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Jim Hood on Social Security
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Let public employees run for office & still draw pensions
House Speaker Philip Gunn (R-Clinton) predicted that the next attorney general will reverse the official opinion issued by the office of Attorney General Jim Hood saying that retired public school teachers and state employees can serve in the
Legislature while drawing their pension. Gunn said the ruling, issued late last year, was flawed.Some education supporters envisioned that the ruling would result in more pro-education retired teachers running and winning legislative seats.
Of Gunn's prediction that the opinion would be changed, Hood said, "The PERS Board voted overwhelmingly to move forward with adopting regulations effective at the start of the 2020 legislative session that would allow state retirees to serve in the
Legislature without forfeiting their hard-earned retirement. This won't change with a new AG. I support everyone's right to run, and I think people who have worked as public servants for the state would make great lawmakers."
Source: Mississippi Today on 2019 Mississippi Gubernatorial race
, Mar 14, 2019
Encourage more state retirees to run for state legislature
The Mississippi Public Employees Retirement System is on track to update its rules to let retired state government workers collect pension benefits while serving in the Legislature. The new rule would affect people who win legislative seats in this
year's round of state elections. For years, the Mississippi retirement system had a rule that state elected officials could not receive salaries and pension benefits at the same time. Attorney General Jim Hood issued a legal opinion contradicting that
rule.The once obscure question of whether retired public employees can collect state pensions while serving in the Mississippi Legislature looms large in some Democrats' electoral hopes for 2019 [by allowing more experienced candidates to run for
the state legislature]. Hood accused Republicans of trying to pressure the pension system board to flout his opinion or delay complying until after the March 1 election qualifying deadline. That could cut retired public employees running for office.
Source: US News & World Report on 2019 Mississippi Governor's race
, Feb 12, 2019
Page last updated: Apr 17, 2020
