Poet laureate

(a) There is created the position of poet laureate of the State of Georgia. (b) The poet laureate shall be appointed by the Governor from a list of three nominees submitted to him by the Georgia Council for the Arts. (c) The council shall submit the list of three nominees to the Governor within 30 days after the Governor takes the oath of office for a full term. The Governor shall appoint the poet laureate within 30 days after receiving the list of nominees. The poet laureate shall be appointed to serve for a term of office concurrent with the term of office of the Governor or until a successor is appointed and qualified as provided in this Code section. (d) In the event of a vacancy in the office of poet laureate, the vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment, and the person so appointed shall serve until a successor is appointed and qualified as provided in this Code section. (e) Any person serving on April 13, 1981, in the position of poet laureate as created by executive order shall continue in the position and no appointment shall be effective under this Code section until such time as the person serving as poet laureate on April 13, 1981, either vacates the office or a vacancy occurs in the office in any other manner. (f) The poet laureate shall be an honorary position and the person appointed shall receive no remuneration. History. Ga. L. 1981, p. 1394, § 1; Ga. L. 1986, p. 174, § 1. 50-1-4. Employment position to remain open upon granting of involuntary separation benefits by state agency. (a) As used in this Code section, the term “state agency” means any department, agency, board, commission, or authority of the state or any 427 50-1-5 political subdivision thereof, any employees of which are members of the Employees’ Retirement System of Georgia. (b) Any time a state employee entitled to receive involuntary separation retirement benefits pursuant to Code Section 47-2-123 is involuntarily separated from employment and such employee is granted such involuntary separation benefits, the employment position such employee held within a state agency at the time of such involuntary separation from service shall remain open and unfilled permanently. In addition, an amount equal to the sum of such employee’s salary at the time of such involuntary separation from service and the cost of such employee’s retirement with involuntary separation benefits shall be deleted permanently from the employing state agency’s annual appropriations budget. (c) The provisions of this Code section shall not apply to an employee who is involuntarily separated from service because of a mandatory retirement age or as a direct result of an Act of the General Assembly which abolishes such employee’s position. History. Code 1981, § 50-1-4, enacted by Ga. L. 1993, p. 1817, § 1. 50-1-5. Meetings by teleconference or other similar means.