Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb recently signed into law a bill that imposes tougher penalties on government officials and employees who are convicted of stealing public funds.
The legislation, authored by Rep. Ryan Lauer, R-Columbus, will subject the public servants who steal tax dollars to reimburse the stolen amount through their pensions if they cannot pay back the amount themselves.
If a person is convicted of stealing public funds, a judge will issue a restitution order to recover the stolen money.
Previously, an offender could not be required to use their pension to pay off restitution order by a judge, even if it would be used to repay stolen public funds.
“This legislation will help protect citizens in the rare case of a bad actor,” Lauer said. “Even if the stolen money has been spent, communities should still be able to get their money back. This new law will help protect local and state taxpayers, and assist in holding officials responsible when theft occurs.”
