About LASERS - Agency Profile

Structure

A defined benefit plan under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code

Governance

The LASERS Board of Trustees governs your retirement system. It is composed of 13 members, nine of whom are elected by the membership.

• 6 of the elected Trustees are elected by active members
  
• 3 are elected by retirees
• 4 ex officio seats are occupied by the Louisiana State Treasurer, the Chair of the Senate Committee on Retirement, a member of the House Committee on Retirement, and the Commissioner of the Division of Administration, or their designees.
  
  

Membership

Membership in LASERS is mandatory for all state employees whose employing agencies are LASERS participants, except those exempted by state law.        

Note: Inactive and terminated vested members not included in above Membership Figures.

Funding

The LASERS trust fund is the source of all benefits paid to LASERS members and their beneficiaries. Funding comes from three sources:                        

• Earnings from Investments
• Employee contributions
• Employer contributions

• Market Value of Assets is $10.724 billion
• Total Fiscal Year Market Return is -2.4 percent
    

LASERS manages approximately one-third of its investments internally, saving millions of dollars this year in professional management fees.   

Investments in Louisiana

• Over $1.239 billion in benefits paid in FY 2016
• Approximately 93 percent of LASERS retirees live in Louisiana, resulting in an estimated $1.5 billion economic impact on our state and hometown economies
• For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2016, LASERS invested more than $116 million in Louisiana stocks, bonds, and private equity. These investments help support thousands of jobs in Louisiana.
  
  

LASERS Gift Policy

No Gifts for LASERS employees or trustees, please

Details of Policy