Section 47-3-1. Definitions

   As used in this chapter, the term:

   (1) "Accumulated contributions" means the sum of all the amounts deducted from the earnable compensation of a member or paid by the member to establish or reestablish credit for service, which amounts are credited to his or her individual account in the annuity savings fund, together with regular interest on such amounts, as provided in Code Section 47-3-41. Beginning July 1, 1987, "accumulated contributions" shall include the amount of employee contributions paid by employers on behalf of members and credited to the individual accounts of members in the annuity savings fund, together with regular interest thereon.

   (2) "Actuarial equivalent" means a benefit of equal value when computed at regular interest upon the basis of the mortality tables last adopted by the board of trustees.

   (3) "Annuity" means annual payments for life derived from the accumulated contributions of a member.

   (4) "Annuity reserve" means the present value of all payments to be made on account of an annuity or benefit in lieu of an annuity, computed at regular interest upon the basis of the mortality tables adopted by the board of trustees.

   (5) "Annuity savings fund" means the fund set forth under Code Section 47-3-41.

   (6) "Average final compensation" means the average annual earnable compensation of a teacher during the two consecutive years of membership service producing the highest such average.

   (7) "Beneficiary" means any person in receipt of a pension, an annuity, a retirement allowance, or other benefit under this chapter.

   (8) "Board of trustees" means the board of trustees as provided for in Code Section 47-3-21 and whose purpose is to administer the retirement system.

   (8.1) "Certified professional personnel" means employees of the State Board of Education or the Professional Standards Commission who, by policy of the State Board of Education, are required to possess a valid professional certificate issued by the Professional Standards Commission.

   (9) "Commencement date" means January 1, 1945.

   (10) "Creditable service" means prior service plus membership service and any other service established under this chapter.

   (11) "Earnable compensation" means the full rate of regular compensation payable to a member for his or her full normal working time and includes compensation paid to a member by an employer from grants or contracts made by outside agencies with the employer. All moneys paid by an employer for a member or by a member into any plan of tax sheltered annuity shall be included as earnable compensation for the purpose of computing any contributions required to be made to the retirement system and also for the purpose of computing any benefits or allowances payable under this chapter. Such term shall include contributions made to a qualified transportation plan, within the meaning of Section 132(f) of the federal Internal Revenue Code, and before tax or salary deferral contributions made under Sections 125, 401(k), 402(g)(3), 457, or 414(h) of the federal Internal Revenue Code to this retirement system or to any other retirement plan maintained by an employer.

   (12) "Employer" means the State of Georgia, the county or independent board of education, the State Board of Education, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, or any other agency of and within this state by which a teacher is paid. Notwithstanding any provisions in prior or future Acts to the contrary, the county and regional library boards of trustees shall be deemed to be the employer of the county or regional librarians, whose salaries are paid in full or in part from state funds.

   (13) "Expense fund" means the fund set forth in Code Section 47-3-47.

   (14) "Local retirement fund" means any teachers' retirement fund or other arrangement for the payment of retirement benefits to teachers, but not including the retirement system created under this chapter, which fund was maintained during the calendar year 1943 and is financed wholly or in part by contributions made by an employer.

   (15) "Member" means any teacher included in the membership of the retirement system.

   (16) "Membership service" means service as a teacher rendered while a member of the retirement system for which credit is allowable.

   (17) "Pension" means periodic payments for life, derived from contributions of the state or other employer.

   (18) "Pension accumulation fund" means the fund set forth under Code Section 47-3-43.

   (19) "Pension reserve" means the present value of all payments to be made on account of a pension, or benefit in lieu of a pension, computed at regular interest upon the basis of the mortality tables last adopted by the board of trustees.

   (19.1) "Plan year" means the 12 month period beginning on July 1 of each year.

   (20) "Prior service" means service rendered prior to January 1, 1945, for which credit is allowable under Code Sections 47-3-83 and 47-3-86.

   (21) "Public school" means any day school which is conducted within this state and which is under the authority and supervision of a duly elected county or independent board of education.

   (22) "Regular interest" means interest compounded annually at such a rate as shall be determined by the board of trustees in accordance with this chapter.

   (23) "Retirement" means withdrawal from service with a retirement allowance granted under this chapter.

   (24) "Retirement allowance" means the sum of the annuity and the pension, or any optional benefit payable in lieu thereof, under Code Section 47-3-121. All retirement allowances shall be payable in equal monthly installments, provided that the board of trustees may pay a lump sum of equivalent actuarial value in lieu of a retirement allowance of less than $10.00 per month.

   (25) "Retirement system" means the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia established under Code Section 47-3-20.

   (25.1) "Salary" shall have the same meaning as earnable compensation.

   (26) "Service" means service rendered as a teacher and paid for by this state or other employer.

   (27) "Service credit" means creditable service, as defined in this Code section.

