JEFFERSON CITY — Recently, the governor signed into law House Bill 1217, containing a provision originally filed by Sen. Bob Dixon, R-Springfield, in Senate Bill 823.  SB 823 was a bipartisan accountability and taxpayer-protection measure sponsored by Sen. Dixon, co-sponsored by Sen. David Sater, R-Cassville, and Sen. Scott Sifton, D-Affton, and supported by State Treasurer Clint Zweifel. 

"This bill reflects our duty to protect and safeguard the public trust," said Sen. Dixon. "The public expects and deserves principled and conscientious service, and public employees are held to a high standard. When those employees commit criminal acts in connection with their employment, we cannot permit them to receive the benefit of public pensions funded by hard-working Missouri taxpayers."
 

Under the language of SB 823, which becomes law in HB 1217, public employees who are convicted of certain felonies directly connected with their job will be prohibited from collecting their pensions.  Currently, public employees who have been convicted of embezzling public funds or other felonies might still be able to collect their pension from a public retirement system.     

For more information on these bills or other legislative work done by Sen. Dixon, visit his website at www.senate.mo.gov/dixon.