HB 105: Public officers and employees; increase indemnification award of certain state public school personnel in the event of death

Georgia law provides a state indemnification fund that pays benefits to certain public employees, including school personnel and peace officers, who are killed or permanently disabled in the line of duty. This bill, named the "Daniel D. Podsiadly, Jr. Act," raises the death benefit paid out under that fund (O.C.G.A. § 45-9-78) from $75,000 to $150,000, payable either in equal installments over five years or as a discounted lump sum. The bill also adds two new notification requirements. The State Board of Workers' Compensation must tell the Department of Administrative Services when it believes an injured worker is an eligible peace officer, and law enforcement agencies must notify employees who may be eligible peace officers about the indemnification fund and a related disability compensation program within ten days of a disabling injury. The changes take effect once the Governor signs the bill or it becomes law without a signature.

• Raises the lump-sum or installment death benefit paid through the Georgia State Indemnification Fund from $75,000 to $150,000 for eligible people who die in covered circumstances.
• Requires the State Board of Workers' Compensation to notify the Department of Administrative Services when it has reasonable cause to believe an injured worker is an eligible peace officer.
• Requires the workers' compensation board to also notify the injured peace officer directly, including contact information for the indemnification fund and a temporary disability program.
• Requires local and state law enforcement agencies to notify employees who may be eligible peace officers about these benefits within ten days of a disabling injury.
• Creates a new legal definition of 'eligible peace officer' covering full-time or part-time officers who must maintain public order or make arrests and who are disabled through direct interaction with a suspect, arrestee, or inmate.

State and local peace officers and law enforcement agencies, the Department of Administrative Services, the State Board of Workers' Compensation, and the families or estates of state public school personnel and other covered employees who die in the line of duty.

Families of covered employees who die in qualifying circumstances would receive twice the current payout from the state indemnification fund. Peace officers who are injured on the job would also be more likely to learn about benefits they may be entitled to, since agencies would now be required to tell them directly.

• Section 1 names the bill the 'Daniel D. Podsiadly, Jr. Act.'
• Section 2 adds new Code Section 34-9-26, defining 'eligible peace officer' and requiring the workers' compensation board to notify both the Department of Administrative Services and the injured officer when it believes that officer qualifies.
• Section 3 adds new Code Section 35-1-24, requiring law enforcement agencies to notify potentially eligible officers about the indemnification fund and disability program within ten days of a disabling injury.
• Section 4 amends O.C.G.A. § 45-9-78(b)(2) to raise the death benefit from $75,000 to $150,000, payable over five years or as a discounted lump sum at 6 percent interest.
• Section 5 sets the effective date as the date the Governor signs the bill or it otherwise becomes law without a signature.

1. 2025-05-08Effective Date
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-9)Primary sponsor
• Matthew Gambill (R, HD-15)
• Soo Hong (R, HD-103)
• Lauren McDonald III (R, HD-26)
• Chris Erwin (R, HD-32)
• Holt Persinger (R, HD-119)
• Bo Hatchett (R, SD-50)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 13, 2025

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

   PASSAGE: House Vote #36

2. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2025

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

   PASSAGE BY SUBSTITUTE: Senate Vote #386

3. PassedHouse voteApril 4, 2025

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

   Agree to Senate Substitute: House Vote #411

• workers' compensation
• peace officer benefits
• state indemnification fund
• public school personnel
• law enforcement notification