HB1234: HB1234 State Employees' Assurance Department; assignment of certain group term life insurance benefits to pay for funeral services of a deceased individual who was a member of certain retirement systems; provisions

26 LC 52 0970/AP House Bill 1234 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE) By: Representatives Taylor of the 173rd, McDonald III of the 26th, Mathis of the 133rd, Santos of the 117th, and Stinson of the 150th A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Chapter 19 of Title 47 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the1 State Employees' Assurance Department, so as to provide for the assignment of certain group2 term life insurance benefits to pay for funeral services of a deceased individual who was a3 member of the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia, Georgia Legislative Retirement4 System, or Georgia Judicial Retirement System; to provide for a definition; to provide for5 related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:7 SECTION 1.8 Chapter 19 of Title 47 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotate d, relating to the State9 Employees' Assurance Department, is amended by adding a new Cod e section to read as10 follows:11 "47-19-11.12 (a) As used in this Code section, the term 'funeral services' means the observances,13 services, or ceremonies held for dead human bodies and includes any service relating to the14 transportation, embalming, cremation, and interment of a dead human body.15 H. B. 1234 - 1 - 26 LC 52 0970/AP (b) Group term life insurance benefit payments due from the re tired and vested inactive16 members trust fund or the active members fund established by su bsection (b) of Code17 Section 47-19-10 to a named beneficiary shall be assignable by such named beneficiary to18 a person licensed by the State Board of Funeral Service to practice embalming or funeral19 directing solely in order to pay the cost of funeral services for the deceased individual who20 granted such right or benefit to such named beneficiary.21 (c) To make the assignment authorized by subsection (b) of this Code section, the named22 beneficiary shall authorize such assignment in writing on a for m to be prescribed by the23 board of directors and shall attach to such form a notarized copy of the contract between24 said beneficiary and the licensed funeral director or embalmer who is providing the funeral25 services and a copy of the former member's death certificate.26 (d) The State Employees' Assurance Department shall pay or cau se to be paid any sum27 assigned in accordance with this Code section in the method or manner provided for in the28 contract for funeral services but only to the extent that such sums are owed to the person29 who completed the assignment."30 SECTION 2.31 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.32 H. B. 1234 - 2 -