SB 285 Passes Senate, Heads to Georgia House for Consideration

The Peace Officers’ Annuity & Benefit Fund (POAB) of Georgia recently notified members that Senate Bill 285 (SB 285) has successfully passed the Georgia State Senate and will now move to the Georgia House of Representatives for consideration.

POAB leadership is encouraging members to remain engaged in the legislative process and communicate with their elected officials as the bill continues through the General Assembly.

What Senate Bill 285 Proposes

Senate Bill 285 would create an additional funding stream dedicated to supporting the POAB Fund. Under the provisions of the substitute bill:

• A “public safety support surcharge” would be established on telephone services.
• The surcharge would be $1 per month per telephone service for monthly subscribers.
• A $1 surcharge per retail transaction would apply to purchases of prepaid wireless services.

The bill has successfully passed out of the Senate Retirement Committee and is now awaiting consideration by the full Senate.

Revenue generated through these charges would be directed in part to the POAB Fund, helping strengthen the financial position of the program and support retirement benefits for Georgia’s law enforcement officers. 

Why This Matters

While the legislation does not establish a specific benefit increase, it would create a dedicated funding source intended to strengthen the Fund’s long-term financial position and support potential benefit improvements as authorized by the POAB Board.

If current revenue projections hold, the additional funding could significantly enhance the Fund’s financial outlook and may create the opportunity for meaningful benefit improvements for members over time.

POAB leadership has noted that the legislation has the potential to represent one of the most significant financial enhancements to the Fund in decades.

Member Engagement

Members are encouraged to take a moment to contact their State Senator and thank them for their support of Senate Bill 285.

As the bill advances to the Georgia House of Representatives, it is also important that members contact their State Representative to voice support for the legislation.

If a member’s representative serves on the House Retirement Committee, it is especially important that they be contacted, as the committee plays a key role in reviewing retirement-related legislation.

House Retirement Committee

The current members of the Georgia House Retirement Committee include:

• John Carson (46th) — Chairman
• Lehman Franklin (160th) — Vice Chairman
• David Jenkins (136th) — Secretary
• Debbie Buckner (137th) — Member
• Buddy DeLoach (167th) — Member
• Chris Erwin (32nd) — Member
• Stacey Evans (57th) — Member
• Gerald Greene (154th) — Member
• Mitchell Horner (3rd) — Member
• Marvin Lim (98th) — Member
• Chuck Martin (49th) — Member
• Steve Tarvin (2nd) — Member
• Brad Thomas (21st) — Member
• David Wilkerson (38th) — Member
• Mary Frances Williams (37th) — Member
• Noel Williams, Jr. (148th) — Member

Find Your Legislator

Members can locate their State House and State Senate districts using the Georgia General Assembly’s “Find Your Legislator” tool.

By entering an address, members can determine their State House and Senate districts and access contact information for their elected officials. When using the tool, be sure to select the contact information listed under the red box labeled HOUSE to locate your State Representative.

Continuing Updates

POAB will continue to provide updates to members as Senate Bill 285 moves through the legislative process. Member engagement remains an important part of helping lawmakers understand the value of the Fund and the impact it has on Georgia’s law enforcement community.