Maine Allows Pension Forfeiture for Public Employee Criminals

April 9, 2012 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - A bill allowing Maine courts to order the forfeiture of retirement benefits for a state employee convicted of a crime has been signed into law.

The bill, signed by Governor Paul LePage last week, brings Maine in line with more than 15 other states that have pension forfeiture laws on their books, according to the Associated Press.

The  bill surfaced amid a scandal in which former Maine Turnpike Executive Director Paul Violette was sent to jail for theft of public funds; however, the new law will not apply in retroactively to Violette’s case, the news report said.
  

The new law will allow the court to award the pension to the spouse, dependent or former spouse of the convicted employee.

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