05 LC
33 0614
Senate
Bill 98
By:
Senators Hudgens of the 47th, Cagle of the 49th, Johnson of the 1st, Kemp of the
46th and Douglas of the 17th
AS
PASSED
AN
ACT
To
amend Code Section 20-2-55 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to per diem and expenses of local boards of education, so as to authorize the
expenditure of funds for life, disability, and liability insurance, retirement
and pension coverage, social security coverage, and similar benefits for
members of such local boards of education; to provide for related matters; to
repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Code
Section 20-2-55 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to per diem
and expenses of local boards of education, is amended by striking in its
entirety subsection (b) and inserting in lieu thereof the
following:
"(b)(1)
A local board of education is authorized to provide and expend local funds for
the provision of group medical, dental, life, disability, and liability
insurance and retirement or pension coverage, social security and employment
security coverage, and similar or related employment benefits for its members
who elect to participate. Such insurance and benefits may be provided through a
group policy or plan secured by the local school district, a group policy or
plan secured by several local school districts, or a policy or plan secured by
an organization of local school boards. Medical and dental insurance may also be
offered in accordance with Code Section 45-18-5 providing for the inclusion of
members of the local board of education and their spouses and dependents within
any health insurance plan or plans established under Article 1 of Chapter 18 of
Title 45. It shall be the duty of the board to make the employer contributions
required for the operation of such plan or plans. Except as provided in
paragraph (3) of this subsection, a board providing such insurance shall pay no
greater percentage of the cost of that insurance than the percentage of the cost
paid as an employer contribution by the state for the health insurance plan for
state employees pursuant to Article 1 of Chapter 18 of Title 45. The remainder
of such insurance costs, and all the costs of any coverage for family members,
shall be paid as an employee contribution by the board member. It shall be the
duty of the board to deduct from the salary or other remuneration of qualified
members or otherwise collect such payment from the qualified members or
dependents.
(2)
Taxes levied by or on behalf of a local board of education may be expended for
employer contributions, but not employee contributions, required for insurance
coverage or other benefits for members of that board as provided in paragraph
(1) of this subsection. Taxes levied by or on behalf of a local board of
education also may be expended for contributions authorized in paragraph (3) of
this subsection. Such expenditures on behalf of any member may continue only as
long as that member continues in office and makes any employee contribution
required for such coverage. That member, and eligible dependents thereof, shall
be ineligible for coverage pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1) of this
subsection upon such
persońs
ceasing to serve as a member of a local board of education. Such expenditures
on behalf of any member in accordance with paragraph (3) of this subsection may
continue only as long as that member continues in office and makes any
contribution which is not the result of the board of
educatiońs
decision to allow its members to participate in the health insurance plan.
Expenditures authorized by this Code section shall be in addition to, and not in
lieu of, any salary, expense, per diem, or other compensation payable to that
member of a local board of education.
(3)
If a board member is already a member of a health insurance plan established by
Article 1 of Chapter 18 of Title 45 as a retired employee and the result of the
board of
educatiońs
decision to allow its members to participate is to establish dual eligibility
for a member and thus to increase the cost to such member of the state insurance
plan, then the local board may pay any additional cost imposed on such member as
a result of the local
board́s
decision to allow its members to participate in coverage under
paragraph (1) of this
subsection."
SECTION
2.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.