Journal of the House - 60th Day - Saturday, May 18, 2013

The bill was repassed, as amended by the Senate, and its title agreed to.

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Mr. Speaker:

I hereby announce that the Senate has concurred in and adopted the report of the Conference Committee on:

S. F. No. 489.

The Senate has repassed said bill in accordance with the recommendation and report of the Conference Committee. Said Senate File is herewith transmitted to the House.

JoAnne M. Zoff, Secretary of the Senate

CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT ON S. F. NO. 489

A bill for an act relating to retirement; Minnesota State Retirement System, Public Employees Retirement Association, and former local police and paid firefighter relief associations; authorizing investments in swaps; clarifying language; removing obsolete language; revising outdated requirements; revising contribution rate revision procedures; revising disability standards and disability benefit administration procedures; merging the elected state officers retirement plan into the legislators retirement plan; revising pension commission standards provision; revising pension plan financial report contents provision; clarifying coverage of student employees and extending duration of excluded work-study positions; revising military service credit purchase provision for consistency with federal code; clarifying average salary for benefit purposes; clarifying MERF division benefit eligibility; adding Lake County Sunrise Home to privatization chapter; removing legislative approval requirements for privatizations; modifying legislative notification requirements for privatizations; clarifying privatized public hospital pension benefit eligibility; making various administrative changes; eliminating the PERA Social Security leveling optional annuity; revising and repealing various statutes to reflect the recent mergers of local police and salaried firefighter relief associations and consolidation accounts with the public employees police and fire retirement plan; streamlining amortization state aid programs; extending the deadline for participation in the voluntary statewide lump-sum volunteer firefighter retirement plan; requiring municipal approval for deferred service pension interest rate changes by volunteer firefighter relief association boards of trustees; authorizing a resumption of the payment of a death benefit to estates of certain White Bear Lake volunteer firefighter relief association retirees; including Minnesota Association of Professional Employees in MSRS-General plan coverage; authorizing the termination of nonspousal survival designations in optional annuity form elections in certain instances; authorizing certain service credit purchases; providing instructions to the revisor of statutes; amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, sections 3.85, subdivision 10; 3A.011; 3A.03, subdivision 3; 3A.07; 3A.115; 3A.13; 3A.15; 6.495, subdivisions 1, 3; 6.67; 11A.24, subdivision 1; 13D.01, subdivision 1; 69.011, subdivisions 1, 2, 3, 4; 69.021, subdivisions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 7a, 8, 9, 10, 11; 69.031, subdivisions 1, 3, 5; 69.041; 69.051, subdivisions 1, 1a, 1b, 2, 3, 4; 69.33; 69.77, subdivisions 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13; 69.771, subdivision 1; 69.774, subdivision 1; 69.80; 275.70, subdivision 5; 297I.10, subdivision 1; 345.381; 352.01, subdivisions 2a, 17b; 352.029, subdivisions 1, 2a, 2b, 3, 5; 352.03, subdivisions 4, 8; 352.045, by adding subdivisions; 352.113, subdivisions 4, 6, 8, by adding subdivisions; 352.115, subdivision 3; 352.22, subdivision 3; 352.87, subdivision 3; 352.93, subdivision 2; 352.95, subdivision 1; 352.955, subdivisions 1, 3; 352B.011, subdivision 13; 352B.08, subdivision 2; 352B.10, subdivision 1, by adding a subdivision; 352D.04, subdivision 2; 353.01, subdivisions 2a, 2b, 6, 10, 16, 17a, 29; 353.03, subdivision 3; 353.27, subdivision 7; 353.29, subdivision 3; 353.34, subdivisions 1, 2; 353.50, subdivisions 3, 6; 353.64, subdivision 1a; 353.651, subdivision 3; 353.656, subdivisions 1, 1a, 3a; 353.657, subdivisions 2, 2a, 3; 353.659; 353.665, subdivisions 1, 5, 8; 353.71, subdivision 1; 353E.04, subdivision 3; 353E.06, subdivision 1; 353F.02, subdivisions 3, 4, 6, by adding a subdivision; 353F.025, subdivisions 1, 2; 353F.03; 353F.04; 353F.05; 353F.051, subdivision 1; 353F.052; 353F.06; 353F.07; 353F.08; 353G.05, subdivision 2; 354.07, subdivision 1; 354.44, subdivision 6; 354A.021, subdivision 2; 354A.31, subdivisions 4, 4a; 356.20, subdivisions 2, 4; 356.214, subdivision 1; 356.215, subdivisions 1, 8, 18; 356.216; 356.219, subdivisions 1, 2, 8; 356.30, subdivisions 1, 3; 356.315, subdivision 9; 356.401, subdivision 3; 356.406, subdivision 1; 356.415, subdivisions 1, 1a, 1b, 2; 356.48, subdivision 1; 356.635, subdivision 1; 356A.01, subdivision 19; 356A.06, subdivision 4; 356A.07, subdivision 2; 423A.02, subdivisions 1, 1b, 2, 3, 3a, 4, 5; 424A.001, subdivision 4, by adding a subdivision; 424A.01, subdivision 6; 424A.015, subdivisions 1, 4; 424A.016, subdivision 6; 424A.02, subdivisions 7, 9; 424A.10, subdivisions 1, 2; 475.52, subdivision 6; 490.121, subdivision 22; 490.124, subdivision 1; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 3A; 6; 353F; 356; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2012, sections 3A.02, subdivision 3; 69.021, subdivision 6; 69.77, subdivision 3; 352.955, subdivision 2; 352C.001; 352C.091, subdivision 1;

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352C.10; 353.29, subdivision 6; 353.64, subdivision 3; 353.665, subdivisions 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10; 353.667; 353.668; 353.669; 353.6691; 353A.01; 353A.02; 353A.03; 353A.04; 353A.05; 353A.06; 353A.07; 353A.08; 353A.081; 353A.083; 353A.09; 353A.10; 353B.01; 353B.02; 353B.03; 353B.04; 353B.05; 353B.06; 353B.07; 353B.08; 353B.09; 353B.10; 353B.11; 353B.12; 353B.13; 353B.14; 353F.02, subdivisions 4, 5; 353F.025, subdivision 3; 356.315, subdivisions 1, 1a, 2, 2a, 2b, 3, 4, 5, 5a, 6, 7, 8; 423A.01; 423A.02, subdivision 1a; 423A.04; 423A.05; 423A.07; 423A.10; 423A.11; 423A.12; 423A.13; 423A.14; 423A.15; 423A.16; 423A.17; 423A.171; 423A.18; 423A.19; 423A.20; 423A.21; 423A.22; 424A.10, subdivision 5.

May 17, 2013

The Honorable Sandra L. Pappas

President of the Senate

The Honorable Paul Thissen

Speaker of the House of Representatives

We, the undersigned conferees for S. F. No. 489 report that we have agreed upon the items in dispute and recommend as follows:

That the House recede from its amendments and that S. F. No. 489 be further amended as follows:

Delete everything after the enacting clause and insert:

"ARTICLE 1

STATE BOARD OF INVESTMENT PROVISIONS

Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 11A.24, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. Securities generally. (a) Pursuant to an investment policy adopted by the state board, the state board is authorized to purchase, sell, lend, and exchange the securities specified in this section, for funds or accounts specifically made subject to this section,. This authority ~~including~~ includes puts and call options, ~~and~~ future contracts, and swap contracts marked to market, if these options and contracts are traded on a contract market regulated by a governmental agency or by a financial institution regulated by a governmental agency. These securities may be owned directly or through shares in exchange-traded or mutual funds, or as units in commingled trusts, subject to any limitations as specified in this section.

(b) Any agreement to lend securities must be concurrently collateralized with cash or securities with a market value of not less than 100 percent of the market value of the loaned securities at the time of the agreement. Any agreement for put and call options and futures contracts may only be entered into with a fully offsetting amount of cash or securities. Only securities authorized by this section, excluding those under subdivision 6, paragraph (a), clauses (1) to (3), may be accepted as collateral or offsetting securities.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

ARTICLE 2

MSRS ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS

Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 3.85, subdivision 10, is amended to read:

Subd. 10. Standards for pension valuations and cost estimates. The commission shall adopt standards prescribing specific detailed methods to calculate, evaluate, and display current and proposed law liabilities, costs, and actuarial equivalents of all public employee pension plans in Minnesota. These standards shall be consistent with chapter 356 and be updated annually. At a minimum, the standards ~~must not~~ shall contain ~~a valuation~~

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~~requirement~~ requirements that ~~is inconsistent~~ comply with generally accepted accounting principles applicable to government pension plans. The standards may include additional financial, funding, or valuation requirements that are not required under generally accepted accounting principles applicable to government pension plans.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 3A.011, is amended to read:

3A.011 ADMINISTRATION OF ~~PLAN~~ PLANS.

