SB216: SB216 Georgia Judicial Retirement System; membership in the system for individuals employed as the director of the Prosecuting Attorneys Qualifications Commission; provide

Under current law, the director of the Prosecuting Attorneys Qualifications Commission is covered by the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia. This bill would add that position to the Georgia Judicial Retirement System (O.C.G.A. Chapter 23 of Title 47) starting July 1, 2026, treating the director like a solicitor-general of a state court for retirement purposes. Anyone already in the job as of June 30, 2026 would stay in the Employees' Retirement System unless they choose, by June 30, 2027, to switch to the judicial system and pay the full actuarial cost of moving their service credit. If they switch, the Employees' Retirement System would transfer their contributions and interest to the judicial system. The bill also defines how the director's monthly pay counts toward contributions and benefits. The whole Act only takes effect if state actuaries confirm it is funded under Georgia's Public Retirement Systems Standards Law; otherwise it is automatically repealed on July 1, 2026.

• Adds the director of the Prosecuting Attorneys Qualifications Commission as a member of the Georgia Judicial Retirement System starting July 1, 2026.
• Lets a director already employed before July 1, 2026 stay in the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia unless they affirmatively elect to switch by June 30, 2027.
• Requires anyone who switches retirement systems to personally pay the full actuarial cost of transferring their service credit.
• Directs the Employees' Retirement System to transfer the director's prior employer and employee contributions, plus interest, to the judicial system if they switch.
• Defines how the director's earnable monthly compensation is calculated for contributions and benefits, treating it like pay for a solicitor-general.
• Makes the entire law effective only if state officials certify it is funded under Georgia's Public Retirement Systems Standards Law, or else it is automatically repealed on July 1, 2026.

The bill affects the director of the Prosecuting Attorneys Qualifications Commission, a state office overseeing prosecutor conduct, along with the Georgia Judicial Retirement System and the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia, which manage the pension accounts and fund transfers involved.

The change gives the commission's director access to a different pension system, potentially affecting how much they contribute and what retirement benefits they eventually receive. Current directors get a one-year window to weigh switching, but must cover the full cost of moving their service credit themselves.

• Section 1 creates new Code Section 47-23-43.2, making the director position a Georgia Judicial Retirement System member as of July 1, 2026.
• Section 1 lets current directors remain in the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia unless they elect to switch and pay the full actuarial transfer cost by June 30, 2027.
• Section 1 specifies that switching directors get vesting credit only for service actually rendered and creditable under the Employees' Retirement System.
• Section 1 states the director's earnable monthly compensation is the full rate of regular monthly pay from state funds for full working time.
• Section 2 amends O.C.G.A. § 47-23-100 to add a new salary definition using the director's average earnable monthly compensation.
• Section 3 conditions the whole Act's effective date on certified funding under the Public Retirement Systems Standards Law, with automatic repeal on July 1, 2026 if not funded.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date 2026-07-01
2. 2026-05-11Act 488
3. 2026-05-11Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
4. 2026-04-10Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
5. 2026-03-19House Passed/Adopted (House)
6. 2026-03-19House Third Readers (House)
7. 2026-03-18House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
8. 2026-03-09House Second Readers (House)

• Randy Robertson (R, SD-029)Primary sponsor
• Blake Tillery (R, SD-019)
• Brian Strickland (R, SD-042)
• Max Burns (R, SD-023)
• Ed Setzler (R, SD-037)
• Billy Hickman (R, SD-004)
• Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-032)
• Chuck Payne (R, SD-054)
• Marty Harbin (R, SD-016)
• Russ Goodman (R, SD-008)
• Shawn Still (R, SD-048)
• Joseph Gullett (R, HD-019)

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 4, 2026

   49 yea, 2 nay (3 not voting, 1 absent)

   Passage: Senate Vote #631

2. PassedHouse voteMarch 19, 2026

   165 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 6 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #726

• public pensions
• judicial retirement system
• state employee benefits
• prosecuting attorneys oversight