2020 Capitol Report

January 14, 2020

Legislative Session

Day 2

Report Snapshot

House Retirement Hears Controversial TRS Bill

2020 PAGE Legislative Priorities

Upcoming Schedule

Wednesday, Jan 15 - Legislative Day 3

Senate Higher Ed (Dual Enrollment bill is likely to be discussed), 1:30 p.m., 450 CAP

Thursday, Jan 16 - Legislative Day 4

Gov. Brian Kemp’s State of the State 2020 Address

Wednesday, Jan 22 - Budget Hearings

Education-Related State Budget Hearings, 1:30 pm, 341 CAP

House Retirement Hears Controversial TRS Bill

The House Retirement Committee convened for the first time in 2020. The committee considered several pieces of non-education related retirement legislation as well as one Teachers Retirement System of Georgia bill, HB 667 by Rep. Chuck Martin (R-Alpharetta). Martin has long expressed interest in hybridizing the TRS plan, and thus converting it in whole or part from a defined benefit pension plan to a defined contribution plan. Though HB 667 stops short of such a controversial change, its proposed changes to the TRS amortization tables would explode the unfunded liability of the plan, and, according to a fiscal note cited by Martin during his presentation to the committee, cost the state about $300 million annually.

Because the committee chair Rep. Tommy Benton (R-Jefferson) announced at the outset that the committee would not vote on HB 667 today, committee discussion and public comment was brief. PAGE Director of Legislative Services Margaret Ciccarelli expressed deep concerns regarding the legislation at a special meeting of the House Retirement Committee last spring .

Rep. Debbie Buckner (D-Junction City) said of the legislation during committee discussion, “This looks like an expensive micromanagement bill.” Another member asked Martin what would happen if the committee took no action on HB 667. Martin acknowledged that, at a 78 percent funded ratio, TRS is in better financial shape than two thirds of US pension plans. Rep. David Wilkerson (R-Powder Springs) asked Martin if he recommended, in light of a growing state budget crunch, House members prioritize enacting a costly tax cut or implementing HB 667. Martin responded that legislators should decide for themselves, and reiterated that HB 667 reflects his commitment to educators and honoring promises.

Before the committee adjourned, TRS Executive Director Buster Evans reminded committee members that the TRS Board of Trustees has already developed a plan to address unfunded liability over the next 23 years. Evans noted the financial health of TRS and, when pressed by another committee member to express support or opposition to the bill, delicately noted the legislation is likely to “hamstring the state.”

2020 PAGE Legislative Priorities

You will find PAGE's 2020 legislative priorities below. These issues will be our primary focus at the state Capitol in 2020; however, the priorities do not reflect PAGE's entire legislative activity, as our legislative team works on a number of education-related issues during the legislative session.

These priorities were developed by our PAGE Legislative Task Force, which represents each Georgia congressional district, as well as members of the PAGE Board of Directors.

Assessment & Accountability

Support efforts to design accountability systems that foster increased student learning and enhance instruction.

Reduce overreliance on standardized tests by limiting assessments to the minimum number required by federal law.

Eliminate A-F grading of schools.

Review Teacher Keys Effectiveness System and Leader Keys Effectiveness System to ensure these educator evaluation systems continue to provide constructive support for instructional improvement.

Mental Health & School Climate

Increase access to student mental health supports inside and outside schools to promote student well-being and academic success.

Fund school counselors, school psychologists, and school social workers at recommended levels.

Increase funding to deliver mental health training to classroom educators.

Enhance access to external mental health supports, including telecommunication and mobile counseling in rural and hard-to-staff districts as well as collaborations with state agencies and other service providers.

Teachers Retirement System of Georgia

Ensure the Teacher Retirement System remains a strong and effective educator recruitment and retention tool, one which legislators have commendably supported.

Continue to fund TRS at the level needed to preserve its fiscal strength, extending lawmakers’ deep and valued commitment to the state’s educator workforce.

Require a comprehensive cost benefit analysis—including the impact on Georgia teacher recruitment and retention—of all proposals to modify TRS.

Private School Vouchers

Invest public resources effectively to advance learning for public school students.

Oppose attempts to expand Georgia’s two existing private school voucher programs or add a third voucher program.

Add necessary transparency and accountability requirements to the state’s current voucher programs.

PAGE Day on Capitol Hill is Tuesday, Feb. 18. We’re pleased to partner with the Georgia Association of Educational Leaders (GAEL) and the Georgia Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (GACTE) again this year. Attendees will meet other politically minded educators from across the state and advocate for teachers and students under the Gold Dome. Please make your plans to attend and register here .

Margaret Ciccarelli

Director of Legislative Services

[email protected]

Josh Stephens

Legislative Affairs Specialist

[email protected]

Claire Suggs

Senior Education Policy Analyst

[email protected]