The executive director and the board of directors of the Minnesota State Retirement System shall administer the ~~legislators retirement plan~~ plans specified in ~~accordance~~ this chapter consistent with this chapter and ~~chapter~~ chapters 356 and 356A.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2013.

Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 3A.03, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3. Legislators retirement fund. (a) The legislators retirement fund, a special retirement fund, is created within the state treasury and must be credited with assets equal to the participation of the legislators retirement plan in the Minnesota postretirement investment fund as of June 30, 2009, and any investment proceeds on those assets. The legislators retirement fund must be credited with any investment proceeds on the assets of the retirement fund.

(b) The payment of annuities under section 3A.115, paragraph (b), is appropriated from the legislators retirement fund.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2013.

Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 3A.07, is amended to read:

3A.07 APPLICATION.

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) and section 3A.17, this chapter applies to members of the legislature in service after July 1, 1965, who otherwise meet the requirements of this chapter.

(b) Members of the legislature who were elected for the first time after June 30, 1997, or members of the legislature who were elected before July 1, 1997, and who, after July 1, 1998, elect not to be members of the plan established by this chapter are covered by the unclassified employees retirement program governed by chapter 352D.

(c) The post-July 1, 1998, coverage election under paragraph (b) is irrevocable and must be made on a form prescribed by the director. The second chance referendum election under Laws 2002, chapter 392, article 15, also is irrevocable.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2013.

Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 3A.115, is amended to read:

3A.115 RETIREMENT ALLOWANCE APPROPRIATION; POSTRETIREMENT ADJUSTMENT.

(a) The amount necessary to fund the retirement allowance granted under this chapter to a former legislator retiring after June 30, 2003, or to that legislator's survivor, and the retirement allowance granted under section 3A.17 to a former constitutional officer or the survivor of that constitutional officer is appropriated from the general fund to the director to pay pension obligations due to the retiree.

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(b) The amount necessary to fund the retirement allowance granted under this chapter to a former legislator retiring before July 1, 2003, must be paid from the legislators retirement fund created under section 3A.03, subdivision 3, until the assets of the fund are exhausted and at that time, the amount necessary to fund the retirement allowances under this paragraph is appropriated from the general fund to the director to pay pension obligations to the retiree and survivor.

(c) Retirement allowances payable to retired legislators and their survivors under this chapter must be adjusted as provided in sections 3A.02, subdivision 6, and 356.415.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2013.

Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 3A.13, is amended to read:

3A.13 EXEMPTION FROM PROCESS AND TAXATION; HEALTH PREMIUM DEDUCTION.

(a) The provisions of section 356.401 apply to the ~~legislators retirement plan~~ plans specified in this chapter.

(b) The executive director of the Minnesota State Retirement System must, at the request of a retired legislator or constitutional officer who is enrolled in a health insurance plan covering state employees, deduct the person's health insurance premiums from the person's annuity and transfer the amount of the premium to a health insurance carrier covering state employees.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2013.

Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 3A.15, is amended to read:

3A.15 ~~COORDINATED PROGRAM~~ PROGRAMS OF THE LEGISLATORS RETIREMENT PLAN.

~~The coordinated program of the legislators retirement plan is created.~~ The provisions of sections 3A.01 to 3A.13 apply to the coordinated ~~program~~ and basic programs of the legislators retirement plan.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2013.

Sec. 8. [3A.17] CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS.

Subdivision 1. Application. (a) This section specifies the retirement plan applicable to a former constitutional officer who was first elected to a constitutional office after July 1, 1967, and before July 1, 1997. The plan includes the applicable portions of chapters 352C and 356 in effect on the date on which the person terminated active service as a constitutional officer.

(b) Nothing in this section, this act, or Laws 2006, chapter 271, article 10, section 33, subdivision 2, is intended to increase or reduce the benefits of former constitutional officers or their survivors or to adversely modify their eligibility for benefits in effect as of June 30, 2012.

Subd. 2. Benefit adjustments. Retirement allowances payable to retired constitutional officers and surviving spouse benefits payable must be adjusted under section 356.415.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2013.

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Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 352.01, subdivision 17b, is amended to read:

Subd. 17b. Duty disability, physical or psychological. "Duty disability, physical or psychological," for a correctional employee, means an occupational disability that is the direct result of an injury incurred during, or a disease arising out of, the performance of normal duties or the performance of less frequent duties either of which ~~are~~ present inherent dangers specific to the correctional employee.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 352.03, subdivision 8, is amended to read:

Subd. 8. Medical adviser. The ~~state commissioner of health or other~~ executive director may contract with an accredited independent organization specializing in disability determinations, licensed ~~physician~~ physicians, or physicians on the staff of the commissioner of health as designated by the commissioner ~~may designate shall~~, to be the medical adviser of to the ~~director~~ system.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 352.045, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

Subd. 3a. Contribution rate revision; general state employees retirement plan. (a) Notwithstanding the contribution rates stated in plan law, the employee and employer contribution rates for the general state employees retirement plan must be adjusted:

(1) if the regular actuarial valuation of the plan under section 356.215 indicates that there is a contribution sufficiency greater than one percent of covered payroll and that the sufficiency has existed for at least two consecutive years, the employee and employer contribution rates must be decreased as determined under paragraph (b) to a level such that the sufficiency is no greater than one percent of covered payroll based on the most recent actuarial valuation; or

(2) if the regular actuarial valuation of the plan under section 356.215 indicates that there is a contribution deficiency equal to or greater than 0.5 percent of covered payroll and that the deficiency has existed for at least two consecutive years, the employee and employer contribution rates must be increased as determined under paragraph (c) to a level such that no deficiency exists based on the most recent actuarial valuation.

(b) If the actuarially required contribution of the plan is less than the total support provided by the combined employee and employer contribution rates by more than one percent of covered payroll, the plan employee and employer contribution rates must be decreased incrementally over one or more years by no more than 0.25 percent of pay each for employee and employer contribution rates to a level such that there remains a contribution sufficiency of at least one percent of covered payroll. No contribution rate decrease may be made until at least two years have elapsed since any adjustment under this paragraph has been fully implemented.

(c) If the actuarially required contribution exceeds the total support provided by the employee and employer contribution rates, the employee and employer contribution rates must be increased equally to eliminate that contribution deficiency. If the contribution deficiency is:

(1) less than two percent, the incremental increase may be up to 0.25 percent each for the employee and employer contribution rates;

(2) greater than 1.99 percent and less than 4.01 percent, the incremental increase may be up to 0.5 percent each for the employee and employer contribution rates; or

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(3) greater than four percent, the incremental increase may be up to 0.75 percent each for the employee and employer contribution.

(d) Any recommended adjustment to the contribution rates must be reported to the chair and the executive director of the Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement by January 15 following receipt of the most recent annual actuarial valuation prepared under section 356.215. The report must include draft legislation to revise the employee and employer contributions stated in plan law. If the Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement does not recommend against the rate change or does not recommend a modification in the rate change, the recommended adjustment becomes effective on the first day of the first full payroll period in the fiscal year following receipt of the most recent actuarial valuation that gave rise to the adjustment.

(e) A contribution sufficiency of up to one percent of covered payroll must be held in reserve to be used to offset any future actuarially required contributions that are more than the total combined employee and employer contributions.

(f) Before any reduction in contributions to eliminate a sufficiency in excess of one percent of covered pay may be recommended, the executive director must review any need for a change in actuarial assumptions, as recommended by the actuary retained under section 356.214 in the most recent experience study of the general employees retirement plan prepared under section 356.215 and the standards for actuarial work promulgated by the Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement that may result in an increase in the actuarially required contribution and must report to the Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement any recommendation by the board to use the sufficiency exceeding one percent of covered payroll to offset the impact of an actuarial assumption change recommended by the actuary retained under section 356.214, subdivision 1, and reviewed by the actuary retained by the commission under section 356.214, subdivision 4.

(g) No contribution sufficiency in excess of one percent of covered pay may be proposed to be used to increase benefits, and no benefit increase may be proposed that would initiate an automatic adjustment to increase contributions under this subdivision. Any proposed benefit improvement must include a recommendation, prepared by the actuary retained under section 356.214, subdivision 1, and reviewed by the actuary retained by the Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement as provided under section 356.214, subdivision 4, on how the benefit modification will be funded.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 352.045, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

Subd. 3b. Contribution rate revision; correctional state employees retirement plan and State Patrol retirement plan. (a) Subdivision 3a applies to the correctional state employees retirement plan under this chapter and to the State Patrol retirement plan established under chapter 352B, except as stated in this subdivision.

