07 LC
14 9619
Senate
Bill 172
By:
Senator Goggans of the 7th
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend provisions of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to public
employee health care; to amend Article 6 of Chapter 18 of Title 45 of the
Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Georgia Retiree Health
Benefit Fund, so as to provide for reports to the board of community health; to
provide for related matters; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting
laws; and for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Article
6 of Chapter 18 of Title 45 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to the Georgia Retiree Health Benefit Fund, is amended by striking Code Section
45-18-102, relating to the responsibilities, duties, and powers of the
department, board, and commissioner of community health with regard to the
Georgia Retiree Health Benefit Fund, and inserting in lieu thereof a new Code
Section 45-18-102 to read as follows:
"45-18-102.
(a)
Responsibility for the proper operation of the fund is vested in the
department.
(b)
The board shall adopt actuarial assumptions as it deems necessary and
prudent.
(c)
The board shall determine the minimum annual required contribution rates
sufficient to maintain the fund in accordance with the state plan for other
post-employment benefits.
(d)
The board may adopt any rules and regulations that it finds necessary to
properly administer the fund.
(e)
Reserved.
The
department shall furnish reports to the board at each of the board´s
regularly scheduled meetings for the board´s review. The reports shall
contain the most recent information reasonably available to the department
reflecting the obligations of the fund, earnings on investments, and such other
information as the board deems necessary and appropriate.
(f)
The commissioner of community health, as executive officer of the board, shall
employ such personnel as may be needed to carry out the provisions of this
article and such personnel shall be employees of the Department of Community
Health. The pro rata share of the costs of operating the Department of Community
Health in the manner prescribed by law shall be a part of the administrative
costs of the fund.
(g)
The department may employ or contract for the services of actuaries and other
professionals as required to carry out the duties established by this
article.
(h)
The department shall contract with the Division of Investment Services of the
Teachers Retirement System of Georgia and the Employees´ Retirement System
of Georgia for any necessary services with respect to fund
investments.
(i)
The department shall maintain all necessary records regarding the fund in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, as applicable to the
fund.
(j)
The department shall collect all moneys due to the fund and shall pay any
administrative expenses necessary and appropriate for the operation of the fund
from the fund.
(k)
The department shall prepare an annual report of fund activities
for the
board. Such reports shall include, but not
be limited to, audited financial statements.
The reports
shall contain the most recent information reasonably available to the department
reflecting the obligations of the fund, earnings on investments, and such other
information as the board deems necessary and appropriate.
(l)
Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the department shall
be entitled to any information that it deems necessary and appropriate from a
retirement system in order that the provisions of Code Section 45-18-103 may be
carried out."
SECTION
2.
This
Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its
becoming law without such approval.
SECTION
3.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.