(a) On and after May 15, 2012, any person who is an active or inactive member of the Employees’ Retirement System, the Teachers’ Retirement System, or the Judicial Retirement Fund who has an accrued benefit shall forfeit retirement benefits upon a guilty plea, a plea of no contest, or a final conviction of a felony offense if that offense is related to or arises out of, or in connection with, his or her service in that public position, as declared by the presiding judge of the court in a United States federal court, an Alabama court, or the court of any other state of the United States, and the person shall be entitled to a refund of his or her retirement contributions and applicable interest.
Terms Used In Alabama Code 36-27D-1
Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
United States: includes the territories thereof and the District of Columbia. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
(b) A retired member receiving benefits, upon such a plea or conviction, shall have his or her retirement benefit suspended. In the event a retired member receiving benefits has not received retirement benefits exceeding the amount of his or her contributions and interest, he or she shall receive a refund of his or her remaining contributions and interest.(c) Officers and employees of the Employees’ Retirement System, the Teachers’ Retirement System, and the Judicial Retirement Fund are immune from any civil or criminal liability for any action taken pursuant to this section.
