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Bill would let retired state employees keep retiree health coverage when serving in certain elected offices
Summary
House Bill 969, advanced by the committee as a substitute, would let retirees who take elected offices that participate in the State Health Benefit Plan (SHBP) choose to remain on their retiree health plan rather than being forced onto an active employee plan, a change sponsors and witnesses said would prevent financial harm to retired educators who run for office.
The House Retirement Committee on [date not specified] advanced a substitute to House Bill 969 that would allow retired state employees who are elected to certain offices covered by the State Health Benefit Plan to elect to remain on their retiree health coverage.
Representative Rick Townsend, sponsor of the substitute, said the bill responds to constituents who ran for local boards while receiving retiree health coverage and subsequently were moved onto different active plans with higher out‑of‑pocket costs. Townsend described cases where retired educators faced abrupt changes in coverage after election and said the bill restores the employee’s choice.
Susan Lee, a retired Glenn County educator now on the Glenn County Board of Education, testified that after her election she faced denied claims and higher costs when her coverage changed. She said a previously $10.84 supply became $213.38 under the new plan and that she was not given a choice when she ran for office. “This legislation ensures the future of retired educators and they can actually run for school board without fear of losing their retired health insurance,” Lee said.
Glenn County Schools and GSBA witnesses recommended clarifying which employees the bill covers; Glenn County pointed to O.C.G.A. provisions that define who is covered under the SHBP. The bill’s author and TRS/ERS staff said the substitute targets offices that participate in the SHBP and would not change eligibility where an elected office uses a different insurance arrangement.
Vice Chairman Franklin moved a do‑pass recommendation, seconded by Chairman Green; the committee approved the substitute by voice vote. The sponsor and staff said they would obtain any missing certification letters and that legislative counsel and ERS had reviewed language.
