GeorgiaSB 562025-2026 Regular SessionSenateWALLET

Georgia State Indemnification Fund; the Department of Administrative Services to purchase annuities for the payment of indemnification claims; authorize

Sponsored By: John Albers (Republican), Jason Anavitarte (Republican), Lee Anderson (Republican), Timothy Bearden (Republican), Max Burns (Republican), Greg Dolezal (Republican), Drew Echols (Republican), Frank Ginn (Republican), Steve Gooch (Republican), Russ Goodman (Republican), Marty Harbin (Republican), Bo Hatchett (Republican), Billy Hickman (Republican), John F. Kennedy (Republican), Chuck Payne (Republican), Randy Robertson (Republican), Shawn Still (Republican), Brian Strickland (Republican), Blake Tillery (Republican), Sam Watson (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Public Safety and Homeland SecurityInsurance and LaborGeneral Bill

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.

COVID death benefits for officer families

Georgia recognizes qualifying public safety officer COVID-19 deaths as line-of-duty deaths, allowing eligible survivors to seek death benefits. The death must have occurred on or before April 15, 2022. A diagnosis or evidence must show COVID-19 within 14 days of the officer's last duty day. COVID-19 or its complications must have been present at death, and no death claim can already have been paid. Medical evidence must not establish another direct cause of death or another cause that led to the death.

Officer families get death benefit payment choices

Eligible survivors can choose $2,500 monthly for 60 months, totaling $150,000, or a lump sum discounted using 6% annually. Recipients include an unremarried surviving spouse, children under 19, or children under 24 enrolled in postsecondary education. Other dependents must appear on the officer's most recent tax return; legal guardians receive payments for incapacitated people with organic brain damage. Georgia's Department of Administrative Services can buy annuities to fund awards after an approved line-of-duty disability, brain damage, or death finding.

Officer families face COVID claim deadline

The law sets a filing window for qualifying officer COVID-19 deaths on or before April 15, 2022. Applications had to be properly submitted from the revised law's effective date through August 1, 2025. Claims filed outside that window cannot be paid. Applications that were not properly submitted within the window also cannot be paid.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Cosponsors

Joseph Gullett
Republican • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 219 • No: 1

House vote • 3/27/2025

PASSAGE

Yes: 165 • No: 0 • Other: 4

Senate vote • 3/3/2025

PASSAGE BY SUBSTITUTE

Yes: 54 • No: 1

Actions Timeline

Effective Date
7/1/2025
Senate Date Signed by Governor
5/14/2025Senate
Act 281
5/14/2025
Senate Sent to Governor
4/7/2025Senate
House Third Readers
3/27/2025House
House Passed/Adopted
3/27/2025House
House Committee Favorably Reported
3/20/2025House
House Second Readers
3/6/2025House
House First Readers
3/4/2025House
Senate Third Read
3/3/2025Senate
Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute
3/3/2025Senate
Senate Read Second Time
2/20/2025Senate
Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
2/19/2025Senate
Senate Read and Referred
1/30/2025Senate
Senate Hopper
1/29/2025Senate

Bill Text

SB 56/AP* (v7)
PDF

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