---
title: O.C.G.A. § 47-1-22. Reduction and forfeiture of rights and benefits by public employees after July 1, 1985, for committing public employment related crimes; reimbursement of contributions.
collection: code
id: 47-1-22
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 47-1-22 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/47-1-22
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/47-1-22.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/47-1-22/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t47-(v35)-2010-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=7d4bbd90_0#page=25
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/47-1.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/47-1-21.md
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index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: RETIREMENT AND PENSIONS / GENERAL PROVISIONS / RESTRICTIONS AND PROHIBITIONS ON MEMBERSHIP IN PUBLIC RETIREMENT OR PENSION SYSTEMS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 47-1-22. Reduction and forfeiture of rights and benefits by public employees after July 1, 1985, for committing public employment related crimes; reimbursement of contributions.

(a) This Code section shall apply to public employees first or again becoming public employees after July 1, 1985.

(b) If a public employee commits a public employment related crime in the capacity of a public employee and is convicted for the commission of such crime, upon final conviction such person’s benefits under a public retirement or pension system, including any survivor’s benefits if applicable, shall be reduced by an amount equal to three times the economic impact of the crime, as determined pursuant to the provisions of Code Section 47-1-25. Payment of such benefits shall cease until such amount has been forfeited, after which benefits shall be restored. If the person has not begun to receive a benefit, the deduction shall commence at the time such benefits would normally begin. For purposes of this subsection, the term ‘‘benefit’’ shall not include a refund of employee contributions without interest.

## History

Code 1981, § 47-1-22, enacted by Ga. L. 1985, p. 1624, § 1; Ga. L. 2008, p. 126, § 3/HB 255.

## Other Notes

The 2008 amendment, effective July 1, 2008, rewrote subsection (b).