Georgia Legislative Update
Mar 7, 2016
The Georgia General Assembly has completed 31 of 40 legislative days and is still on track to finish this session on March 24th. To read a bill current as of today, click on the link.
HB 54 Representatives Keisha Waites, Alan Powell, Sandra Scott, Shelia Jones, & Virgil Fludd
Proposes to create a new OCGA 20-3-316.2 to establish a voluntary contribution on the state income tax form and driver's license application for citizens to fund undergraduate tuition grants for children of law enforcement officers, prison guards, firefighters, emergency medicine technicians, and highway emergency response operators who are disabled or killed in the line of duty. Passed the House and pending in the Senate Higher Education Committee. http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/20152016/159296.pdf
HB 591 Representatives Bill Hitchens and Eddie Lumsden
Proposed to amend OCGA 47-17-44 to raise the dues for members to $30.00 per month and create a new code section OCGA 47-17-62 designating a new 0.25% tax on every motor vehicle insurance policy sold in the state of Georgia for the POAB Fund. Did not pass out of the House Retirement Committee (Dead). http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/20152016/150763.pdf
HB 689 Representative Chuck Martin
Proposed among other changes to create a new OCGA 20-2-927 that according to the sponsor would require new employees hired on or after July 1, 2016, to pay the full cost of any state provided insurance upon retirement. Others believe the legislation would actually apply to anyone retiring after that date. Did not pass out of the House Insurance Committee (Dead). http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/en-US/display/20152016/HB/689
HB 690 Representative Amy Carter
Proposes to create a new OCGA Section 47-2-226 to allow certain law enforcement officers with the Departments of Public Safety, Natural Resources, Revenue, and GBI to buy up to five years of creditable service with ERS. These officers had to serve up to five years of service with a local law enforcement agency in Georgia that didn't provide any retirement option other than in the POAB. The officers will be required to pay the full actuarial cost of any buy back years of retirement credit. Passed the House and pending in Senate Retirement Committee. http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/20152016/156377.pdf
HB 941 Representatives Rich Golick, Alex Atwood, B.J. Pak, and Stacey Abrams
Proposes to modify the grand jury process for law enforcement officer involved incidents, principally through OCGA 15-12-71, 15-12-83, 17-7-52, and 45-11-4. Officers and their attorney may still make a statement at the end of the DA's presentment, but the officer may be questioned by grand jurors and DA. The testimony of all witnesses and any utterance of the DA will be transcribed by a court reporter. The DA will have one year from the incident to bring the matter to the grand jury. The officer shall be notified at least 20 days prior to the grand jury presentment. If the officer intends to make a statement, the DA must be notified no later than the day before the beginning of the presentment. Passed the House and pending in the Senate Judiciary Non-Civil Committee. Note: Our attorneys and others believe the language changes made in pre-hearing meetings with state agencies (GBI, GSP, GPSTC, GDNR & PACG) and associations (PBA, FOP, POAG, & GSA) and adopted by the sponsor have made this an acceptable bill. http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/20152016/158453.pdf
SB 263 Senators Bruce Thompson, Tyler Harper, Charlie Bethel, Jeff Mullis, and others
Proposes to add new section OCGA 35-1-20 that law enforcement officers employed by any city, county, or board of education may upon retirement or disability be entitled to retain their duty weapon and badge. Passed by the Senate and pending in the House Public Safety & Homeland Security Committee. http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/20152016/155977.pdf
SB 270 Senators PK Martin, Judson Hill, Tyler Harper, Renee Untermann, and others
Proposes to amend OCGA 16-11-130(c) to extend the exemptions of OCGA 16-11-126 through 16-11-127.2 afforded to Georgia retired law enforcement officers to other similarly retired officers from other jurisdictions who now live in Georgia. Passed by the Senate and pending in the House Public Safety & Homeland Security Committee. http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/20152016/157707.pdf
Georgia Division
