GA Code § 47-16-41 (2021)
2021 Georgia Code|Title 47 - Retirement and Pensions|Chapter 16 - Sheriffs' Retirement Fund of Georgia|Article 3 - Membership in and Contributions to the Fund|§ 47-16-41. Delayed Application for Membership in the Fund; Credit for Prior Service as a Sheriff, Member of the Armed Forces of the United States, or Peace Officer

  Any duly qualified and commissioned sheriff who would be eligible to become a member but for the provisions of paragraph (2) of Code Section 47-16-40 shall be permitted to become a member if he files his application with the secretary-treasurer of the board between June 1, 1969, and June 30, 1969, or within 30 days following the beginning of such sheriff's new elective or appointive term.   Any sheriff who has served as a sheriff of a county of this state at any time since 1960 and who has not been a member of the fund may become a member by means of either of the following procedures:   He may claim credit for all prior service as a sheriff by tendering payment of all amounts which he would have paid had he been a member of the fund, together with interest on such amounts at 8 percent per annum and such reasonable penalty as may be imposed by the board; or   He may waive credit for prior service as a sheriff and be credited for service beginning on the first day of the elective or appointive term in which his application is submitted to and accepted by the board.  In no event shall any sheriff who joins the fund under this subsection or subsection (a) of this Code section be permitted to claim credit for prior service as a peace officer, except sheriff, or member of any of the armed forces of the United States under Code Section 47-16-80.      Any currently serving sheriff who was previously a member of the fund but who subsequently ceased to be a sheriff and withdrew from the fund may, upon again becoming a sheriff, become a member of the fund by submitting an application to the secretary-treasurer of the board between July 1, 1994, and December 31, 1994. After December 31, 1994, any person who was previously a member of the fund and subsequently ceased to be a sheriff and withdrew from the fund may become a member of the fund by submitting an application to the secretary-treasurer of the board within one year from the date he or she again becomes a sheriff.No sheriff who joins the fund pursuant to this subsection shall be entitled to claim credit for prior service as a sheriff, a peace officer, or a member of the armed services.    (Ga. L. 1969, p. 586, § 3; Ga. L. 1994, p. 328, § 1; Ga. L. 1995, p. 27, § 1; Ga. L. 2010, p. 1207, § 64/SB 436.)    The 2010 amendment,  effective July 1, 2010, substituted ", except sheriff," for "(except sheriff)" in the ending undesignated paragraph of subsection (b).   Editor's notes.   - Ga. L. 2010, p. 1207, § 1, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that: "The intent of this Act is to repeal obsolete and inoperative provisions and to make certain stylistic corrections in Title 47 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated. Nothing in this Act shall deny, abridge, increase, renew, revive, or on any way affect any right, benefit, option, credit, or election to which any person was entitled pursuant to such title on June 30, 2010, and the board of trustees of each public retirement system is authorized and directed to provide by regulation for the continuation of any such right, benefit, option, credit, or election not otherwise covered in this Act; provided, however, that any such right, benefit, option, credit, or election shall be subject to the statutory provisions in effect on June 30, 2010."   Ga. L. 2010, p. 1207, § 67, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that: "In the event of an irreconcilable conflict between a provision of Sections 62 through 64 of this Act and a provision of another Act enacted at the 2010 regular session of the General Assembly, the provision of such other Act shall control over this Act to the extent of the conflict."   RESEARCH REFERENCES   Am. Jur. 2d.   - 60A Am. Jur. 2d, Pensions and Retirement Funds, §§ 1175, 1192 et seq.   C.J.S.   - 80 C.J.S., Sheriffs and Constables, § 470 et seq.