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Bill

Bill

HB 41

RELATING TO DISASTERS.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Mark Hashem

Suspends PERS/SLRP retirement benefits for members convicted of specified felonies until full restitution is paid to victims or the state.

Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
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Bill Summary · HB 41

Summary — HB 41

Title: Retirement; PERS and SLRP members convicted of certain felonies shall have benefits suspended until full restitution is made
Bill Number: HB 41
Introduced: August 15, 2025
Subjects: Appropriations A; Judiciary B
Status: Died in Committee

Overview / Purpose

HB 41 would have authorized suspension of retirement benefits for members of the State Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) and the State and Local Retirement Plan (SLRP) who are convicted of certain felony offenses, with benefits remaining suspended until the member makes full restitution. The stated intent is to prevent persons who have harmed the state or public through criminal acts from receiving retirement payments while restitution obligations remain outstanding.

Key provisions (explicit)

  • Trigger: conviction of specified felony offenses by a PERS or SLRP member.
  • Consequence: suspension of retirement benefits (pension and/or retirement disbursements) while restitution remains unpaid.
  • Condition for restoration: benefits would resume only after the person has made full restitution to victims or the state.

Note: The full bill text and a detailed list of the felonies that would trigger suspension, procedural steps for suspension, appeal rights, how restitution is calculated/credited, treatment of survivor/beneficiary payments, and any offsets or withholding mechanisms were not included among the documents provided. Those details would determine implementation mechanics and legal protections.

Who would be affected

  • Directly: PERS and SLRP members convicted of the enumerated felonies.
  • Indirectly: dependent beneficiaries (if survivor benefits are impacted), employers and plan administrators required to implement suspensions and track restitution, state/local governments (administration and potential short-term reduction in benefit payouts), and crime victims (through enforcement of restitution).
  • Fiscal stakeholders: pension plan administrators, state treasury (if restitution affects net payouts), and potentially courts and corrections agencies (for coordination).

Potential impacts

  • Administrative: increased workload and costs to verify convictions, track restitution, implement benefit suspensions, and manage appeals or requests for reinstatement.
  • Fiscal: possible short-term savings to the pension plans from suspended payments, offset by administrative costs. Long‑term fiscal impact depends on number of cases and restitution collection rates.
  • Legal/constitutional: raises due-process and pension-rights questions (e.g., proper procedures to suspend benefits, protection of spousal/beneficiary interests, and compliance with state constitutional protections for pension benefits).

Procedural / Timeline

  • Introduced August 15, 2025.
  • Committee referral listed to Appropriations A and Judiciary B.
  • Final status: Died in Committee (no enactment during that legislative session).

Notes & Sources

  • This summary is based on the bill title, introductory metadata, and status provided. The full bill language and committee reports were not included for this specific retirement-focused HB 41; several unrelated HB 41 documents (from other states and subject matters) were also supplied. To review precise operative language, definitions of covered felonies, enforcement procedures, and any fiscal notes, consult the official bill text and committee analyses for HB 41 from the legislature where it was filed.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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