ATLANTA – State Representative Micah Gravley (R-Douglasville) today announced that the Georgia House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 249 on Monday, June 22, 2020. Rep. Gravley was the House sponsor for SB 249, and this legislation would increase the monthly retirement benefits payable to members of the Georgia Peace Officers’ Annuity and Benefit Fund, as well as allow jail officers to be eligible for this annuity and benefit fund.
“I am honored to announce the House passage of Senate Bill 249, which has been worked on over the last 25 years,” said Rep. Gravley. “This much needed provision would simply allow Georgia jail officers, who have upfront and personal interactions with inmates every day, to access the same benefits that other peace officers in our state are eligible for.”
Under Senate Bill 249, jail officers who are certified by the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council would have the opportunity to become members of the annuity and benefit fund. The monthly member contribution would increase from $20 to $25 per month, and it would also increase from $17.50 to $25.15 for each full year of creditable service on July 1, 2020. Finally, it would automatically increase to $30 per month for each year of creditable service on July 1, 2021.
Additionally, SB 249 would revise the fee structure for forfeited and collected bonds in any quasi-criminal case from a graduated fine of $10 or 10 percent, whichever is greater. The bill would also revise fees collected before pretrial diversion in any quasi-criminal case to $5 or five percent, whichever is greater. An actuarial investigation of SB 249 determined that the first year cost would be nearly $13.8 million with an estimated total cost to the fund of approximately $27.8 million. However, the investigation found that this new fee structure would generate more than $29.7 million in revenue, and the fund would continue to meet minimum funding standards. “The new tier structure for quasi-criminal case fines and fees would generate much needed funding for state programs, including the Brain and Spinal Injury Trust Fund; Peace Officers, Prosecutors and Indigent Defense Fund; Drug Abuse Treatment and Education Fund; and Safe Harbor Trust fund for sexually exploited children,” added Rep. Gravley. “The new fee structures would also assist local victim assistance programs, the Georgia Crime Victims Compensation Program, our county law libraries and indigent defense application fees. Additional funding would also be allocated to the state’s general funds specifically to assist funding the Georgia Crime Lab.”
For more information on SB 249, please click here.
*Editor’s Note: A photo of Rep. Gravley introducing Senate Bill 249 in the House Chamber is embedded.
Representative Micah Gravley represents the citizens of District 67, which includes portions of Douglas and Paulding counties. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2012 and currently serves as Vice Chairman of the House Majority Caucus, Vice Chairman of the Code Revision Committee and Secretary of the Judiciary Non-Civil Committee. He also serves as a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Public Safety and the Economic Development & Tourism, Ethics, Governmental Affairs, Juvenile Justice, Science and Technology and Public Safety & Homeland Security committees.
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