SB 521: Public employment: disqualification.

Existing law disqualifies a public employee, as defined, from any public employment for 5 years if the employee is convicted of any felony involving accepting or giving, or offering to give, a bribe, the embezzlement of public money, extortion or theft of public money, perjury, or conspiracy to commit any of those crimes arising directly out of their official duties.

This bill would expand that provision to include any felony involving a conflict of interest. The bill would also disqualify a city manager or city attorney, as defined, including an individual acting under contract with the city for those services, who is convicted of any of the above-described felonies, from any future public employment in an equivalent role.

The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities.