JACKSON- This week, the House and Senate adopted the Conference Report for Senate Bill 2625, which will restrict the government from hiring public officials who have been found guilty of embezzlement of taxpayer funds.
This legislation was one of the key bills that Auditor Stacey Pickering was supporting this year. On a number of occasions, the Office has investigated public officials who either pled guilty or were found guilty of embezzlement of taxpayer money only to receive a slap on the wrist when they received their sentence.
An earlier version of the bill would have also prohibited public officials from receiving non-adjudicated sentences for embezzlement of public funds, but that language was stripped from the Conference Report.
The final bill easily cleared both chambers; 52-0 in the Senate and 112-2 in the House.
Additional information:
- “Don’t Let Corrupt Officials Off The Hook”
- Geoff Pender: Corrupt officials still get off easy
- Senator Longwitz Authors Bill to Curb Public Corruption
- Track the legislation here
- Graphic: Support Senate Bill 2625
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