(b) Any limitations on the amount of contribution rate changes stated in subdivision 3a apply only to the amount of the employee contribution revision. The employer contribution for the correctional state employees retirement plan or the State Patrol retirement plan, whichever is applicable, must be adjusted so that the employer contribution is equal to 60 percent of the sum of employee plus employer contributions.

(c) For the State Patrol retirement plan, a contribution sufficiency of up to two percent of covered payroll, rather than one percent, may be held in reserves without taking action to reduce employee and employer contributions.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 352.113, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4. Medical or psychological examinations; authorization for payment of benefit. (a) Any physician, psychologist, chiropractor, or physician assistant providing any service specified in this section must be licensed.

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(b) An applicant shall provide ~~medical, chiropractic, or psychological~~ a detailed report signed by a physician, and at least one additional report signed by a physician, chiropractor, psychologist, or physician assistant with evidence to support an application for total and permanent disability.

~~(b) The director shall have the employee examined by at least one additional licensed chiropractor, physician, or psychologist designated by the medical adviser.~~ The ~~chiropractors, physicians, or psychologists shall make written~~ reports ~~to the director concerning the employee's disability including~~ must include an expert ~~opinions as to~~ opinion regarding whether the employee is permanently and totally disabled within the meaning of section 352.01, subdivision 17, and that the disability arose before the employee was placed on any paid or unpaid leave of absence or terminated public service.

(c) If there is medical evidence that supports the expectation that at some point the person applying for the disability benefit will no longer be disabled, the decision granting the disability benefit may provide for a termination date upon which the total and permanent disability can be expected to no longer exist. When a termination date is part of the decision granting benefits, prior to the benefit termination the executive director shall review any evidence provided by the disabled employee to show that the disabling condition for which benefits were initially granted continues. If the benefits cease, the disabled employee may follow the appeal procedures described in section 356.96 or may reapply for disability benefits using the process described in this subdivision.

(d) Any claim to disability must be supported by a report from the employer indicating that there is no available work that the employee can perform with the disabling condition and that all reasonable accommodations have been considered. Upon request of the executive director, an employer shall provide evidence of the steps the employer has taken to attempt to provide reasonable accommodations and continued employment to the claimant.

~~(c)~~ (e) The director shall also obtain written certification from the employer stating whether the employment has ceased or whether the employee is on sick leave of absence because of a disability that will prevent further service to the employer and ~~as a consequence~~ that the employee is not entitled to compensation from the employer.

~~(d)~~ (f) The medical adviser shall consider the reports of the physicians, physician assistants, psychologists, and chiropractors and any other evidence supplied by the employee or other interested parties. If the medical adviser finds the employee totally and permanently disabled, the adviser shall make appropriate recommendation to the director in writing together with the date from which the employee has been totally disabled. The director shall then determine if the disability occurred within 18 months of filing the application, while still in the employment of the state, and the propriety of authorizing payment of a disability benefit as provided in this section.

~~(e)~~ (g) A terminated employee may apply for a disability benefit within 18 months of termination as long as the disability occurred while in the employment of the state. The fact that an employee is placed on leave of absence without compensation because of disability does not bar that employee from receiving a disability benefit.

~~(f)~~ (h) Unless the payment of a disability benefit has terminated because the employee is no longer totally disabled, or because the employee has reached normal retirement age as provided in this section, the disability benefit must cease with the last payment received by the disabled employee or which had accrued during the lifetime of the employee unless there is a spouse surviving. In that event, the surviving spouse is entitled to the disability benefit for the calendar month in which the disabled employee died.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 352.113, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

Subd. 4a. Independent medical examination or vocational rehabilitation counseling. Any individual applying for or receiving disability benefits shall submit to an independent medical examination or an assessment by a certified rehabilitation counselor if requested by the executive director or designee. The examination must be paid for by the system.

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EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 352.113, subdivision 6, is amended to read:

Subd. 6. Regular medical or psychological examinations. At least once each year during the first five years following the allowance of a disability benefit to any employee, and at least once in every three-year period thereafter, the director may require any disabled employee to ~~undergo a~~ provide medical, chiropractic, or psychological ~~examination~~ evidence to support the continuation of the total and permanent disability. The ~~examination must be made at the place of residence of the employee, or at any place mutually agreed upon,~~ evidence must be in a form and manner prescribed by the executive director for review by an expert or experts designated by the medical adviser and engaged by the director. If ~~any examination indicates~~ the medical information provided to the medical adviser indicates that the employee is no longer permanently and totally disabled, or is engaged in or can engage in a gainful occupation, payments of the disability benefit by the fund must be discontinued. The payments must be discontinued as soon as the employee is reinstated to the payroll following a sick leave of absence, but in no case may payment be made for more than 60 days after the medical adviser finds that the employee is no longer permanently and totally disabled.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 352.113, subdivision 8, is amended to read:

Subd. 8. Refusal of examination. If a ~~disabled employee~~ person applying for a disability benefit refuses to submit to ~~an expert~~ a medical or psychological examination, the disability application shall be rejected. If a disability benefit recipient refuses to submit to a medical or psychological examination as required, payments by the fund must be discontinued and the director shall revoke all rights of the employee in any disability benefit.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 17. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 352.113, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

Subd. 14. Disabilitant earnings reports. Disability benefit recipients must report all earnings from reemployment and income from workers' compensation to the system annually by May 15 in a format prescribed by the executive director. If the form is not submitted by June 15, benefits must be suspended effective July 1. If the form deemed acceptable by the executive director is received after the June 15 deadline, benefits shall be reinstated retroactive to July 1.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 18. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 352.22, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3. Deferred annuity. (a) An employee who has at least three years of allowable service if employed before July 1, 2010, or who has at least five years of allowable service if employed after June 30, 2010, when termination occurs may elect to leave the accumulated contributions in the fund and thereby be entitled to a deferred retirement annuity. The annuity must be computed under the law in effect when state service terminated, on the basis of the allowable service credited to the person before the termination of service.

(b) An employee on layoff or on leave of absence without pay, except a leave of absence for health reasons, and who does not return to state service must have an annuity, deferred annuity, or other benefit to which the employee may become entitled computed under the law in effect on the employee's last working day.

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(c) No application for a deferred annuity may be made more than 60 days before the time the former employee reaches the required age for entitlement to the payment of the annuity. The deferred annuity begins to accrue no earlier than 60 days before the date the application is filed in the office of the system, but not (1) before the date on which the employee reaches the required age for entitlement to the annuity nor (2) before the day following the termination of state service in a position which is not covered by the retirement system.

(d) Application for the accumulated contributions left on deposit with the fund may be made at any time following the date of the termination of service.

(e) Deferred annuities must be augmented as provided in section 352.72, subdivision 2.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 19. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 352.955, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. Election to transfer prior MSRS-general service credit. (a) An eligible employee described in paragraph (b) may elect to transfer service credit in the general state employees retirement plan of the Minnesota State Retirement System to the correctional state employees retirement plan for eligible prior correctional employment.

(b) An eligible employee is a person who is covered by Laws 2007, chapter 134, article 3, section 6, or who became eligible for retirement coverage by the correctional state employees retirement plan of the Minnesota State Retirement System under Laws 2006, chapter 271, article 2, Laws 2007, chapter 134, article 3, or legislation implementing the recommendations under section 352.91, subdivision 4a.

(c) Eligible prior correctional employment is employment covered correctional service defined in Laws 2007, chapter 134, article 3, section 6, or is employment by the Department of Corrections or by the Department of Human Services that preceded the effective date of the retirement coverage transfer under Laws 2006, chapter 271, article 2, Laws 2007, chapter 134, article 3, or legislation implementing the recommendations under section 352.91, subdivision 4a by the general state employees retirement plan of the Minnesota State Retirement System, is continuous service, and is certified by the commissioner of corrections and the commissioner of human services, whichever applies, and by the commissioner of management and budget to the executive director of the Minnesota State Retirement System as service that would qualify for correctional state employees retirement plan coverage under section 352.91, if the service ~~was~~ had been rendered after the date of coverage transfer.

(d) The election to transfer past service credit under this section must be made in writing by the applicable person on a form prescribed by the executive director of the Minnesota State Retirement System and must be filed with the executive director of the Minnesota State Retirement System on or before ~~(1) January 1, 2008, or~~ the one year anniversary of the coverage transfer~~, whichever is later,~~ or ~~(2)~~ the date of the eligible employee's termination of state employment, whichever is earlier.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 20. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 352.955, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3. Payment of additional equivalent contributions~~; post-June 30, 2007, coverage transfers~~. (a) An eligible employee who is transferred to plan coverage ~~after June 30, 2007,~~ and who elects to transfer past service credit under this section must pay an additional member contribution for that prior service period. The additional member contribution is the amount computed under paragraph (b), plus the greater of the amount computed under paragraph (c), or 40 percent of the unfunded actuarial accrued liability attributable to the past service credit transfer.

