Bill > HB438

This bill modifies the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia to allow certain sworn law enforcement officers to be eligible for retirement benefits at age 55, instead of the previous standard retirement age of 60. Specifically, the bill expands retirement eligibility to sworn law enforcement officers in the Department of Public Safety, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Department of Natural Resources, Department of Revenue, and explicitly includes the commissioner and deputy commissioner of the Department of Public Safety. The bill also updates provisions related to disability benefits for these law enforcement officers, ensuring that if they become permanently disabled in the line of duty, they can receive up to 80% of their potential service allowance and a supplemental monthly benefit. Additionally, the bill allows law enforcement officers to obtain up to five years of additional creditable service for previous local government law enforcement work, provided they meet certain conditions such as being a current retirement system member for at least ten years and paying the full actuarial cost. The bill is set to become effective on July 1, 2026, but only if it is determined to be concurrently funded according to the Public Retirement Systems Standards Law; otherwise, it will be automatically repealed.

Labor and Employment

https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70297