Legislation advances, limits cost-of-living raises
by Marsha Shuler - Advocate (excerpt)

Legislation making it harder for retired state employees and college campus personnel to get cost of living raises won Senate approval Thursday.

The Senate voted 20-15 for the legislation backed by the Jindal administration. Senate Bill 740 would suspend the increases until the pension systems’ assets are sufficient to cover at least 80 percent of their long-term liabilities.

State Sen. Elbert Guillory, who is handling Gov. Bobby Jindal’s state employee pension revamp in the Senate, delayed action for a second day on key pieces of the legislative package that would raise employee contributions and retirement ages.