HB 895: Legislative Retirement System; increase retirement benefit amounts payable to certain legislators upon retirement

Georgia lawmakers who serve in the General Assembly can earn a pension through the Georgia Legislative Retirement System, with the monthly benefit amount based on years of service and years spent presiding over a chamber. This bill adds a new benefit tier for legislators who become contributing members of the system on or after January 1, 2026. Under current law, members who joined on or after January 1, 2022 receive $50 per year of creditable service plus $200 per year of presiding service. The new tier would pay $75 per year of creditable service plus $300 per year of presiding service for members joining from 2026 onward. The increase would only take effect July 1, 2026, and only if state actuaries certify it is 'concurrently funded' under Georgia's Public Retirement Systems Standards Law (O.C.G.A. Chapter 20 of Title 47). If that funding certification does not happen, the law automatically repeals itself on that same date and never takes effect.

• Creates a new retirement benefit tier (subsection (c.2)) for legislators who become contributing members of the Georgia Legislative Retirement System on or after January 1, 2026.
• Sets the new benefit at $75 per year of creditable service, up from $50 for the prior 2022 tier.
• Sets the new presiding officer benefit add-on at $300 per year of presiding creditable service, up from $200 for the prior tier.
• Allows former members who left the system before 2026 and rejoin afterward to qualify for the higher rate, but only for service earned after January 1, 2026.
• Makes the whole Act contingent on certification that it is funded under the Public Retirement Systems Standards Law, with automatic repeal on July 1, 2026 if that certification fails.

Current and future Georgia state legislators who contribute to the Georgia Legislative Retirement System, especially those who first join on or after January 1, 2026, and members who previously left the system and later return to service.

If funded and enacted, legislators joining the retirement system from 2026 onward would receive noticeably larger monthly pensions per year served, including a higher bonus for time spent presiding over the House or Senate, increasing the state's long-term pension obligations.

• Section 1 amends O.C.G.A. § 47-6-80(c.1) to reference the new subsection (c.2) alongside the existing subsection (d) benefit formula.
• Section 1 adds subsection (c.2), setting a $75 per year creditable service rate and $300 per year presiding service rate for members joining on or after January 1, 2026.
• Section 1 preserves eligibility for the new rate for members who left the system before 2026 and rejoin, but only for service earned after that date.
• Section 2 ties the Act's effective date to certification of concurrent funding under the Public Retirement Systems Standards Law (O.C.G.A. Chapter 20 of Title 47), with automatic repeal on July 1, 2026 if not certified.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-04-04House Second Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
2. 2025-04-02House First Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
3. 2025-03-31House Hopper (Cámara de Representantes)

• Patty Stinson (D, HD-150)Patrocinador principal

• legislative retirement benefits
• pension funding
• state legislator pay
• Georgia Legislative Retirement System