 3RD E.S.

NOTE:  See Acts 2001, No. 739, §2, relative to credit for per-page transcription payments prior to July 1, 2001, and payment of costs thereof.

NOTE:  For transitional provisions relative to La. Rev. Stat. 11:1503(7), see Acts 2010, No. 273, §3(A) and (C).

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)).