ATLANTA – The Georgia Senate approved a bill in a 49-4 vote that would create a new funding source for retired law enforcement officers. Senate Bill 285 now moves to the Georgia House for consideration before it can reach the governor’s desk.
The Peace Officers’ Annuity and Benefit Fund, known as POAB, said the bill had to pass the Senate by March 6 to remain active during this legislative session. According to a POAB Georgia update from Feb. 27, 2026, the current version of the bill creates a “public safety support surcharge” on telephone services.
The surcharge would be $1 per month for monthly telephone subscribers and $1 for each retail transaction of prepaid wireless services. While earlier versions of the bill were linked to 911 fees, POAB officials noted the substitute is “unlike the previous proposal” and has no relationship to those charges.
The money is intended to support the POAB fund, which provides benefits to eligible peace officers. POAB described the potential change as “one of the biggest financial enhancements to the fund in decades.”
When asked about the bill making its way through the Georgia Senate, Habersham County Sheriff Robin Krockum said, “The Peace Officers’ Annuity and Benefit Fund is a great supplemental retirement option for law enforcement officers in this state. Benefits after participation in the fund for 30 years will increase from $900 to $1,200 per month if passed into law. Many of these officers will rely solely on this fund and Social Security when they retire. Like many agencies across the state, we pay into this fund for our law enforcement personnel in addition to their current retirement.”
Supporters of the measure say it is a way to maintain and strengthen benefits for those who serve in public safety. Some confusion remains because older tracking documents still describe the bill as a change to 911 charges, but the 2026 committee substitute is materially different.
