§ 45-24-9 - Notice of involuntary separation; taxpayers' pension advocate; providing briefs; attendance at commission meetings
O.C.G.A. 45-24-9 (2010)
45-24-9. Notice of involuntary separation; taxpayers' pension advocate; providing briefs; attendance at commission meetings
(a) When the commission is notified of a contemplated involuntary separation as provided in Code Section 45-24-5, the commission shall immediately notify the Attorney General and shall provide the Attorney General with all information and documentation concerning the matter as the commission has been provided or is subsequently provided.
(b) Immediately upon being notified of a contemplated involuntary separation as provided in subsection (a) of this Code section, the Attorney General shall appoint an attorney on his or her staff to act as the taxpayers' pension advocate in the matter. Such attorney shall not be the attorney assigned to advise the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia. It shall be the duty of the taxpayers' pension advocate to review all aspects of the termination of the employee and the application for involuntary separation retirement benefits and to raise all possible objections, both factual and legal, to the employee's being granted such benefits. All state agencies shall cooperate with the taxpayers' pension advocate and shall provide him or her with nonprivileged information upon request.
(c) As soon as practicable but not later than the date scheduled for the meeting of the commission provided in subsection (c) of Code Section 45-24-6, the taxpayers' pension advocate shall prepare a brief of fact and law and shall raise all objections to the involuntary separation of the employee or to the granting of involuntary separation retirement benefits to the employee. The taxpayers' pension advocate shall provide a copy of such brief to each member of the commission and to each member of the Senate Retirement Committee and the House Committee on Retirement.
(d) The taxpayers' pension advocate shall attend each meeting of the commission held pursuant to subsection (c) of Code Section 45-24-6 and shall make oral arguments before the commission supporting the brief prepared pursuant to subsection (c) of this Code section.