State Sen. John Albers (R-Roswell) was the driving force behind two bills late last week that he says “will allow some of our bravest Georgians to retire with dignity.” Georgia Senators gave their approval last Thursday to two bills, Senate Bill 248 and Senate Bill 249, which would increase the monthly retirement benefits for members of the Georgia Firefighters Pension Fund and The Georgia Peace Officers’ Annuity and Benefit Fund.
“Both of these bills will give increased peace of mind and financial security to those who dedicated their lives to protecting lives and property across the state,” said Albers following the passage of the two bills. “It was especially meaningful to have hundreds of members of Georgia’s law enforcement and firefighter community present at the Capitol to celebrate the passage of these pieces of legislation.
SB 248 would increase the monthly retirement benefits payable to retired members of the Georgia Firefighters’ Pension Fund. SB 249 would increase the benefits to members of the Georgia Peace Officers’ Annuity and Benefit Fund. Additionally SB 248 would include jail officers as eligible members of the Fund and would increase the monthly contribution amount.
“Georgia’s firefighters, law enforcement officers and other first responders put their own personal safety at risk each day to protect our lives and property and are well deserving of their reputation as ‘The Finest and Bravest,” said Sen. Albers.
“The very least we can do to show our appreciation for the work of these brave men and women is to ensure that they and their families are able to enjoy a safe and secure retirement. The passage of these bills will put these public servants on the right track to a stable retirement and I am pleased that they received overwhelming support by the Senate. While this is an important step, we will never stop fighting for our public safety community and I look forward to working on additional legislation in support of Georgia’s first responders. As a fourth generation firefighter, I could not be more proud to support my brothers and sisters serving our communities.”
After the passage of the bills, Albers posted on his Facebook page, “Serving those who are protecting us!”.
The bills now move the House for consideration.
