11:1313

Title 11. Consolidated Public Retirement Systems

Subtitle II. State Systems

Chapter 4. State Police Pension and Retirement System

Part I. General Provisions

11:1313 Disability retirement; eligibility

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 R.S. 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 R.S. 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 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 R.S. 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 1991, No. 74, § 3, eff. June 25, 1991. Amended by 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.