Senate committee advances bill to add elected nonunion firefighter to retirement board

The Senate Committee on Retirement voted May 11 to report House Bill 41 favorably after Sponsor Representative DeWitt proposed an amendment to add an elected nonunion active firefighter to the Firefighters Retirement System board.

DeWitt told the committee nonunion firefighters make up roughly 30% of the active membership (about 1,500 members) and currently have no dedicated board seat. "All I'm trying to do with this bill is put a nonunion member on the board who represents approximately 30% of the members of the retirement system," Representative DeWitt said.

The amendment concept, assigned number 3541, would remove one legislative-appointed seat currently filled by a House appointee and replace it with a member elected by nonunion active firefighters; the sponsor said the Senate designee would remain on the board. Committee staff identified the statutory line to be deleted as "2260 A 1 d 1" and said the election would be held before Jan. 1, with the elected member seated thereafter.

Committee members asked how the change would affect administration and cost. FRS staff estimated a one-time election expense between $50,000 and $65,000, with similar costs expected every five years. "It would add, it looks like for one election, the retirement system has estimated somewhere between $50,000 to $65,000," a retirement system staff member stated.

Natalie Bordelon, general counsel for the Firefighters Retirement System, told the committee the figures were estimates and that staff would need to determine the nomination process and how to identify eligible voters. "There are some unknowns that we would have to figure out to make sure that this would work smoothly," Bordelon said.

Chad Major, representing the professional firefighters, cautioned that membership in locals can change frequently, complicating any effort to fix voter rolls on a single cutoff date. "People will get in their local, then some days they'll get aggravated or whatever and they'll get out of the local and then get back in," Major said, arguing that fluctuating membership could lead to incorrect mail ballots being sent.

Senator Henson asked whether a fixed eligibility date (for example, Aug. 1) would help; witnesses cautioned membership could still change after a cutoff and raise similar problems. Staff responded that vetting and coordination with unions would be required to limit ballots to eligible nonunion members.

With those discussions concluded and the amendment still finalizing technical language, Senator Bartholomew moved to report HB 41 favorably. "Seeing none, we'll move the bill favorable," Chairman Price said after eliciting no objections. The committee recorded the bill as moved favorably with the amendment concept noted; no roll-call tally was recorded in the hearing transcript.

The sponsor said he would carry the amendment back to the House for any necessary follow-up. The committee record ended with a motion to adjourn by Vice Chairman Owen.