HB105: HB105 Public officers and employees; increase indemnification award of certain state public school personnel in the event of death

Georgia law pays a benefit from the Georgia State Indemnification Fund to the estate of certain public employees, including some school personnel and peace officers, who die while eligible for coverage under O.C.G.A. § 45-9-78. Currently that death benefit is $75,000, payable either in a lump sum or in installments over five years. House Bill 105, named the 'Daniel D. Podsiadly, Jr. Act,' doubles that death benefit to $150,000, while leaving the $75,000 permanent disability benefit unchanged. The bill also adds two new notification duties. The State Board of Workers' Compensation must tell the Department of Administrative Services when it has reason to believe an injured worker is an 'eligible peace officer,' and it must tell the injured worker how to contact the Indemnification Fund and the state's temporary disability compensation program. Separately, every Georgia law enforcement agency must give similar notice to an employee within ten days of an injury that could cause lasting disability. The changes take effect as soon as the Governor signs the bill or it otherwise becomes law.

• Doubles the death indemnification payment under Georgia's State Indemnification Fund (O.C.G.A. § 45-9-78) from $75,000 to $150,000 for eligible workers, paid to the estate in a lump sum or five-year installments.
• Creates a new Code section (O.C.G.A. § 34-9-26) requiring the State Board of Workers' Compensation to notify the Department of Administrative Services when it believes an injured worker is an 'eligible peace officer.'
• Requires that same board to tell the injured peace officer how to contact the Indemnification Fund and the temporary disability compensation program.
• Creates a new Code section (O.C.G.A. § 35-1-24) requiring every Georgia law enforcement agency to notify an employee, within ten days of an injury that could cause disability, about the Indemnification Fund and disability compensation program.
• Names the bill the 'Daniel D. Podsiadly, Jr. Act' and sets the effective date as the date the Governor signs it or it otherwise becomes law.

The bill affects peace officers and other public employees (including certain state public school personnel) who become disabled or die in the line of duty, their estates and families, the State Board of Workers' Compensation, the Department of Administrative Services, and every law enforcement agency in Georgia that must issue the new notices.

Families of eligible workers killed in the line of duty would receive twice the current state death benefit, $150,000 instead of $75,000. Injured peace officers would also get faster, mandatory notice about benefits they may not know exist, potentially helping more of them access disability and indemnification payments they are owed.

• Section 1 names the bill the 'Daniel D. Podsiadly, Jr. Act.'
• Section 2 adds O.C.G.A. § 34-9-26, defining 'eligible peace officer' and requiring the State Board of Workers' Compensation to notify the Department of Administrative Services and the injured worker when it believes someone is an eligible peace officer.
• Section 3 adds O.C.G.A. § 35-1-24, requiring law enforcement agencies to notify employees who may be eligible peace officers within ten days of a disabling injury, using the same 'eligible peace officer' definition.
• Section 4 revises O.C.G.A. § 45-9-78(b) to raise the death indemnification payment option from $75,000 to $150,000, while keeping the permanent disability payment at $75,000.
• Section 5 sets the effective date as the date the Governor signs the Act or it otherwise becomes law without approval.
• Section 6 repeals conflicting laws.

1. 2025-05-08Effective Date 2025-05-08
2. 2025-05-08Act 64
3. 2025-05-08House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2025-04-09House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2025-04-04House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub (House)
6. 2025-04-02Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
7. 2025-04-02Senate Third Read (Senate)
8. 2025-03-31Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)

• Will Wade (R, HD-009)Primary sponsor
• Matthew Gambill (R, HD-015)
• Soo Hong (R, HD-103)
• Lauren McDonald (R, HD-026)
• Chris Erwin (R, HD-032)
• Holt Persinger (R, HD-119)
• Bo Hatchett (R, SD-050)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 13, 2025

   168 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 7 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #36

2. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2025

   51 yea, 0 nay (3 not voting, 2 absent)

   Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #386

3. PassedHouse voteApril 4, 2025

   164 yea, 0 nay (7 not voting, 9 absent)

   Agree To Senate Substitute: House Vote #411

• workers compensation
• law enforcement benefits
• public school personnel
• death benefits
• peace officer disability