Bills › 91st General Assembly
Relating to the penalty for public employees and public officials taking money from a public employer
Sponsored by Rep. Elizabeth Wilson (D)
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedFebruary 18, 2026
- Done: SubcommitteeFebruary 18, 2026
- Done: House committeeFebruary 19, 2026
- Stopped: Passes the HouseDied when the General Assembly ended
- Next: Senate committeeFunnel: by March 20, 2026
- Next: Passes the Senate
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
Died when the session ended The 2026 session adjourned on May 3, 2026, the General Assembly’s last regular session. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died. What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
AI summary If a public official or employee steals more than $10,000, judges cannot delay or skip their sentencing. Courts are also stopped from suspending these sentences unless the person proves there are special reasons to do so. This rule applies to anyone working for the state, local governments, or school districts, including contractors.1
Read the official explanation
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. This bill relates to sentencing of public employees and public officials for certain offenses. The bill prohibits a sentencing court from deferring the judgment or deferring the sentence of a defendant if the defendant was a public employee or public official at the time of the offense and the amount of money taken by the public employee or public official in connection with the offense exceeded $10,000. The bill prohibits a sentencing court from suspending the sentence of a defendant if the defendant was a public employee or public official at the time of the offense and the amount of money taken by the public employee or public official in connection with the offense exceeded $10,000 unless the defendant establishes, by clear and convincing evidence, and the sentencing court finds and states specifically on the record, that mitigating circumstances exist warranting a departure from the otherwise mandatory minimum term of incarceration.2).
House subcommittee
Named February 18, 2026. On February 19, 2026 it recommended passage.
Three legislators hear a bill first and recommend what the committee should do; it’s the best time to weigh in. How to take part
Family tree
Tried before
91st General Assembly
Earlier and later bills are matched by wording or an identical title.
Tried before
This idea has been filed in 3 earlier General Assemblies. None became law, though one got through a chamber.
- HF 2453 Relating to the penalty for public employees and public officials taking money from a publ…90th General Assembly · Passed House · same titlePassed a chamber
- SSB 1017 SSB 101790th General Assembly · In committee · nearly identicalCleared committee
- SF 2134 Relating to the penalty for public employees and public officials taking money from a publ…90th General Assembly · Renumbered as SF 2336 · very similarCleared committee
- SSB 1105 SSB 110589th General Assembly · In committee · nearly identicalCleared committee
- HSB 601 HSB 60189th General Assembly · Subcommittee recommends passage · nearly identicalCleared committee
- HF 2436 Relating to the penalty for public employees and public officials taking money from a publ…88th General Assembly · Approved by committee · nearly identicalCleared committee
Matched by wording or an identical title.