For the Week of: March 15 - 19, 2010 Legislative Days: 25 - 27 Legislative Update Employees' Retirement System of Georgia March 19, 2010 Page 1 Inside This Update 1 Legislative Log LEGISLATIVE LOG Monday, March 15, 2010 For More Information on Legislation, please visit: www.ers.ga.gov Contact Us Pamela L. Pharris Director, ERSGA 404-603-5602 pamela.pharris@ers.ga.gov Jim Potvin Deputy Director, ERSGA 404-603-5605 jim.potvin@ers.ga.gov Kelly L. Moody Legislative Liaison and Assistant Director, ERSGA 404-603-5646 kelly.moody@ers.ga.gov Danise Thaxton Executive Assistant to the Director, ERSGA 404-603-5602 danise.thaxton@ers.ga.gov No Bills were considered today due to the General Assembly being in Recess. Tuesday, March 16, 2010 HB 817 - Georgia Judicial Retirement System; juvenile judges; provide Allows any Juvenile Court Judge that was previously a member of the Employees' Retirement System (ERS) to transfer ERS employee and employer contributions to JRS by December 31, 2010 or within 90 days of first becoming a member of JRS. Currently, any new JRS member that is a Superior Court Judge, State Court Judge, Solicitor General, or District Attorney who was previously an active member of ERS may elect to have all of their ERS contributions transferred to JRS within 90 days of first becoming a member of JRS by notifying the Board of Trustees. If the member has not withdrawn his/her employee contributions from ERS, the Board of Trustees must transfer all employee and employer contributions from ERS and to JRS and the member must pay regular interest thereon. If the member has withdrawn his/her employee contributions from ERS, member must provide notice to the Board of Trustees requesting a transfer to JRS. At that time, the member must pay the Board the total of such contributions, with regular interest thereon, and employee and employer contributions from ERS will be transferred to JRS. HB 817 was recommitted to the House Retirement Committee by the House Rules Committee. March 19, 2010 LEGISLATIVE LOG - Continued Page 2 HB 1237 - Retirement; Title 47; correct errors and omissions of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated Corrects typographical, stylistic, and other errors and omissions in Title 47. HB 1237 received a DO PASS from the House Rules Committee and was placed on the House Debate Calendar for 3/17/10. Wednesday, March 17, 2010 HB 817 - Georgia Judicial Retirement System; juvenile judges; provide Allows any Juvenile Court Judge that was previously a member of the Employees' Retirement System (ERS) to transfer ERS employee and employer contributions to JRS by December 31, 2010 or within 90 days of first becoming a member of JRS. Currently, any new JRS member that is a Superior Court Judge, State Court Judge, Solicitor General, or District Attorney who was previously an active member of ERS may elect to have all of their ERS contributions transferred to JRS within 90 days of first becoming a member of JRS by notifying the Board of Trustees. If the member has not withdrawn his/her employee contributions from ERS, the Board of Trustees must transfer all employee and employer contributions from ERS and to JRS and the member must pay regular interest thereon. If the member has withdrawn his/her employee contributions from ERS, member must provide notice to the Board of Trustees requesting a transfer to JRS. At that time, the member must pay the Board the total of such contributions, with regular interest thereon, and employee and employer contributions from ERS will be transferred to JRS. HB 817 received a DO PASS by the House Retirement Committee. HB 1237 - Retirement; Title 47; correct errors and omissions of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated Corrects typographical, stylistic, and other errors and omissions in Title 47. HB 1237 received a DO PASS from the full House by a vote of 159 - 0. March 19, 2010 LEGISLATIVE LOG - Continued Page 3 Thursday, March 18, 2010 HB 960 - Georgia Defined Contribution Plan; make lump sum payment upon death; change Changes the default beneficiary for GDCP members when a designation has not been made and defines the order of payment will be made to: (1) The lawful spouse; (2) The natural or legally adopted children, in equal shares; (3) The parents, in equal shares; or (4) The personal representative of the estate. HB 960 was recommitted the House Retirement Committee by the House Rules Committee. Friday, March 19, 2010 No Bills were considered today due to the General Assembly being in Recess.