BATON ROUGE - A planned insurance switch that could save the Baton Rouge city-parish government more than $19 million failed by one vote Wednesday.

Only seven Metro Council members were in attendance due to several being at a conference in Washington, D.C., meaning the vote had to be unanimous for the switch to pass.

The lone "no" vote came from Darryl Hurst, who expressed concern over possible legal action if former employees sued.

The proposal would move city-parish retirees to a plan that city leaders believe offers better benefits and comes at a lower cost. Hurst said he'll continue to vote no until getting an opinion from the Attorney General's office.

A special meeting will be held next week to vote on the plan, as any changes to the retirement plan must be approved by Oct. 1.

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