Lehigh County Board of Commissioners June 8 unanimously voted to lend support to Pennsylvania State House Bill 17, which amends the Public Employee Pension Forfeiture Act.

The board resolution was introduced by Commissioner Michael Schware, who said Allentown City Council earlier this month also supported the state house bill.

The state law looks to require public employees or officials to forfeit taxpayer pensions if convicted of a crime while they are performing their duties.

“It’s a good government thing and I think in a lot of cases people wonder how something like this isn’t already on the books,” Schware said. “It’s not meant to be directed at anyone in the city or anywhere else.”

House Bill 17 urges State Sen. Lisa Boscola, D-18th, and Pat Browne, R-16th, to also support the bill.

“We need the state to do it for us,” Schware said, adding the board cannot act alone because “the state sets pension law.”

Although Commissioner Dan Hartzell supported the bill and said he “was gratified to see most of it,” he expressed concern with how the possible law might affect other parts of an individuals’ pensions contribution.

His concern rested with the second part of the bill that stipulates the portion of the pension contributed by the employee can also be seized to pay fines or restitution. Hartzell said the bill may have surfaced due to public fury over the restoration of Jerry Sandusky’s state pension despite his conviction.

“This is thin ice,” Hartzell said. “You’re messing with people’s pensions. I’d probably vote for this if I was in the state house, but just a word of caution, it’s delicate.”

Commissioner Geoff Brace told Hartzell there have been numerous versions of the bill which occurred before the Sandusky situation.

“This isn’t the first go around at it,” Brace said. “You’re going back probably 10 years.”

Commissioner Tom Creighton also commented on the bill, adding it is similar to a number of laws associated with police officers who are required to do the same if they are convicted of committing a crime or felony.

According to Schware, the entire Lehigh Valley delegation recently expressed support for House Bill 17.

The state house last month passed House Bill 17 by a vote of 188-2.

In other business during the meeting, the commissioners unanimously approved the reappointment of Salisbury Township resident David Weinstein to the Lehigh County Housing Authority, with his term expiring Dec. 31, 2020.

Brace said Weinstein, who is a real estate manager, has served the county housing authority “for quite some time with distinction.”

Weinstein has served as a member of the housing authority for the past 10 years.

“I feel it’s my giving back to the community,” he said.

Also during the meeting, Max J. Harrison of Clinton Township, Lycoming County, was unanimously approved by the board to serve as the executive director of Lehigh County Aging and Adult Services.