The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 113, which amends the Public Employee Pension Forfeiture Act to impose pension and benefit forfeiture on any public official or employee found guilty, pleading guilty or no contest to a crime related to their government position.
The measure applies to felonies or crimes punishable by more than five years in prison.
Previously, only certainly offenses could result in pension forfeiture. Accused officials would skirt the forfeiture penalty by plea-bargaining deals to offenses that were not listed under the forfeiture act.
Senate Bill 113 became Act 1 of 2019.
***
The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 128 which would make the Department of Military and Veteran Affairs the liaison for the Civil Air Patrol (CAP).
The department would receive and supervise funding appropriated to the CAP, supervise the maintenance and use of facilities used by CAP and receive requests for assistance by CAP for disaster or emergency situations.
The department would no longer fund search and rescue operations, organ transport related educational materials and equipment.
The bill was referred to the House Veteran Affairs and Emergency Preparedness committee.