---
title: SB 11. Retirement; creditable service for certain military service; provide
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/sb11
cite_as: SB 11, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb11
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb11.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb11/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69382
date: 2026-03-10
status: engrossed
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 596
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb11.md?full=1
bill_number: SB 11
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: Senate
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-03-06
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
- Michael Rhett
- Ed Harbison
- Chuck Payne
- Ricky Williams
- Billy Hickman
- Jason Anavitarte
- Harold Jones
- Matt Brass
- Marty Harbin
- Shawn Still
- Kay Kirkpatrick
- Kenya Wicks
- Ed Setzler
text_version: Engrossed
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB11/2025
upstream_id: 1922176
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- public employee retirement
- military service credit
- veterans benefits
- state pension law
---
# SB 11. Retirement; creditable service for certain military service; provide
## Text
Senate Bill 11
By: Senators Rhett of the 33rd, Harbison of the 15th, Payne of the 54th, Williams of the 25th,
Hickman of the 4th and others
AS PASSED SENATE
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Article 5 of Chapter 2 of Title 47 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to service creditable toward retirement benefits, so as to provide for creditable
service for certain military service; to provide for application and payment; to provide for
related matters; to provide conditions for an effective date and automatic repeal; to repeal
conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Article 5 of Chapter 2 of Title 47 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
service creditable toward retirement benefits, is amended by revising Code Section 47-2-95,
which is designated as reserved, as follows:
"47-2-95.
(a) A member with at least ten years of membership service may obtain up to 36 months
of creditable service to be awarded month for month for active military service in the
armed forces of the United States performed on or after January 1, 1990.
(b) To obtain such creditable service, a member shall:
(1) Apply in a method or manner to be prescribed by the board of trustees;
(2) Submit proof of qualifying active military service as the board of trustees shall deem
necessary; and
(3) Pay to the board of trustees an amount determined by such board to be equal to the
full actuarial cost of such creditable service.
(c) Following its approval of an application for creditable service pursuant to this Code
section, the board of trustees shall certify to the applicant the amount of the payment to the
retirement system required to earn creditable service pursuant to this Code section.
(d) A member may make a one-time payment of the full amount established by the board
of trustees pursuant to subsection (c) of this Code section within 90 days and thereafter
receive such creditable service to which he or she is entitled or may elect to participate in
a payment plan under the same terms provided for in subsection (e) of Code
Section 47-2-101.
(e) Pursuant to this Code section, no member shall receive creditable service:
(1) If such member was not honorably discharged;
(2) For reserve duty;
(3) For any period of time for which he or she obtained membership service; or
(4) For any portion of such member's active military service in the armed forces of the
United States that has been or will be used in the determination of eligibility for
retirement benefits or allowances from any other state or federal retirement program,
excluding social security. Reserved."
SECTION 2.
This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2026, only if it is determined to have been
concurrently funded as provided in Chapter 20 of Title 47 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, the "Public Retirement Systems Standards Law"; otherwise, this Act shall not
become effective and shall be automatically repealed in its entirety on July 1, 2026, as
required by subsection (a) of Code Section 47-20-50.
SECTION 3.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
A Georgia Senate bill would let members of the state Employees' Retirement System buy up to three years of extra retirement credit for active military service performed since 1990, if they pay the full cost.
### Plain-language summary
Georgia law currently reserves a section of the retirement code (O.C.G.A. § 47-2-95) without any active provisions for military service credit. This bill fills in that section, allowing a retirement system member who already has at least ten years of membership service to buy up to 36 months of creditable service for active duty military service in the U.S. armed forces performed on or after January 1, 1990.
To get the credit, a member must apply the way the board of trustees requires, submit proof of qualifying service, and pay the full actuarial cost as determined by the board. Members can pay in one lump sum within 90 days or use an existing payment plan. The credit is denied if the person was not honorably discharged, if the service was reserve duty, if membership service already covers that time, or if the military service is already counted toward another state or federal retirement benefit. The law only takes effect July 1, 2026 if state actuaries confirm it is properly funded; otherwise it repeals itself automatically that day.
### What it does
- Creates a new option for members with at least ten years of service credit to purchase up to 36 months of retirement credit for active military service since January 1, 1990.
- Requires members to apply, prove qualifying military service, and pay the full actuarial cost of the credit, as set by the board of trustees.
- Lets members pay for the credit either as a lump sum within 90 days or through an existing installment payment plan.
- Blocks the credit if the discharge was not honorable, the service was reserve duty, the time is already covered by membership service, or it counts toward another retirement program.
- Makes the whole Act contingent on state funding certification, taking effect July 1, 2026 only if funded, and automatically repealing itself that date otherwise.
### Who it affects
Members of Georgia's state Employees' Retirement System who served on active duty in the U.S. armed forces since 1990, particularly those with at least ten years of membership service; the system's board of trustees, which must set application procedures and cost calculations; and state actuaries who must certify funding.
### Why it matters
Veterans working in Georgia state government could add up to three years toward their pension calculations by paying the actuarial cost, potentially increasing retirement benefits or moving up eligibility. The change only becomes real if state officials confirm it is fully funded, so its actual effect depends on that certification.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 rewrites O.C.G.A. § 47-2-95, previously reserved with no text, to create the military service credit program.
- Subsection (a) limits the credit to members with 10+ years of membership service and caps it at 36 months of service after January 1, 1990.
- Subsection (b) lists application steps: filing an application, submitting proof of service, and paying the full actuarial cost set by the board.
- Subsection (d) allows either a lump-sum payment within 90 days or a payment plan under the same terms as Code Section 47-2-101(e).
- Subsection (e) lists four disqualifying conditions, including dishonorable discharge and reserve-only duty.
- Section 2 makes the Act effective July 1, 2026 only if funding is certified under the Public Retirement Systems Standards Law, otherwise it repeals automatically that date.
## Status
- Status: Engrossed (2026-03-06)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2026-03-10)
- Sponsors: Michael Rhett, Ed Harbison, Chuck Payne, Ricky Williams, Billy Hickman, Jason Anavitarte, Harold Jones, Matt Brass, Marty Harbin, Shawn Still, Kay Kirkpatrick, Kenya Wicks, Ed Setzler
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69382
> The history, votes, and amendments (596 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb11.md?full=1