   (28) "Teacher" means a permanent status employee employed not less than half time as follows:

      (A) Employees of a public school or a local board of education with the exception of those employees required to be members of the Public School Employees Retirement System as governed by Chapter 4 of this title;

      (B) Public school lunchroom managers or supervisors, maintenance managers or supervisors, transportation managers or supervisors, and warehouse managers or supervisors who elect to participate in the retirement system pursuant to Code Section 47-3-63;

      (C) Employees of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia with the exception of those employees who elect to participate in the Regents Retirement Plan as governed by Chapter 21 of this title and maintenance and custodial employees employed prior to July 1, 1978, who elected to forgo membership;

      (D) Employees of any regional educational service agency created pursuant to Part 11 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20;

      (E) Certified professional personnel employed for the first time by the Department of Education on and after July 1, 1983, unless such personnel elect membership in the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia pursuant to subsection (h) of Code Section 47-3-60, and any employee of the Department of Education employed in a teaching, supervisory, or clerical capacity;

      (F) Certified professional personnel employed by the Department of Education and who become members of this retirement system pursuant to the authority of subsection (i) of Code Section 47-3-60;

      (G) Professional personnel employed for the first time by the Technical College System of Georgia on and after July 1, 1985, and all nonprofessional personnel employed for the first time after July 1, 1987, by postsecondary vocational-technical schools governed by the Technical College System of Georgia if otherwise eligible under laws, rules, and regulations, unless such personnel elect membership in the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia pursuant to subsection (j) of Code Section 47-3-60;

      (H) Personnel employed by the Department of Education who are authorized to elect and elect to become or remain members of the retirement system pursuant to the applicable provisions of Code Section 47-3-60;

      (I) Employees of any school operated by the Department of Education; and

      (J) Librarians and clerical personnel employed by regional and county libraries. Any of such librarians and clerical personnel who were members of a local retirement system on January 1, 1977, and who elected to remain members of such local retirement system shall not be required to become members of this retirement system, or if they were members of this retirement system on that date, they may withdraw from such membership. This election must have been made, in writing, to the board of trustees by not later than January 1, 1978. Any of such librarians and clerical personnel failing to so notify the board of trustees by that date shall be members of this retirement system.

The term "teacher" shall not be deemed to include any emergency or temporary employee. The term "teacher" shall not include an individual classified by an employer as an independent contractor or a leased employee within the meaning of Section 414(n) of the federal Internal Revenue Code, even if such individual is later reclassified by the Internal Revenue Service as a common law employee. The board of trustees shall determine in doubtful cases whether any person is included within the definition set forth in this paragraph.

Ga. L. 1943, p. 640, § 1; Ga. L. 1949, p. 1505, § 1; Ga. L. 1950, p. 261, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1953, Nov.-Dec. Sess., p. 470, § 1; Ga. L. 1956, p. 13, § 1; Ga. L. 1957, p. 118, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1959, p. 315, § 1; Ga. L. 1960, p. 935, § 1; Ga. L. 1962, p. 723, § 11; Ga. L. 1965, p. 438, § 1; Ga. L. 1965, p. 652, § 1; Ga. L. 1966, p. 513, § 1; Ga. L. 1969, p. 672, § 1; Ga. L. 1970, p. 217, § 1; Ga. L. 1971, p. 226, § 1; Ga. L. 1972, p. 176, § 1; Ga. L. 1972, p. 909, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1974, p. 1179, § 1; Ga. L. 1976, p. 577, § 3; Ga. L. 1977, p. 1135, § 1; Ga. L. 1977, p. 1159, § 1; Ga. L. 1981, p. 1894, § 1; Ga. L. 1982, p. 684, § 3; Ga. L. 1982, p. 965, § 1; Ga. L. 1983, p. 3, § 36; Ga. L. 1983, p. 1859, §§ 2, 3; Ga. L. 1984, p. 1314, § 1; Ga. L. 1986, p. 1543, § 2; Ga. L. 1987, p. 575, § 8; Ga. L. 1987, p. 959, § 1; Ga. L. 1988, p. 379, § 1; Ga. L. 1988, p. 1351, § 2; Ga. L. 1988, p. 1742, § 2; Ga. L. 1990, p. 685, § 1; Ga. L. 1991, p. 1546, § 11; Ga. L. 1992, p. 2182, § 1; Ga. L. 1993, p. 86, § 1; Ga. L. 1993, p. 316, § 1; Ga. L. 2000, p. 131, § 1; Ga. L. 2005, p. 535, §§ 9, 10, 11/HB 460; Ga. L. 2008, p. 562, § 1/SB 434; Ga. L. 2009, p. 752, § 1/SB 98; Ga. L. 2010, p. 427, §§ 4, 5/HB 969; Ga. L. 2010, p. 1207, § 40/SB 436; Ga. L. 2012, p. 413, § 8/HB 805; Ga. L. 2013, p. 862, § 1/HB 345.