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(b) The executive director shall compute, for the most recent 12 months of service credit eligible for transfer, or for the entire period eligible for transfer if less than 12 months, the difference between the employee contribution rate or rates for the general state employees retirement plan and the employee contribution rate or rates for the correctional state employees retirement plan applied to the eligible employee's salary during that transfer period, plus compound interest at a monthly rate of 0.71 percent.

(c) The executive director shall compute, for any service credit being transferred on behalf of the eligible employee and not included under paragraph (b), the difference between the employee contribution rate or rates for the general state employees retirement plan and the employee contribution rate or rates for the correctional state employees retirement plan applied to the eligible employee's salary during that transfer period, plus compound interest at a monthly rate of 0.71 percent.

(d) The executive director shall compute an amount using the process specified in paragraph (b), but based on differences in employer contribution rates between the general state employees retirement plan and the correctional state employees retirement plan rather than employee contribution rates.

(e) The executive director shall compute an amount using the process specified in paragraph (c), but based on differences in employer contribution rates between the general state employees retirement plan and the correctional state employees retirement plan rather than employee contribution rates.

(f) The additional equivalent member contribution under this subdivision must be paid in a lump sum. Payment must accompany the election to transfer the prior service credit. No transfer election or additional equivalent member contribution payment may be made by a person or accepted by the executive director after the one year anniversary date of the effective date of the retirement coverage transfer, or the date on which the eligible employee terminates state employment, whichever is earlier.

(g) If an eligible employee elects to transfer past service credit under this section and pays the additional equivalent member contribution amount under paragraph (a), the applicable department shall pay an additional equivalent employer contribution amount. The additional employer contribution is the amount computed under paragraph (d), plus the greater of the amount computed under paragraph (e), or 60 percent of the unfunded actuarial accrued liability attributable to the past service credit transfer.

(h) The unfunded actuarial accrued liability attributable to the past service credit transfer is the present value of the benefit obtained by the transfer of the service credit to the correctional state employees retirement plan reduced by the amount of the asset transfer under subdivision 4, by the amount of the member contribution equivalent payment computed under paragraph (b), and by the amount of the employer contribution equivalent payment computed under paragraph (d).

(i) The additional equivalent employer contribution under this subdivision must be paid in a lump sum and must be paid within 30 days of the date on which the executive director of the Minnesota State Retirement System certifies to the applicable department that the employee paid the additional equivalent member contribution.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 21. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 352B.011, subdivision 13, is amended to read:

Subd. 13. Surviving spouse. "Surviving spouse" means a member's or former member's legally married spouse ~~who resided with the member or former member~~ at the time of death ~~and was married to the member or former member, for a period of at least one year, during or before the time of membership~~.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

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Sec. 22. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 352B.10, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

Subd. 7. Disabilitant earnings reports. Disability benefit recipients must report all earnings from reemployment and income from workers' compensation to the system annually by May 15 in a format prescribed by the executive director. If the form is not submitted by June 15, benefits must be suspended effective July 1. If the form deemed acceptable by the executive director is received after the June 15 deadline, benefits shall be reinstated retroactive to July 1.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 23. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 352D.04, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2. Contribution rates. (a) The money used to purchase shares under this section is the employee and employer contributions provided in this subdivision.

(b) The employee contribution is an amount equal to the percent of salary specified in section 352.04, subdivision 2, or 352.045, subdivision 3 3a.

(d) For members of the legislature, the contributions under this subdivision also must be made on per diem payments received during a regular or special legislative session, but may not be made on per diem payments received outside of a regular or special legislative session, on the additional compensation attributable to a leadership position under section 3.099, subdivision 3, living expense payments under section 3.101, or special session living expense payments under section 3.103.

(e) For a judge who is a member of the unclassified plan under section 352D.02, subdivision 1, paragraph (c), clause (16), the employee contribution rate is eight percent of salary, and there is no employer contribution.

(f) These contributions must be made in the manner provided in section 352.04, subdivisions 4, 5, and 6.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 24. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 356.20, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4. Contents of financial report. (a) The financial report required by this section must contain financial statements and disclosures that indicate the financial operations and position of the retirement plan and fund. The report must conform with generally accepted governmental accounting principles, applied on a consistent basis. The report must be audited.

(b) The report must include~~, as part of its exhibits or its footnotes, an actuarial disclosure item based on~~ a statement that the actuarial valuation calculations prepared by the actuary retained under section 356.214 or by the actuary retained by the retirement fund or plan, whichever applies, ~~according to~~ comply with applicable actuarial requirements enumerated in section 356.215, and specified in the most recent standards for actuarial work adopted by the Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement. The actuarial value of assets, the actuarial accrued liabilities, ~~including accrued reserves,~~ and the unfunded actuarial accrued liability of the fund or plan must be disclosed. The ~~disclosure item~~ report must contain a ~~declaration~~ certification by the actuary retained under section 356.214 or the actuary retained by the fund or plan, whichever applies, specifying that ~~the required reserves for any retirement, disability, or survivor~~ normal cost and the actuarial accrued liabilities for all benefits ~~provided under a benefit formula~~ are computed in accordance with the entry age actuarial cost method and in accordance with the most recent applicable standards for actuarial work adopted by the Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement.

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(c) The report must contain an itemized exhibit describing the administrative expenses of the plan, including, but not limited to, the following items, classified on a consistent basis from year to year, and with any further meaningful detail:

(1) personnel expenses;

(2) communication-related expenses;

(3) office building and maintenance expenses;

(4) professional services fees; and

(5) other expenses.

(d) The report must contain an itemized exhibit describing the investment expenses of the plan, including, but not limited to, the following items, classified on a consistent basis from year to year, and with any further meaningful detail:

(1) internal investment-related expenses; and

(2) external investment-related expenses.

(e) Any additional statements or exhibits or more detailed or subdivided itemization of a disclosure item that will enable the management of the plan to portray a true interpretation of the plan's financial condition must be included in the additional statements or exhibits.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 25. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 356.214, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. Actuary retention. (a) The governing board or managing or administrative official of each public pension plan and retirement fund or plan enumerated in paragraph (b) shall contract with an established actuarial consulting firm to conduct annual actuarial valuations and related services. The principal from the actuarial consulting firm on the contract must be an approved actuary under section 356.215, subdivision 1, paragraph (c).

(b) Actuarial services must include the preparation of actuarial valuations and related actuarial work for the following retirement plans:

(1) the teachers retirement plan, Teachers Retirement Association;

(2) the general state employees retirement plan, Minnesota State Retirement System;

(3) the correctional employees retirement plan, Minnesota State Retirement System;

(4) the State Patrol retirement plan, Minnesota State Retirement System;

(5) the judges retirement plan, Minnesota State Retirement System;

(6) the general employees retirement plan, Public Employees Retirement Association, including the MERF division;

(7) the public employees police and fire plan, Public Employees Retirement Association;

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(8) the Duluth teachers retirement plan, Duluth Teachers Retirement Fund Association;

(9) the St. Paul teachers retirement plan, St. Paul Teachers Retirement Fund Association;

(10) the legislators retirement plan, Minnesota State Retirement System; and

~~(11) the elective state officers retirement plan, Minnesota State Retirement System; and~~

~~(12)~~ (11) the local government correctional service retirement plan, Public Employees Retirement Association.

(c) The actuarial valuation for the legislators retirement plan must include a separate calculation of total plan actuarial accrued liabilities due to constitutional officer coverage under section 3A.17.

~~(c)~~ (d) The contracts must require completion of the annual actuarial valuation calculations on a fiscal year basis, with the contents of the actuarial valuation calculations as specified in section 356.215, and in conformity with the standards for actuarial work adopted by the Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement.

The contracts must require completion of annual experience data collection and processing and a quadrennial published experience study for the plans listed in paragraph (b), clauses (1), (2), and (6), as provided for in the standards for actuarial work adopted by the commission. The experience data collection, processing, and analysis must evaluate the following:

(1) individual salary progression;

(2) the rate of return on investments based on the current asset value;

(3) payroll growth;

(4) mortality;

(5) retirement age;

(6) withdrawal; and

(7) disablement.

~~(d)~~ (e) The actuary shall annually prepare a report to the governing or managing board or administrative official and the legislature, summarizing the results of the actuarial valuation calculations. The actuary shall include with the report any recommendations concerning the appropriateness of the support rates to achieve proper funding of the retirement plans by the required funding dates. The actuary shall, as part of the quadrennial experience study, include recommendations on the appropriateness of the actuarial valuation assumptions required for evaluation in the study.

