SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1814        FILED ON: 1/14/2009

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1405

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act relative to the salary of indicted public officials..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1.  Chapter 268A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 6A the following section:-               Section 6B.  The state treasurer shall place the salary, and any stipends received for committee work or other official duties, of any public official, as defined by section 1 of chapter 268B, or any member of the general court indicted for a crime punishable by death or imprisonment in the state prison, or of a like offense in another jurisdiction, placed into a qualified, interest bearing escrow account not later than 30 days after indictment; provided, however, that such salary is earned in connection with such public office or as a member of the general court.

If such official or member of the general court is convicted of such an offense and all appellate review of the original trial court proceedings have been exhausted, the funds contained in the escrow account shall revert to the General Fund.  If such official or member of the general court is not convicted of the offense, the funds in the account shall be paid to him not later than 30 days after completion of all legal proceedings.