Retirement; PERS members convicted of job-related felonies shall be terminated from system.

HB 1018 would require termination from Mississippi's Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) for state employees convicted of a felony related to their job duties, effective July 1, 2026. It specifies that retirement benefits would stop upon conviction (or guilty/nolo contendere plea) for such crimes, though retirees charged with these crimes would keep benefits until conviction. The bill also mandates refunding a member's accumulated retirement contributions without interest if convicted, and allows continued health insurance coverage under the same terms as retirees. This directly affects state employees covered by PERS who face felony convictions tied to their public employment.