~~(e)~~ (f) If the actuarial gain and loss analysis in the actuarial valuation calculations indicates a persistent pattern of sizable gains or losses, the governing or managing board or administrative official shall direct the actuary to prepare a special experience study for a plan listed in paragraph (b), clause (3), (4), (5), (7), (8), (9), (10), (11), or (12), in the manner provided for in the standards for actuarial work adopted by the commission.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2013.

Sec. 26. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 356.215, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. Definitions. (a) For the purposes of sections 3.85 and 356.20 to 356.23, each of the terms in the following paragraphs has the meaning given.

Journal of the House - 60th Day - Saturday, May 18, 2013 - Top of Page 5445

(b) "Actuarial valuation" means a set of calculations prepared by an actuary retained under section 356.214 if so required under section 3.85, or otherwise, by an approved actuary, to determine the normal cost and the accrued actuarial liabilities of a benefit plan, according to the entry age actuarial cost method and based upon stated assumptions including, but not limited to rates of interest, mortality, salary increase, disability, withdrawal, and retirement and to determine the payment necessary to amortize over a stated period any unfunded accrued actuarial liability disclosed as a result of the actuarial valuation of the benefit plan.

(c) "Approved actuary" means a person who is regularly engaged in the business of providing actuarial services and who is a fellow in the Society of Actuaries.

(d) "Entry age actuarial cost method" means an actuarial cost method under which the actuarial present value of the projected benefits of each individual currently covered by the benefit plan and included in the actuarial valuation is allocated on a level basis over the service of the individual, if the benefit plan is governed by section 69.773, or over the earnings of the individual, if the benefit plan is governed by any other law, between the entry age and the assumed exit age, with the portion of the actuarial present value which is allocated to the valuation year to be the normal cost and the portion of the actuarial present value not provided for at the valuation date by the actuarial present value of future normal costs to be the actuarial accrued liability, with aggregation in the calculation process to be the sum of the calculated result for each covered individual and with recognition given to any different benefit formulas which may apply to various periods of service.

(e) "Experience study" means a report providing experience data and an actuarial analysis of the adequacy of the actuarial assumptions on which actuarial valuations are based.

(f) "Actuarial value of assets" means:

~~(1) For the July 1, 2012, actuarial valuation, the market value of all assets as of June 30, 2012, reduced by:~~

(i) 20 percent of the difference between the actual net change in the market value of assets other than the Minnesota postretirement investment fund between June 30, 2009, and June 30, 2008, and the computed increase in the market value of assets other than the Minnesota postretirement investment fund over that fiscal year period if the assets had earned a rate of return on assets equal to the annual percentage preretirement interest rate assumption used in the actuarial valuation for July 1, 2008;

(ii) 40 percent of the difference between the actual net change in the market value of total assets between June 30, 2010, and June 30, 2009, and the computed increase in the market value of total assets over that fiscal year period if the assets had earned a rate of return on assets equal to the annual percentage preretirement interest rate assumption used in the actuarial valuation for July 1, 2009;

(iii) 60 percent of the difference between the actual net change in the market value of total assets between June 30, 2011, and June 30, 2010, and the computed increase in the market value of total assets over that fiscal year period if the assets had earned a rate of return on assets equal to the annual percentage preretirement interest rate assumption used in the actuarial valuation for July 1, 2010;

(iv) 80 percent of the difference between the actual net change in the market value of total assets between June 30, 2012, and June 30, 2011, and the computed increase in the market value of total assets over that fiscal year period if the assets had earned a rate of return on assets equal to the annual percentage preretirement interest rate assumption used in the actuarial valuation for July 1, 2011; and

(v) if applicable, 20 percent of the difference between the actual net change in the market value of the Minnesota postretirement investment fund between June 30, 2009, and June 30, 2008, and the computed increase in the market value of assets over that fiscal year period if the assets had increased at 8.5 percent annually.

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~~(2) For the July 1, 2013, and following actuarial valuations,~~ the market value of all assets as of the preceding June 30, reduced by:

~~(i)~~ (1) 20 percent of the difference between the actual net change in the market value of total assets between the June 30 that occurred three years earlier and the June 30 that occurred four years earlier and the computed increase in the market value of total assets over that fiscal year period if the assets had earned a rate of return on assets equal to the annual percentage preretirement interest rate assumption used in the actuarial valuation for the July 1 that occurred four years earlier;

~~(ii)~~ (2) 40 percent of the difference between the actual net change in the market value of total assets between the June 30 that occurred two years earlier and the June 30 that occurred three years earlier and the computed increase in the market value of total assets over that fiscal year period if the assets had earned a rate of return on assets equal to the annual percentage preretirement interest rate assumption used in the actuarial valuation for the July 1 that occurred three years earlier;

~~(iii)~~ (3) 60 percent of the difference between the actual net change in the market value of total assets between the June 30 that occurred one year earlier and the June 30 that occurred two years earlier and the computed increase in the market value of total assets over that fiscal year period if the assets had earned a rate of return on assets equal to the annual percentage preretirement interest rate assumption used in the actuarial valuation for the July 1 that occurred two years earlier; and

~~(iv)~~ (4) 80 percent of the difference between the actual net change in the market value of total assets between the most recent June 30 and the June 30 that occurred one year earlier and the computed increase in the market value of total assets over that fiscal year period if the assets had earned a rate of return on assets equal to the annual percentage preretirement interest rate assumption used in the actuarial valuation for the July 1 that occurred one year earlier.

(g) "Unfunded actuarial accrued liability" means the total current and expected future benefit obligations, reduced by the sum of the actuarial value of assets and the present value of future normal costs.

(h) "Pension benefit obligation" means the actuarial present value of credited projected benefits, determined as the actuarial present value of benefits estimated to be payable in the future as a result of employee service attributing an equal benefit amount, including the effect of projected salary increases and any step rate benefit accrual rate differences, to each year of credited and expected future employee service.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 27. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 356.215, subdivision 8, is amended to read:

Subd. 8. Interest and salary assumptions. (a) The actuarial valuation must use the applicable following preretirement interest assumption and the applicable following postretirement interest assumption:

(1) select and ultimate interest rate assumption

plan	ultimate preretirement interest rate assumption		ultimate postretirement interest rate assumption

general state employees retirement plan		8.5%	6.0%
correctional state employees retirement plan		8.5	6.0
State Patrol retirement plan		8.5	6.0
legislators retirement plan, and for the constitutional officers calculation of total plan liabilities		0.0	-~~2.0 until June 30, 2040, and~~ -~~2.5 after June 30, 2040~~ 0.0
~~Journal of the House - 60th Day - Saturday, May 18, 2013 - Top of Page 5447~~ ~~elective state officers retirement plan~~		~~0.0~~	-~~2.0 until June 30, 2040, and~~ -~~2.5 after June 30, 2040~~
judges retirement plan		8.5	6.0
general public employees retirement plan		8.5	6.0
public employees police and fire retirement plan		8.5	6.0
local government correctional service retirement plan		8.5	6.0
teachers retirement plan		8.5	6.0
Duluth teachers retirement plan		8.5	8.5
St. Paul teachers retirement plan		8.5	8.5

Except for the legislators retirement plan and the ~~elective state~~ constitutional officers ~~retirement plan~~ calculation of total plan liabilities, the select preretirement interest rate assumption for the period after June 30, 2012, through June 30, 2017, is 8.0 percent. Except for the legislators retirement plan and the ~~elective state~~ constitutional officers ~~retirement plan~~ calculation of total plan liabilities, the select postretirement interest rate assumption for the period after June 30, 2012, through June 30, 2017, is 5.5 percent, except for the Duluth teachers retirement plan and the St. Paul teachers retirement plan, each with a select postretirement interest rate assumption for the period after June 30, 2012, through June 30, 2017, of 8.0 percent.

(2) single rate preretirement and postretirement interest rate assumption

plan	interest rate assumption

Bloomington Fire Department Relief Association	6.0
local monthly benefit volunteer firefighters relief associations	5.0

(b) The actuarial valuation must use the applicable following single rate future salary increase assumption, the applicable following modified single rate future salary increase assumption, or the applicable following graded rate future salary increase assumption:

(1) single rate future salary increase assumption

plan	future salary increase assumption

legislators retirement plan		5.0%
judges retirement plan		3.0
Bloomington Fire Department Relief Association		4.0

(2) age-related future salary increase age-related select and ultimate future salary increase assumption or graded rate future salary increase assumption

plan	future salary increase assumption

local government correctional service retirement plan	assumption C
Duluth teachers retirement plan	assumption A
St. Paul teachers retirement plan	assumption B

For plans other than the Duluth teachers retirement plan, the select calculation is: during the designated select period, a designated percentage rate is multiplied by the result of the designated integer minus T, where T is the number of completed years of service, and is added to the applicable future salary increase assumption. The designated select period is ten years and the designated integer is

Journal of the House - 60th Day - Saturday, May 18, 2013 - Top of Page 5448

ten for all retirement plans covered by this clause. The designated percentage rate is 0.3 percent for the St. Paul Teachers Retirement Fund Association. The select calculation for the Duluth Teachers Retirement Fund Association is 8.00 percent per year for service years one through seven, 7.25 percent per year for service years seven and eight, and 6.50 percent per year for service years eight and nine.

