Hospital service districts created hereunder acting through the governing authority thereof, shall have full power to establish and maintain actuarially sound pension and retirement systems in the benefits of which shall be included all appointive officers and employees of such districts. All officers and employees of any such district who are already or who will be included by reason of their employment in the benefits of any other pension and retirement system heretofore established by laws other than the Federal Social Security Act, shall be excluded from the benefits of the pension and retirement system established as authorized herein, and nothing herein contained shall be held or construed as affecting the provisions of such other pension and retirement system laws. When any actuarially sound pension and retirement system is established by the adoption of an ordinance or ordinances by commission of any hospital service district, hereunder, such pension and retirement system shall in all respects have the force and effect of law. Hospital service districts hereunder may make contributions into the said pension and retirement systems out of available funds of the said districts, and may make contracts of insurance with any insurance company legally authorized to do business in this state, insuring its officers and employees under policies of group insurance covering hospitalization, pension, and retirement for such officers and employees, and may agree to match payments of officers and employees for the premiums and charges for any such contracts payable out of the funds of the said district. Districts may enter into such other contracts, including Trust Agreements with banks having trust powers, which contracts are necessary and incidental to creating and maintaining an actuarially sound pension and retirement system.
La. R.S. § 46:1068