Bill > SB39

This bill adds Section 53244 to the Government Code, declaring its urgency to take effect immediately, and aims to protect local public agencies from public officials who, after being convicted of a felony related to their official duties, try to claim pension benefits or other compensation from their former employers. Specifically, a "local public officer," defined as an elected or appointed person who exercised discretionary, executive authority, will forfeit any contractual or common law, constitutional, or statutory claims to retirement or pension rights and benefits, except for those already accrued under a public retirement system. This forfeiture is in addition to any other penalties. The bill also mandates that both the convicted officer and the prosecuting agency notify the public employer within 60 days of the conviction, though the law's effectiveness doesn't depend on this notification. This provision applies to claims filed before the bill's effective date that are still pending, as well as any claims filed afterward, and is intended to prevent disgraced officials from unfairly benefiting at public expense.