This bill amends current law to mandate the full forfeiture of pension benefits for any elected or appointed official convicted of a crime related to their public office. Specifically, it requires the board of trustees of any State or locally-administered pension fund to order the forfeiture of all earned service credit or retirement benefits for members convicted of misconduct during their service, regardless of whether the pension system covered the office in question. The bill also expands the criteria for forfeiture to include any misconduct that renders a member's service dishonorable, allowing for the possibility of partial forfeiture based on an evaluation of specific factors.

Additionally, the bill outlines a set of 11 factors that the board of trustees must consider when determining the appropriateness of forfeiture, including the member's length of service, the nature of the misconduct, and the relationship between the misconduct and the member's public duties. This approach aims to ensure that the evaluation of misconduct is comprehensive and fair, taking into account the member's overall service record and circumstances surrounding the offense. The bill is set to take effect immediately upon passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 43:1-3