Georgia House Bill HB818

Georgia 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/21/25

Caption

Georgia Judicial Retirement System; membership for each judge employed full time in the Georgia Tax Court; provide

Impact

Under HB818, full-time judges in the Georgia Tax Court will have the opportunity to transfer their creditable service from the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia to the Georgia Judicial Retirement System. This transfer will be facilitated provided the judges notify the retirement system board within a year and assume the costs associated with the transition. Members will also be considered under the guidelines applicable to state court solicitors-general, ensuring consistent treatment regarding retirement benefits.

Summary

House Bill 818 seeks to amend the Georgia Judicial Retirement System to include full-time judges employed in the Georgia Tax Court as members of the retirement system. The bill explicitly states that any judge who is employed full time in the Tax Court starting July 1, 2026, will automatically become a member and gain certain benefits associated with retirement service. This inclusion is expected to standardize the retirement benefits available to judges working in this specific jurisdiction, aligning them with other judicial roles within the state.

Contention

One notable aspect of HB818 centers around the financial implications of its enactment. The bill stipulates that it will only become effective if it is concurrently funded, adhering to the regulations established in the Public Retirement Systems Standards Law. This requirement introduces an element of uncertainty surrounding the bill's final implementation, as failure to meet funding standards will lead to its automatic repeal. Concerns may arise regarding the sustainability of this expanded retirement coverage, especially in terms of the fiscal responsibilities it imposes on the state's budget.

Additional_considerations

Additionally, there is an importance placed on ensuring equitable treatment of all individuals employed by the Georgia Tax Court, as outlined in the bill. The shift in retirement benefits for judges may prompt discussions regarding the overall efficiency and structure of judicial employment and retirement systems in the state. Observers will likely pay close attention to how this bill aligns with broader judicial reforms and the implications it has for future legislative initiatives.