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Bill targets pensions of convicted Oklahoma officials

 
BY MICHAEL MCNUTT | Published: February 24, 2009    Comment on this article Leave a comment

A House committee passed a bill Monday that would require elected or appointed officials found guilty of a felony to lose state pension benefits.

The forfeiture would occur regardless whether the felony violated the official’s oath of office or occurred while still in office, said Rep. Leslie Osborn, R-Tuttle. The bill now goes to the House floor.

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She dubbed her measure the "anti-Gene Stipe bill” because it would close loopholes that allow state, county and municipal officials convicted of a felony to keep their benefits. The state Supreme Court last year ruled that the longtime state senator’s state pension should not have been reduced because the federal crimes to which he pleaded guilty in 2003 were not a violation of his state oath of office.

House Bill 1385 would remove language that specifies that in order to lose their benefits, elected or appointed officials would have to be in office at the time of the conviction. It also would remove language that specifies the official had to violate his or her oath of office.

"The public sentiment was very unhappy with Judge Donald Thompson and was very unhappy with Sen.

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Related Topics: Politics, U.S. Politics, Business, World Politics, U.S. Democratic Party Politics, Political Parties, Pensions, Government and Politics, U.S. Liberal Politics



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