The ultimate future salary increase assumption is:

age	A	B	C
16	8.00%	6.90%	9.00%
17	8.00	6.90	9.00
18	8.00	6.90	9.00
19	8.00	6.90	9.00
20	6.90	6.90	9.00
21	6.90	6.90	8.75
22	6.90	6.90	8.50
23	6.85	6.85	8.25
24	6.80	6.80	8.00
25	6.75	6.75	7.75
26	6.70	6.70	7.50
27	6.65	6.65	7.25
28	6.60	6.60	7.00
29	6.55	6.55	6.75
30	6.50	6.50	6.75
31	6.45	6.45	6.50
32	6.40	6.40	6.50
33	6.35	6.35	6.50
34	6.30	6.30	6.25
35	6.25	6.25	6.25
36	6.20	6.20	6.00
37	6.15	6.15	6.00
38	6.10	6.10	6.00
39	6.05	6.05	5.75
40	6.00	6.00	5.75
41	5.90	5.95	5.75
42	5.80	5.90	5.50
43	5.70	5.85	5.25
44	5.60	5.80	5.25
45	5.50	5.75	5.00
46	5.40	5.70	5.00
47	5.30	5.65	5.00
48	5.20	5.60	5.00
49	5.10	5.55	5.00
50	5.00	5.50	5.00
51	4.90	5.45	5.00
52	4.80	5.40	5.00
53	4.70	5.35	5.00
54	4.60	5.30	5.00
Journal of the House - 60th Day - Saturday, May 18, 2013 - Top of Page 5449 55	4.50	5.25	4.75
56	4.40	5.20	4.75
57	4.30	5.15	4.50
58	4.20	5.10	4.25
59	4.10	5.05	4.25
60	4.00	5.00	4.25
61	3.90	5.00	4.25
62	3.80	5.00	4.25
63	3.70	5.00	4.25
64	3.60	5.00	4.25
65	3.50	5.00	4.00
66	3.50	5.00	4.00
67	3.50	5.00	4.00
68	3.50	5.00	4.00
69	3.50	5.00	4.00
70	3.50	5.00	4.00

(3) service-related ultimate future salary increase assumption

general state employees retirement plan of the Minnesota State Retirement System	assumption A
general employees retirement plan of the Public Employees Retirement Association	assumption B
Teachers Retirement Association	assumption C
public employees police and fire retirement plan	assumption D
State Patrol retirement plan	assumption E
correctional state employees retirement plan of the Minnesota State Retirement System	assumption F

service length	A	B	C	D	E	F

1	10.50%	12.03%	12.00%	13.00%	8.00%	6.00%
2	8.10	8.90	9.00	11.00	7.50	5.85
3	6.90	7.46	8.00	9.00	7.00	5.70
4	6.20	6.58	7.50	8.00	6.75	5.55
5	5.70	5.97	7.25	6.50	6.50	5.40
6	5.30	5.52	7.00	6.10	6.25	5.25
7	5.00	5.16	6.85	5.80	6.00	5.10
8	4.70	4.87	6.70	5.60	5.85	4.95
9	4.50	4.63	6.55	5.40	5.70	4.80
10	4.40	4.42	6.40	5.30	5.55	4.65
11	4.20	4.24	6.25	5.20	5.40	4.55
12	4.10	4.08	6.00	5.10	5.25	4.45
13	4.00	3.94	5.75	5.00	5.10	4.35
14	3.80	3.82	5.50	4.90	4.95	4.25
15	3.70	3.70	5.25	4.80	4.80	4.15
16	3.60	3.60	5.00	4.80	4.65	4.05
17	3.50	3.51	4.75	4.80	4.50	3.95
18	3.50	3.50	4.50	4.80	4.35	3.85
19	3.50	3.50	4.25	4.80	4.20	3.75
20	3.50	3.50	4.00	4.80	4.05	3.75
21	3.50	3.50	3.90	4.70	4.00	3.75
22	3.50	3.50	3.80	4.60	4.00	3.75
23	3.50	3.50	3.70	4.50	4.00	3.75
Journal of the House - 60th Day - Saturday, May 18, 2013 - Top of Page 5450 24	3.50	3.50	3.60	4.50	4.00	3.75
25	3.50	3.50	3.50	4.50	4.00	3.75
26	3.50	3.50	3.50	4.50	4.00	3.75
27	3.50	3.50	3.50	4.50	4.00	3.75
28	3.50	3.50	3.50	4.50	4.00	3.75
29	3.50	3.50	3.50	4.50	4.00	3.75
30 or more	3.50	3.50	3.50	4.50	4.00	3.75

(c) The actuarial valuation must use the applicable following payroll growth assumption for calculating the amortization requirement for the unfunded actuarial accrued liability where the amortization retirement is calculated as a level percentage of an increasing payroll:

plan	payroll growth assumption

general state employees retirement plan of the Minnesota State Retirement System			3.75%
correctional state employees retirement plan		3.75
State Patrol retirement plan		3.75
judges retirement plan		3.00
general employees retirement plan of the Public Employees Retirement Association		3.75
public employees police and fire retirement plan		3.75
local government correctional service retirement plan		3.75
teachers retirement plan		3.75
Duluth teachers retirement plan		4.50
St. Paul teachers retirement plan		5.00

(d) The assumptions set forth in paragraphs (b) and (c) continue to apply, unless a different salary assumption or a different payroll increase assumption:

(1) has been proposed by the governing board of the applicable retirement plan;

(2) is accompanied by the concurring recommendation of the actuary retained under section 356.214, subdivision 1, if applicable, or by the approved actuary preparing the most recent actuarial valuation report if section 356.214 does not apply; and

(3) has been approved or deemed approved under subdivision 18.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2013.

Sec. 28. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 356.30, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3. Covered plans. This section applies to the following retirement plans:

(1) the general state employees retirement plan of the Minnesota State Retirement System, established under chapter 352;

(2) the correctional state employees retirement plan of the Minnesota State Retirement System, established under chapter 352;

(3) the unclassified employees retirement program, established under chapter 352D;

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(4) the State Patrol retirement plan, established under chapter 352B;

(5) the legislators retirement plan, established under chapter 3A, including constitutional officers as specified in that chapter;

~~(6) the elective state officers retirement plan, established under chapter 352C;~~

~~(7)~~ (6) the general employees retirement plan of the Public Employees Retirement Association, established under chapter 353, including the MERF division of the Public Employees Retirement Association;

~~(8)~~ (7) the public employees police and fire retirement plan of the Public Employees Retirement Association, established under chapter 353;

~~(9)~~ (8) the local government correctional service retirement plan of the Public Employees Retirement Association, established under chapter 353E;

~~(10)~~ (9) the Teachers Retirement Association, established under chapter 354;

~~(11)~~ (10) the St. Paul Teachers Retirement Fund Association, established under chapter 354A;

~~(12)~~ (11) the Duluth Teachers Retirement Fund Association, established under chapter 354A; and

~~(13)~~ (12) the judges retirement fund, established by chapter 490.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2013.

Sec. 29. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 356.401, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3. Covered retirement plans. The provisions of this section apply to the following retirement plans:

(1) the legislators retirement plan, established by chapter 3A, including constitutional officers as specified in that chapter;

(2) the general state employees retirement plan of the Minnesota State Retirement System, established by chapter 352;

(3) the correctional state employees retirement plan of the Minnesota State Retirement System, established by chapter 352;

(4) the State Patrol retirement plan, established by chapter 352B;

~~(5) the elective state officers retirement plan, established by chapter 352C;~~

~~(6)~~ (5) the unclassified state employees retirement program, established by chapter 352D;

~~(7)~~ (6) the general employees retirement plan of the Public Employees Retirement Association, established by chapter 353, including the MERF division of the Public Employees Retirement Association;

~~(8)~~ (7) the public employees police and fire plan of the Public Employees Retirement Association, established by chapter 353;

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~~(9)~~ (8) the public employees defined contribution plan, established by chapter 353D;

~~(10)~~ (9) the local government correctional service retirement plan of the Public Employees Retirement Association, established by chapter 353E;

~~(11)~~ (10) the voluntary statewide lump-sum volunteer firefighter retirement plan, established by chapter 353G;

~~(12)~~ (11) the Teachers Retirement Association, established by chapter 354;

~~(13)~~ (12) the Duluth Teachers Retirement Fund Association, established by chapter 354A;

~~(14)~~ (13) the St. Paul Teachers Retirement Fund Association, established by chapter 354A;

~~(15)~~ (14) the individual retirement account plan, established by chapter 354B;

~~(16)~~ (15) the higher education supplemental retirement plan, established by chapter 354C; and

~~(17)~~ (16) the judges retirement fund, established by chapter 490.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2013.

