(The Center Square) – The Georgia House Committee on Retirement approved an actuarial review of a new state retirement plan for the state’s law enforcement officers at its Monday meeting.
House Bill 337 would allow officers who are certified by the Georgia Peace Officers Standards and Training Council, which includes state troopers, some Capitol Police officers and others, to participate in the new plan, according to Committee Chairman John Carson, R-Marietta.
“We are the number 49 in the nation in regards to state law enforcement retirement pay,” Carson said.
House Bill 824 expands the state law enforcement retirement plan to include individuals working in law enforcement who may not be certified. That would consist of employees in a long list of agencies, including the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Department of Corrections and the State Board of Pardons and Paroles, according to the bill.
“I can tell you right now it’s going to be an expensive bill,” Carson said.
The estimated price tag is around $200 million.
Under the current system, law enforcement officers are part of the Employee’s Retirement System of Georgia.
The committee’s vote only gives the go-ahead for the actuarial review, which will cost between $10,000 and $25,000, according to Carson. The issue will come back before the Georgia General Assembly when they reconvene in January 2026
