No Taxpayer-Funded Pensions for Sex Criminals Act
- Bill Number
- S. 4447
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Government Operations and Politics
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-04-30: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-18T18:54:08Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The "No Taxpayer-Funded Pensions for Sex Criminals Act" (S. 4447) aims to prevent federal employees and retirees from receiving taxpayer-funded annuities (pensions) or retired pay if convicted of specific serious sex crimes. It ensures that such individuals forfeit these benefits.
Key Provisions
- Amends 5 U.S.C. § 8312: Expands forfeiture rules for annuities and retired pay to include convictions for listed federal sex offenses (e.g., under 18 U.S.C. §§ 2241–2243 for sexual abuse; §§ 2251–2252C for child exploitation; §§ 2421–2425 for sex trafficking) and equivalent offenses under state law (broadly defined to include U.S. states, territories, D.C., and certain Pacific nations).
- Timing of Forfeiture: Applies to convictions on or after the Act's enactment date; forfeiture begins after the later of the conviction date or enactment date.
- Technical Updates: Adjusts related sections in titles 5 and 37 of the U.S. Code (covering civilian and military retired pay) to reference the new rules consistently.
- Applicability: Changes apply only to crimes occurring on or after enactment (prospective only, not retroactive).
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Builds on prior 5 U.S.C. § 8312, which already allowed forfeiture for some crimes (e.g., treason, espionage), by adding a new subsection (d) for these sex offenses.
- Introduces state law equivalents to federal crimes, broadening scope beyond federal jurisdiction.
- Shifts structure (e.g., redesignates paragraphs) for clarity and adds cross-references.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Agencies like the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and Department of Defense (DoD) must enforce forfeitures, potentially reducing administrative payouts and saving taxpayer funds.
- Citizens: Affected retirees (federal civilians, military) lose benefits, impacting their finances; taxpayers avoid funding pensions for convicted sex offenders.
- No International Relations Impact: Focuses on domestic U.S. personnel and jurisdictions.
Main Stakeholders
- Federal employees and military retirees: Those convicted of specified sex crimes lose annuities/retired pay.
- Taxpayers and the public: Benefit from reduced federal spending on pensions.
- Government administrators: OPM, DoD, and pension boards handle implementation.
- Law enforcement and victims: Supports accountability for sex crimes.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Forfeiture is automatic upon qualifying conviction; no retroactivity avoids ex post facto challenges (barring punishment for past acts).
- Constitutional: May raise due process or takings clause questions (pensions as property), but courts have upheld similar forfeitures as conditions of employment.
- Political: Bipartisan sponsorship (e.g., Sens. Ernst, Gillibrand); emphasizes fiscal responsibility and public safety without broader pension reforms.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (4)
Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY], Sen. Scott, Rick [R-FL], Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID], Sen. Graham, Lindsey [R-SC]
Recent Actions
- 2026-04-30: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- 2026-04-30: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- No Taxpayer-Funded Pensions for Sex Criminals Act — issued 2026-04-30 — PDF (6 pages)