Sec. 30. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 356.415, subdivision 1a, is amended to read:

Subd. 1a. Annual postretirement adjustments; Minnesota State Retirement System plans other than State Patrol retirement plan. (a) Retirement annuity, disability benefit, or survivor benefit recipients of the legislators retirement ~~plan~~ plans, including constitutional officers as specified in chapter 3A, the general state employees retirement plan, the correctional state employees retirement plan, ~~the elected state officers retirement plan,~~ the unclassified state employees retirement program, and the judges retirement plan are entitled to a postretirement adjustment annually on January 1, as follows:

(1) a postretirement increase of two percent must be applied each year, effective on January 1, to the monthly annuity or benefit of each annuitant or benefit recipient who has been receiving an annuity or a benefit for at least 18 full months before the January 1 increase; and

(2) for each annuitant or benefit recipient who has been receiving an annuity or a benefit for at least six full months, an annual postretirement increase of 1/12 of two percent for each month that the person has been receiving an annuity or benefit must be applied, effective January 1, following the calendar year in which the person has been retired for at least six months, but has been retired for less than 18 months.

(b) The increases provided by this subdivision commence on January 1, 2011. Increases under this subdivision for the general state employees retirement plan, the correctional state employees retirement plan, or the judges retirement plan terminate on December 31 of the calendar year in which the actuarial valuation prepared by the approved actuary under sections 356.214 and 356.215 and the standards for actuarial work promulgated by the Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement indicates that the market value of assets of the retirement plan equals or exceeds 90 percent of the actuarial accrued liability of the retirement plan and increases under subdivision 1 recommence after that date. Increases under this subdivision for the legislators retirement plan or the elected state officers retirement plan terminate on December 31 of the calendar year in which the actuarial valuation prepared by the approved actuary under sections 356.214 and 356.215 and the standards for actuarial work promulgated by the Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement indicates that the market value of assets of the general state employees retirement plan equals or exceeds 90 percent of the actuarial accrued liability of the retirement plan and increases under subdivision 1 recommence after that date.

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(c) An increase in annuity or benefit payments under this subdivision must be made automatically unless written notice is filed by the annuitant or benefit recipient with the executive director of the applicable covered retirement plan requesting that the increase not be made.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2013.

Sec. 31. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 356.415, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2. Covered retirement plans. The provisions of this section apply to the following retirement plans:

(1) the legislators retirement plan established under chapter 3A, including constitutional officers as specified in that chapter;

(2) the correctional state employees retirement plan of the Minnesota State Retirement System established under chapter 352;

(3) the general state employees retirement plan of the Minnesota State Retirement System established under chapter 352;

(4) the State Patrol retirement plan established under chapter 352B;

~~(5) the elective state officers retirement plan established under chapter 352C;~~

~~(6)~~ (5) the general employees retirement plan of the Public Employees Retirement Association established under chapter 353, including the MERF division of the Public Employees Retirement Association;

~~(7)~~ (6) the public employees police and fire retirement plan of the Public Employees Retirement Association established under chapter 353;

~~(8)~~ (7) the local government correctional employees retirement plan of the Public Employees Retirement Association established under chapter 353E;

~~(9)~~ (8) the teachers retirement plan established under chapter 354; and

~~(10)~~ (9) the judges retirement plan established under chapter 490.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2013.

Sec. 32. APPLICATION AND INTENT.

Sections 2 to 8 and 25 to 31 merge the remaining provisions of the elective state officers retirement plan into the legislators retirement plan chapter to achieve administrative savings, including reduced cost for actuarial calculations. Nothing in those sections should be interpreted as modifying benefits or benefit eligibility compared to law in effect immediately before the effective date of this section.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2013.

Sec. 33. REPEALER.

(a) Minnesota Statutes 2012, sections 3A.02, subdivision 3; 352C.001; 352C.091, subdivision 1; and 352C.10, are repealed.

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(b) Minnesota Statutes 2012, sections 352.045, subdivisions 3 and 4; and 352.955, subdivision 2, are repealed.

EFFECTIVE DATE. Paragraph (a) is effective July 1, 2013. Paragraph (b) is effective the day following final enactment.

ARTICLE 3

PERA ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS

Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353.01, subdivision 2b, is amended to read:

Subd. 2b. Excluded employees. (a) The following public employees are not eligible to participate as members of the association with retirement coverage by the general employees retirement plan, the local government correctional employees retirement plan under chapter 353E, or the public employees police and fire retirement plan:

(1) persons whose salary from one governmental subdivision never exceeds $425 in a month;

(2) public officers who are elected to a governing body, city mayors, or persons who are appointed to fill a vacancy in an elective office of a governing body, whose term of office commences on or after July 1, 2002, for the service to be rendered in that elective position;

(3) election officers or election judges;

(4) patient and inmate personnel who perform services for a governmental subdivision;

(5) except as otherwise specified in subdivision 12a, employees who are hired for a temporary position as defined under subdivision 12a, and employees who resign from a nontemporary position and accept a temporary position within 30 days in the same governmental subdivision;

(6) employees who are employed by reason of work emergency caused by fire, flood, storm, or similar disaster;

(7) employees who by virtue of their employment in one governmental subdivision are required by law to be a member of and to contribute to any of the plans or funds administered by the Minnesota State Retirement System, the Teachers Retirement Association, the Duluth Teachers Retirement Fund Association, the St. Paul Teachers Retirement Fund Association, or any police or firefighters relief association governed by section 69.77 that has not consolidated with the Public Employees Retirement Association, or any local police or firefighters consolidation account who have not elected the type of benefit coverage provided by the public employees police and fire fund under sections 353A.01 to 353A.10, or any persons covered by section 353.665, subdivision 4, 5, or 6, who have not elected public employees police and fire plan benefit coverage. This clause must not be construed to prevent a person from being a member of and contributing to the Public Employees Retirement Association and also belonging to and contributing to another public pension plan or fund for other service occurring during the same period of time. A person who meets the definition of "public employee" in subdivision 2 by virtue of other service occurring during the same period of time becomes a member of the association unless contributions are made to another public retirement fund on the salary based on the other service or to the Teachers Retirement Association by a teacher as defined in section 354.05, subdivision 2;

(8) persons who are members of a religious order and are excluded from coverage under the federal Old Age, Survivors, Disability, and Health Insurance Program for the performance of service as specified in United States Code, title 42, section 410(a)(8)(A), as amended through January 1, 1987, if no irrevocable election of coverage has been made under section 3121(r) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended;

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(9) employees of a governmental subdivision who have not reached the age of 23 and are enrolled on a full-time basis to attend or are attending classes on a full-time basis at an accredited school, college, or university in an undergraduate, graduate, or professional-technical program, or a public or charter high school;

(10) resident physicians, medical interns, and pharmacist residents and pharmacist interns who are serving in a degree or residency program in public hospitals or clinics;

(11) students who are serving for up to five years in an internship or residency program sponsored by a governmental subdivision, including an accredited educational institution;

(12) persons who hold a part-time adult supplementary technical college license who render part-time teaching service in a technical college;

(13) except for employees of Hennepin County or Hennepin Healthcare System, Inc., foreign citizens who are employed by a governmental subdivision under a work permit, or an H-1b visa initially issued or extended for a combined period less than three years of employment. Upon extension of the employment beyond the three-year period, the foreign citizens must be reported for membership beginning the first of the month thereafter provided the monthly earnings threshold as provided under subdivision 2a is met;

(14) public hospital employees who elected not to participate as members of the association before 1972 and who did not elect to participate from July 1, 1988, to October 1, 1988;

(15) except as provided in section 353.86, volunteer ambulance service personnel, as defined in subdivision 35, but persons who serve as volunteer ambulance service personnel may still qualify as public employees under subdivision 2 and may be members of the Public Employees Retirement Association and participants in the general employees retirement plan or the public employees police and fire plan, whichever applies, on the basis of compensation received from public employment service other than service as volunteer ambulance service personnel;

(16) except as provided in section 353.87, volunteer firefighters, as defined in subdivision 36, engaging in activities undertaken as part of volunteer firefighter duties, but a person who is a volunteer firefighter may still qualify as a public employee under subdivision 2 and may be a member of the Public Employees Retirement Association and a participant in the general employees retirement plan or the public employees police and fire plan, whichever applies, on the basis of compensation received from public employment activities other than those as a volunteer firefighter;

