Georgia CommonsHouse · Introduced · 2025-2026 Regular Session
HB 969: Georgia State Employees Post-employment Health Benefit Fund; certain fund beneficiaries to not be disqualified from postretirement health benefits; provide
Last action March 6, 2026 · House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
A Georgia House bill would let retired state employees or teachers who serve on local school boards keep their state retiree health coverage by opting out of the school board's own health insurance instead of being forced into costly dual coverage.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the bill and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Comm Sub version, the latest the General Assembly's website lists.
In plain language
Under current Georgia law, local school board members can join a health insurance plan through their board, but if a board member is already retired and receiving health coverage through a state retirement system, joining the board's plan can create dual eligibility that raises costs and can jeopardize the retiree's post-employment health benefits. This bill addresses that conflict for retirees who serve as elected school board members. The bill lets a local board of education member who is already a retiree decline the board's health insurance by signing a consent form, and directs the local board to mark that member as benefits ineligible for federal reporting purposes. It also adds a new Code section stating that a retiree cannot be disqualified from the state's post-employment health benefit fund just because they serve on a local school board, as long as they sign the same consent form. The Board of Community Health must create and publish that consent form and any needed rules by July 1, 2026. The law would take effect as soon as the Governor signs it.
What the bill does
- Allows local school board members who are already retirees to opt out of the board's health insurance plan by signing a consent form.
- Requires local boards to designate opted-out retiree board members as benefits ineligible for federal regulatory purposes.
- Adds a new Code section (O.C.G.A. § 45-18-29) protecting retirees from losing their state post-employment health benefits solely because they serve on a local school board.
- Requires the Board of Community Health to create and publish a consent form and any needed rules by July 1, 2026.
- Preserves a retiree's monthly retirement allowance and future benefit adjustments if they choose to keep their state retiree coverage instead of the school board's plan.
Who it affects
Retired state employees, teachers, and other public school employees who serve as elected members of local boards of education, along with local school boards that offer health insurance, the Board of Community Health, and the state retirement systems that manage post-employment health benefits.
Why it matters
Without this change, a retiree serving on a school board could face higher costs from dual insurance coverage or risk losing their state retiree health benefits. The bill gives these retirees a clear way to keep their existing coverage while still serving on a local school board.
Key provisions
- Section 1 amends O.C.G.A. § 20-2-55 to let school board members decline the board's group health insurance by completing a consent form.
- Section 1 also lets a board member who is already a retiree in the state health plan opt out of the board's coverage and requires the board to mark that member as benefits ineligible for federal purposes.
- Section 2 creates a new O.C.G.A. § 45-18-29 defining 'post-employment health plan,' 'retiree,' and 'state retirement system' for purposes of this protection.
- Section 2 states that a retiree cannot be disqualified from the post-employment health benefit fund solely for serving as an elected school board member if they sign the consent form.
- Section 2 requires the Board of Community Health to publish the consent form and any implementing rules by July 1, 2026.
- Section 3 sets the effective date as the date the Governor signs the bill or it becomes law without signature.
From the bill
“A retiree who would otherwise qualify as a fund beneficiary shall not be disqualified from participating in the post-employment health plan solely because of service as an elected member of a local board of education.”
“No later than July 1, 2026, the board shall develop and publish a consent form and promulgate any rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this Code section.”
Discussed in meetings (6)
The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.
House Retirement Committee, February 10, 2026
From 0:44:10 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said the substitute for HB 969 would let retirees keep retiree State Health Benefit Plan coverage when elected to an office offering that plan, rather than having to switch to active-employee coverage. A retired educator serving on the Glynn County school board described being required to change plans after election. The witness reported a $400 medical bill, doctor-visit costs rising from $20 to $150 before meeting a deductible, and CPAP supply costs rising from $10.84 to $213.38. A committee member suggested broader protection for elected officials. The sponsor said the bill addresses offices offering the state plan, and no amendment was offered. Another member questioned whether Medicare Advantage rules caused the problem. The sponsor said legislative counsel and Teachers Retirement System officials had reviewed the issue and that other retirees had experienced it. Witnesses for Glynn County Schools and the Georgia School Boards Association supported the bill. The sponsor said the substitute tightened wording to avoid misinterpretation. The chair said it still needed certification of financial impact before advancing through Rules or to the House floor. The committee approved the substitute by voice vote, with no opposition heard.
House Retirement Committee, March 5, 2026
From 0:14:29 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor presented a revised version of HB 969 after identifying a possible Medicare issue. The sponsor said the revision would let newly elected school board members immediately choose part-time or full-time status, allowing later health coverage decisions to follow the rules for that status. The sponsor said legislative counsel, insurance specialists and a regional federal health official had reviewed the changes. The chair described a retired educator whose election to a full-time school board position changed their State Health Benefit Plan coverage. The sponsor clarified that the constituent had not lost all coverage, but had lost their previous benefits. The chair said choosing part-time status could help someone in that situation retain their existing coverage, and the sponsor agreed. After enough members arrived to act, the committee approved a do-pass motion by voice vote, with no opposition heard.
House Rules Committee, March 6, 2026
From 0:47:18 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 969 arose from a retired educator whose insurance costs increased after election to a school board. The sponsor said the bill would let newly elected board members choose part-time or full-time status without disrupting Medicare coverage. The sponsor described work with state and federal health officials, said regional federal approval had been received, and said a response from Washington was still pending. No decision was recorded.
Status timeline
- House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
- House Withdrawn, Recommitted (House)
- House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Rick Townsend (R, HD-179)
- Lee Hawkins (R, HD-27)
- Gerald Greene (R, HD-154)
- Esther Panitch (D, HD-51)
- Tangie Herring (D, HD-145)
- Karen Mathiak (R, HD-82)
Topics
- state retiree health benefits
- school board members
- public employee insurance
- Georgia state employees