Georgia House bill by Rep. Taylor on direct assignment of state retirement life insurance for funeral costs passes House and Senate

Newly passed bill authored by State Rep. Darlene Taylor aims to allow beneficiaries of certain state retirement system members to assign life insurance benefits directly to funeral service providers, according to the Georgia State House.

It passed both chambers as of Thursday, March 19, clearing the House by a vote of 166-2 and the Senate by a vote of 46-0.

The bill, introduced as HB1234 on Friday, Feb. 6 during the 2026 regular session of the 158th General Assembly, was formally described as: ’State Employees’ Assurance Department; assignment of certain group term life insurance benefits to pay for funeral services of a deceased individual who was a member of certain retirement systems; provisions’.

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill allows beneficiaries of certain state retirement system members to assign group term life insurance benefits directly to licensed funeral directors or embalmers to cover the deceased member’s funeral costs. It defines “funeral services” to include ceremonies and related transportation, embalming, cremation and interment. To make an assignment, the beneficiary must complete a board-approved written form, attach a notarized copy of the funeral contract and provide the death certificate. The State Employees’ Assurance Department must then pay the assigned amount as specified in the funeral contract, but only up to the amount owed for those services.

In the House, 72 Democrats and 94 Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while two Democrats opposed it.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, 18 Democrats and 28 Republicans voted in favor, with no opposing votes.

The bill was co-sponsored by Rep. Danny Mathis (Republican-133rd), Rep. Lauren McDonald III (Republican-26th), and Rep. Patty Marie Stinson (Democrat-150th), along with two other co-sponsors.

Taylor, a Republican, was elected to the Georgia State House in 2011 to represent the state’s 173rd House District, replacing previous state representative Mike Keown.

The bill was signed into law by Gov. Brian Kemp on Tuesday, May 12.

In Georgia, the legislative process begins when a lawmaker, often at a constituent’s request, works with the Office of Legislative Counsel to draft a bill. After filing with the Clerk of the House or Secretary of the Senate, the bill receives its first reading and is sent to a committee, where most of the debate and fact-finding takes place. If approved, it advances to the floor for a third reading, debate, and a vote. To become law, the bill must pass both chambers, sometimes through a conference committee if versions differ, before being sent to the governor. The governor then has six days during session—or 40 days after adjournment (Sine Die)—to sign, veto, or allow the bill to become law without a signature. The Georgia General Assembly meets annually for a 40-day session beginning the second Monday in January.

Information in this article was obtained from the Georgia State House. The source data can be found here.