Serving those who serve Georgia E RSGA Employees' Retirement System of Georgia For the Week of: February 4 - 8, 2013 Legislative Days: 10 - 14 Employees' Retirement System of Georgia Legislative Update February 8, 2013 Page 1 Inside This Update 1 Committee Meetings 1 Legislative Log For More Information on Legislation, please visit: www.ers.ga.gov Contact Us Jim Potvin Executive Director, ERSGA 404-603-5605 jim.potvin@ers.ga.gov Kelly L. Moody Legislative Liaison and Communications Manager ERSGA 404-603-5646 kelly.moody@ers.ga.gov Retirement Committees hold First Meeting The first meeting of the House Retirement Committee was held on Wednesday, February 6th. Chairman Paul Battles welcomed everyone to the first meeting and introduced members of the Committee. Committee Rules were adopted for 2013 and 2014. Regular meetings of the House Retirement Committee will be held each Wednesday at 2:00PM in room 515 of the Coverdell Legislative Office Building. The Senate Retirement Committee held its first meeting on Thursday, February 7th. Chairman Fran Millar welcomed everyone to the first meeting and introduced members of the Committee. Committee rules were adopted for 2013 and 2014. Jim Potvin, Executive Director, Employees' Retirement System of Georgia, provided Committee members with an overview of the Retirement Systems under ERS. The Senate Retirement Committee will hold regular meetings each Thursday at 1:00PM in room 310 of the Coverdell Legislative Office Building. Danise Thaxton Executive Assistant to the Director, ERSGA 404-603-5602 danise.thaxton@ers.ga.gov Legislative Log Monday, February 4, 2013 No action was taken on retirement bills today. Tuesday, February 5, 2013 No action was taken on retirement bills today. February 8, 2013 Legislative Log (continued) Wednesday, February 6, 2013 No action was taken on retirement bills today. Page 2 Thursday, February 7, 2013 HB 238 Public School Employees Retirement System; limitation on maximum level of benefits; clarify certain provisions This legislation is clarification to a bill enacted last session (SB 246/Act 763) dealing with the Public School Employees' Retirement System (PSERS). The bill clarifies that no PSERS member who retires after 7/1/12 shall be entitled to receive a retirement benefit higher than the greater of the benefit level in effect on the date of his or her termination of employment or $15.00 per month. HB 238 was assigned to the House Retirement Committee. Friday, February 8, 2013 HB 243 Georgia Judicial Retirement System; members shall be eligible to transfer funds; provide This bill allows any superior court judge, juvenile court judge, or district attorney who is an active member of the Judicial Retirement System (JRS) that was previously a member of the Employees' Retirement System (ERS) to transfer ERS service to JRS by December 31, 2014. New JRS members will have up to 90 days after employment to request such a service transfer. HB 243 was assigned to the House Retirement Committee. HB 263 Post-employment health benefit fund; person eligible to participate on or after July 1, 2013, shall pay premium which reflects cost of coverage; provide This bill eliminates the state subsidy for post-employment health insurance benefits for future state employees hired on or after July 1, 2013. The state subsidy for post-employment heath insurance benefits will also be eliminated for current state employees if he or she has any break in service without compensation on or after July 1, 2013. HB 263 was assigned to the House Retirement Committee.