Bill > SB151

This bill amends Arkansas law concerning retirement benefits, focusing on forfeiture provisions for members, retirants, and beneficiaries of retirement systems who are convicted of certain offenses. The bill introduces new definitions for terms like "benefit", "public office", and "public trust crime", and establishes more specific rules about when retirement benefits can be withheld or forfeited. Specifically, a member or retirant will forfeit benefit payments if they plead guilty to or are found guilty of a public trust crime while holding public office. Similarly, a beneficiary will forfeit benefits if they are convicted of unlawfully killing a member or retirant or are found guilty of a public trust crime. When benefits are forfeited, the retirement system must stop making payments and must refund the employee's accumulated contributions with interest, either through a lump-sum payment or a series of monthly payments. The bill also provides provisions for what happens if a conviction is appealed, stipulating that benefit payments will be suspended during an appeal and may be reinstated only if the conviction is reversed. Importantly, the bill includes a legislative intent clause specifying that these new provisions will only apply to members who begin contributing to the retirement system after the act's effective date, ensuring it is not applied retroactively.

Labor and Employment

https://arkleg.state.ar.us/Bills/Detail?id=sb151&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R