Felonies in Office-Forfeiture of Retirement Benefits

Under the 2006 Ethics Act, each time a person is elected to a public office, that person, as a condition of their election, is deemed to consent and agree to the forfeiture of that person's retirement benefits from the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System, any superseded retirement system or any other public pension system if that person is convicted in any state or federal court of a felony arising out of that person's official capacity, constituting malfeasance in office.  This new law applies regardless of the date the person became a member of the public pension system.  T.C.A. § 8-35-124(a)(3).