2016 Georgia Code
Title 47 - Retirement and Pensions
Chapter 19 - State Employees' Assurance Department
§ 47-19-10. Directors defined; establishment of retired and vested inactive members trust fund; establishment of active members fund; management and investment of fund assets; contributions irrevocable

(a) As used in this Code section, the term "directors" means the board of directors of the State Employees' Assurance Department.

(b) There shall be established two separate trust funds under the control and management of the directors to be maintained for the provision of group term life insurance for eligible members of the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia, the Georgia Legislative Retirement System, and the Georgia Judicial Retirement System as follows:

(1) One trust fund shall be known as the "retired and vested inactive members trust fund," which shall be administered in the following manner:

(A) There shall be accumulated in the fund the payments made to the trust fund as premiums received from the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia, the Georgia Legislative Retirement System, and the Georgia Judicial Retirement System as premiums for retired and vested inactive members of such retirement funds, as provided in subsection (c) of this Code section, including interest earned on deposits and investments of such payments; and

(B) All assets of the trust fund and all income, interest, and dividends derived from deposits and investments shall be used for the payments of benefits and expenses necessary for the maintaining of survivors benefit coverage. Such benefits and expenses shall in no manner become an obligation of the pension accumulation fund; and

(2) One trust fund shall be known as the "active members fund" which shall be administered in the following manner:

(A) There shall be accumulated in the trust fund the payments made to the trust fund as premiums received from the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia, the Georgia Legislative Retirement System, and the Georgia Judicial Retirement System as premiums for active members of such retirement funds, as provided in subsection (c) of this Code section, including interest earned on deposits and investments of such payments; and

(B) All assets of the trust fund and all income, interest, and dividends derived from deposits and investments shall be used for the payments of benefits and expenses necessary for the maintaining of survivors benefit coverage. Such benefits and expenses shall in no manner become an obligation of the pension accumulation fund.

(c) On or before June 1 of every year, the boards of trustees of each contracting retirement system shall collect contributions from employees and employers, in accordance with the laws governing the individual retirement systems, and shall transmit such funds to the directors. The directors shall deposit such funds in the trust funds established by this Code section in such respective amounts as directed by the actuary for the directors.

(d) The directors shall be authorized to contract with the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia for the management and investment of all fund assets and for the provision of actuarial services. Such assets may be commingled with other assets under the control of the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia, but shall be separately accounted for.

(e) Any other provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding, employee and employer contributions to the trust funds established by this Code section are irrevocable. The assets of such trust funds are dedicated to providing benefits to active, retired, and vested inactive members and their beneficiaries in accordance with the terms of the plan for group term life insurance. All trust fund assets are protected from creditors of any employer or of the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia, the Georgia Legislative Retirement System, the Georgia Judicial Retirement System, or the State Employees' Assurance Department.

(f) No moneys in either the retired and vested inactive members trust fund or the active members fund established by subsection (b) of this Code section shall transferred or be expended for any purpose other than the payment of benefits and expenses necessary for the maintaining of survivors benefit coverage prior to July 1, 2009, without express legislative enactment.