HB808: HB808 State Law Enforcement Officer Plan or 'SLEO Plan'; establish

Georgia's Employees' Retirement System currently covers state law enforcement officers under standard retirement rules. This bill would add a new optional plan called the State Law Enforcement Officer Plan, or SLEO Plan, that eligible officers could choose instead of their existing retirement plan. The bill also expands the legal definition of 'state law enforcement officer' to include peace officers at the Department of Community Supervision and sworn officers at numerous state agencies, from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to the Department of Agriculture. Officers who choose the SLEO Plan would make an irrevocable election within 90 days of becoming eligible or by July 1, 2026. They would contribute 5 percent of their pay and receive a tiered schedule of monthly retirement benefits that grows with years of service, plus a deferred retirement option program (DROP) account for benefits earned after 25 years of service. No one could retire under the plan before July 1, 2031. The whole Act only takes effect if it passes a separate state funding review; otherwise it is automatically repealed on July 1, 2026.

• Creates a new optional pension plan, the SLEO Plan, for state law enforcement officers who make an irrevocable election to join it instead of their current retirement plan.
• Expands the legal definition of 'state law enforcement officer' to include Department of Community Supervision peace officers and sworn officers at about two dozen additional state agencies.
• Requires officers who join the SLEO Plan to contribute 5 percent of their pay and sets a tiered benefit schedule that increases with years of creditable service.
• Bars any electing officer from retiring under the enhanced plan before July 1, 2031, even if they otherwise qualify, forfeiting the enhanced benefits if they try.
• Creates individual Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP) accounts where officers with 25 or more years of service can accumulate monthly benefit payments, with interest, until they retire.
• Makes the entire Act effective July 1, 2026 only if a required state funding review confirms it is funded, and automatically repeals it otherwise.

State law enforcement officers across many Georgia agencies, including the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Department of Corrections, Department of Natural Resources, Department of Public Safety, and Department of Community Supervision, along with the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia, which would administer the new plan and its accounts.

Eligible officers who choose the SLEO Plan would trade higher paycheck deductions and a mandatory wait until 2031 for a potentially larger pension built through a tiered benefit schedule and a deferred account that keeps earning interest, changing how and when they can retire.

• Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 47-2-1 to broaden the definition of 'state law enforcement officer' to include Department of Community Supervision peace officers and sworn officers at roughly 24 additional listed state agencies.
• Section 2 adds new Article 11 to Chapter 2 of Title 47, naming the plan the 'State Law Enforcement Officer Plan' or 'SLEO Plan' (O.C.G.A. § 47-2-400).
• New Code Section 47-2-401 requires officers to make an irrevocable written election within 90 days of eligibility or by July 1, 2026, and bars enhanced benefits for anyone retiring before July 1, 2031.
• New Code Section 47-2-402 sets a 5 percent employee contribution and a tiered monthly benefit formula ranging from 10 percent of average final compensation at 10 years to additional percentages through 25 years of service.
• New Code Section 47-2-403 creates individual DROP accounts that hold an officer's monthly benefit payments with market-rate interest until retirement, with lump sum, partial lump sum, or annuity payout options.
• Section 3 conditions the Act's effective date of July 1, 2026 on confirmation of funding under the Public Retirement Systems Standards Law, with automatic repeal if that funding is not confirmed.

1. 2025-03-25House Second Readers (House)
2. 2025-03-21House First Readers (House)
3. 2025-03-20House Hopper (House)

• John Carson (R, HD-046)Primary sponsor
• Alan Powell (R, HD-033)
• Clint Crowe (R, HD-118)

• state employee retirement
• law enforcement officers
• pension plans
• public employee benefits