Three Louisiana Senate bills that would have stripped pension benefits from some convicted felons were withdrawn after failing to receive enough votes, confirmed Peggy Russell, a senior researcher for the legislature's Judiciary Committee A. The bills would have affected retirement system participants convicted of felonies related to their public employment.
Opponents of the bills, which are not expected to be reintroduced, had argued the legislation would unfairly punish innocent spouses. Also, state employees are required to make pension contributions and do not collect Social Security benefits, Ms. Russell said, which would keep them from drawing benefits from another source if they lost their pensions.
