Louisiana State Employees Retirement System (LASERS)
The Louisiana State Employees’ Retirement System (LASERS) was established by an Act of the Louisiana Legislature in 1946. LASERS administers a qualified pension and retirement plan under section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code. LASERS is a trust fund created to provide retirement and other benefits for state officers, employees, and their beneficiaries.
The LASERS Board of Trustees governs your retirement system. The Board is composed of 13 members, nine of whom are elected by the membership. Six of the elected Trustees are chosen by active members of LASERS. Three of the elected Trustees are chosen by retirees. Four ex officio seats are occupied by the Louisiana State Treasurer, the Chair of the Louisiana Senate Committee on Retirement, the Chair of the Louisiana House of Representatives Committee on Retirement, and the Commissioner of Administration. Monthly Board meetings are open to the public, and take place in the fourth floor board room of the Louisiana Retirement Systems Building, located at 8401 United Plaza Boulevard, in Baton Rouge.
The LASERS trust fund is the source of all benefits paid to LASERS members and their beneficiaries. Funding comes from three sources: employee contributions, employer contribuitions, and earnings from investments. LASERS manages one-third of its investments portfolio internally, saving millions of dollars per year in professional management fees.
For more information on this plan, visit the following links: