NY Voters to Decide on Pulling Corrupt Officials’ Pensions

Voters in New York state will decide this fall whether to allow a judge to strip or reduce the pensions of public officials convicted of corruption.

The question will appear on the November ballot as a proposed constitutional amendment. Supporters say officials who violate the public trust don’t deserve to keep their civil service pensions.

If approved by the voters the measure would apply to lawmakers, top municipal and state officials, gubernatorial appointees and agency heads.

Lawmakers passed a law in 2011 that allowed judges to revoke or reduce pensions of crooked lawmakers, but that law didn’t apply to sitting lawmakers at the time. A constitutional amendment is needed to apply the pension forfeiture law to all lawmakers.

Lawmakers held a final vote Monday to put the measure on the ballot.