A.  The following provisions shall apply in the event that the city of Shreveport enters into an agreement with the board of trustees of the Firefighters’ Retirement System, hereinafter referred to as the System, as authorized by La. Rev. Stat. 11:2260(A)(11), to merge the Firemen’s Pension and Relief Fund, hereinafter referred to as the Fund, for the city of Shreveport with the System.

B.  For purposes of securing the approval of the members of the retirement plan as required by La. Rev. Stat. 11:2260(A)(11), all members of the Fund shall be deemed to be members of a single retirement plan regardless of the different contributions that various members are entitled to draw from the Fund.  Only those members of the Fund who are active members of the fire department when approval of a merger is requested, shall be eligible to vote on whether to approve the merger agreement.

C.  The city of Shreveport is specifically authorized to contract with the active members of its fire department to guarantee that the merger will not result in any active member of the fund receiving less in regular retirement benefits, provided he meets the age and service requirements of the fund for a regular retirement benefit, than the member would have received if the fund had not been merged with the system; provided further, if a member acquires a disability or survivor benefits become payable after the effective date of the merger, the system shall pay the benefits; and the fund shall pay the difference in disability or survivors benefits at the time the benefits become payable, if the benefits would have been greater under the fund.  Any contract entered into pursuant to the authority granted by this Subsection may designate the entity that will be responsible for administering benefits and resolving disputes that arise under the contract.

D.  No merger entered into between the city of Shreveport and the board of trustees of the System shall merge any person that is receiving retirement benefits or other benefit payments from the merged plan on the effective date of the merger.  To the extent that persons not merged into the System remain entitled to benefits under the Fund, the Fund shall remain in existence and the board of trustees of the Fund shall continue to administer benefits in accordance with the provisions governing its operations at the time of the merger; however, nothing in this Subsection shall be construed to preclude the legislature from making future changes in the Fund, the board, or the administration of the Fund.

E.  Notwithstanding any provisions of Section 4 of Act 222 of 1938 or any other provision of law to the contrary, in the event that the Fund is merged with the System as authorized by La. Rev. Stat. 11:2260(A)(11), the five members of the board of trustees of the Fund to be elected from the fire department shall be elected by secret ballot of the active members of the fire department of the city of Shreveport regardless of whether such members remain eligible for participation in the Fund established under Act 222 of 1938, as amended.  The members serving on the board of trustees on the effective date of any merger shall continue to serve, and their terms shall continue for the period that they would have served if the merger had never taken place.  As used in this Subsection the term “active members of the fire department” shall include only those persons qualifying as members of the fire department under Section 14 of Act 222 of 1938 who are actively employed by the fire department of the city of Shreveport at the time of the election.

F.  If, in any fiscal year following a merger between the Fund and the System, the proceeds accruing to the Fund under Section 8 of Act 222 of 1938, as amended, should, when combined with other assets of the Fund, cause the assets of the Fund to exceed its accrued liabilities under this Act, the city of Shreveport may use the excess of the proceeds to make any payments due to the System, or, if all payments due to the System have been made, the city shall use the excess of the proceeds to pay salaries and wages of Shreveport firefighters.

G.  Nothing in Sections 8 and 10 of Act 222 of 1938, as amended, Paragraph (g) of Section 2 of Act 573 of the 1977 Regular Session, or any other provision of law shall be construed to preclude the trustees from transferring funds or assets of the Fund to the System in the event the city of Shreveport and the trustees of the System enter into a merger agreement as authorized by La. Rev. Stat. 11:2260(A)(11).

Designated from Acts 1982, No. 18, §1 by Acts 1991, No. 74, §3, eff. June 25, 1991; Acts 2014, No. 811, §4, eff. June 23, 2014.

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)).