(17) pipefitters and associated trades personnel employed by Independent School District No. 625, St. Paul, with coverage under a collective bargaining agreement by the pipefitters local 455 pension plan who were either first employed after May 1, 1997, or, if first employed before May 2, 1997, elected to be excluded under Laws 1997, chapter 241, article 2, section 12;

(18) electrical workers, plumbers, carpenters, and associated trades personnel who are employed by Independent School District No. 625, St. Paul, or the city of St. Paul, who have retirement coverage under a collective bargaining agreement by the Electrical Workers Local 110 pension plan, the United Association Plumbers Local 34 pension plan, or the pension plan applicable to Carpenters Local 87 who were either first employed after May 1, 2000, or, if first employed before May 2, 2000, elected to be excluded under Laws 2000, chapter 461, article 7, section 5;

(19) bricklayers, allied craftworkers, cement masons, glaziers, glassworkers, painters, allied tradesworkers, and plasterers who are employed by the city of St. Paul or Independent School District No. 625, St. Paul, with coverage under a collective bargaining agreement by the Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 1 pension plan, the Cement Masons Local 633 pension plan, the Glaziers and Glassworkers Local L-1324 pension plan, the Painters and Allied Trades Local 61 pension plan, or the Twin Cities Plasterers Local 265 pension plan who were either first employed after May 1, 2001, or if first employed before May 2, 2001, elected to be excluded under Laws 2001, First Special Session chapter 10, article 10, section 6;

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(20) plumbers who are employed by the Metropolitan Airports Commission, with coverage under a collective bargaining agreement by the Plumbers Local 34 pension plan, who either were first employed after May 1, 2001, or if first employed before May 2, 2001, elected to be excluded under Laws 2001, First Special Session chapter 10, article 10, section 6;

(21) employees who are hired after June 30, 2002, to fill seasonal positions under subdivision 12b which are limited in duration by the employer to 185 consecutive calendar days or less in each year of employment with the governmental subdivision;

(22) persons who are provided supported employment or work-study positions by a governmental subdivision and who participate in an employment or industries program maintained for the benefit of these persons where the governmental subdivision limits the position's duration up to ~~three~~ five years ~~or less~~, including persons participating in a federal or state subsidized on-the-job training, work experience, senior citizen, youth, or unemployment relief program where the training or work experience is not provided as a part of, or for, future permanent public employment;

(23) independent contractors and the employees of independent contractors;

(24) reemployed annuitants of the association during the course of that reemployment; and

(25) persons appointed to serve on a board or commission of a governmental subdivision or an instrumentality thereof.

(b) Any person performing the duties of a public officer in a position defined in subdivision 2a, paragraph (a), clause (3), is not an independent contractor and is not an employee of an independent contractor.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353.01, subdivision 16, is amended to read:

Subd. 16. Allowable service; limits and computation. (a) "Allowable service" means:

(1) service during years of actual membership in the course of which employee deductions were withheld from salary and contributions were made at the applicable rates under section 353.27, 353.65, or 353E.03;

(2) periods of service covered by payments in lieu of salary deductions under sections 353.27, subdivision 12, and 353.35;

(3) service in years during which the public employee was not a member but for which the member later elected, while a member, to obtain credit by making payments to the fund as permitted by any law then in effect;

(4) a period of authorized leave of absence with pay from which deductions for employee contributions are made, deposited, and credited to the fund;

(5) a period of authorized personal, parental, or medical leave of absence without pay, including a leave of absence covered under the federal Family Medical Leave Act, that does not exceed one year, and for which a member obtained service credit for each month in the leave period by payment under section 353.0161 to the fund made in place of salary deductions. An employee must return to public service and render a minimum of three months of allowable service in order to be eligible to make payment under section 353.0161 for a subsequent authorized leave of absence without pay. Upon payment, the employee must be granted allowable service credit for the purchased period;

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(6) a periodic, repetitive leave that is offered to all employees of a governmental subdivision. The leave program may not exceed 208 hours per annual normal work cycle as certified to the association by the employer. A participating member obtains service credit by making employee contributions in an amount or amounts based on the member's average salary, excluding overtime pay, that would have been paid if the leave had not been taken. The employer shall pay the employer and additional employer contributions on behalf of the participating member. The employee and the employer are responsible to pay interest on their respective shares at the rate of 8.5 percent a year, compounded annually, from the end of the normal cycle until full payment is made. An employer shall also make the employer and additional employer contributions, plus 8.5 percent interest, compounded annually, on behalf of an employee who makes employee contributions but terminates public service. The employee contributions must be made within one year after the end of the annual normal working cycle or within 30 days after termination of public service, whichever is sooner. The executive director shall prescribe the manner and forms to be used by a governmental subdivision in administering a periodic, repetitive leave. Upon payment, the member must be granted allowable service credit for the purchased period;

(7) an authorized temporary or seasonal layoff under subdivision 12, limited to three months allowable service per authorized temporary or seasonal layoff in one calendar year. An employee who has received the maximum service credit allowed for an authorized temporary or seasonal layoff must return to public service and must obtain a minimum of three months of allowable service subsequent to the layoff in order to receive allowable service for a subsequent authorized temporary or seasonal layoff;

(8) a period during which a member is absent from employment by a governmental subdivision by reason of service in the uniformed services, as defined in United States Code, title 38, section 4303(13), if the member returns to public service with the same governmental subdivision upon discharge from service in the uniformed service within the time frames required under United States Code, title 38, section 4312(e), provided that the member did not separate from uniformed service with a dishonorable or bad conduct discharge or under other than honorable conditions. The service must be credited if the member pays into the fund equivalent employee contributions based upon the contribution rate or rates in effect at the time that the uniformed service was performed multiplied by the full and fractional years being purchased and applied to the annual salary rate. The annual salary rate is the average annual salary~~, excluding overtime pay,~~ during the purchase period that the member would have received if the member had continued to be employed in covered employment rather than to provide uniformed service, or, if the determination of that rate is not reasonably certain, the annual salary rate is the member's average salary rate~~, excluding overtime pay,~~ during the 12-month period of covered employment rendered immediately preceding the period of the uniformed service. Payment of the member equivalent contributions must be made during a period that begins with the date on which the individual returns to public employment and that is three times the length of the military leave period, or within five years of the date of discharge from the military service, whichever is less. If the determined payment period is less than one year, the contributions required under this clause to receive service credit may be made within one year of the discharge date. Payment may not be accepted following 30 days after termination of public service under subdivision 11a. If the member equivalent contributions provided for in this clause are not paid in full, the member's allowable service credit must be prorated by multiplying the full and fractional number of years of uniformed service eligible for purchase by the ratio obtained by dividing the total member contributions received by the total member contributions otherwise required under this clause. The equivalent employer contribution, and, if applicable, the equivalent additional employer contribution must be paid by the governmental subdivision employing the member if the member makes the equivalent employee contributions. The employer payments must be made from funds available to the employing unit, using the employer and additional employer contribution rate or rates in effect at the time that the uniformed service was performed, applied to the same annual salary rate or rates used to compute the equivalent member contribution. The governmental subdivision involved may appropriate money for those payments. The amount of service credit obtainable under this section may not exceed five years unless a longer purchase period is required under United States Code, title 38, section 4312. The employing unit shall pay interest on all equivalent member and employer contribution amounts payable under this clause. Interest must be computed at a rate of 8.5 percent compounded annually from the end of each fiscal year of the leave or the break in service to the end of the month in which the payment is received. Upon payment, the employee must be granted allowable service credit for the purchased period; or

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(9) a period specified under section 353.0162.

(b) For calculating benefits under sections 353.30, 353.31, 353.32, and 353.33 for state officers and employees displaced by the Community Corrections Act, chapter 401, and transferred into county service under section 401.04, "allowable service" means the combined years of allowable service as defined in paragraph (a), clauses (1) to (6), and section 352.01, subdivision 11.

(c) For a public employee who has prior service covered by a local police or firefighters relief association that has consolidated with the Public Employees Retirement Association under chapter 353A or to which section 353.665 applies, and who has elected the type of benefit coverage provided by the public employees police and fire fund either under section 353A.08 following the consolidation or under section 353.665, subdivision 4, "allowable service" is a period of service credited by the local police or firefighters relief association as of the effective date of the consolidation based on law and on bylaw provisions governing the relief association on the date of the initiation of the consolidation procedure.

(d) No member may receive more than 12 months of allowable service credit in a year either for vesting purposes or for benefit calculation purposes. For an active member who was an active member of the former Minneapolis Firefighters Relief Association on December 29, 2011, "allowable service" is the period of service credited by the Minneapolis Firefighters Relief Association as reflected in the transferred records of the association up to December 30, 2011, and the period of service credited under paragraph (a), clause (1), after December 30, 2011. For an active member who was an active member of the former Minneapolis Police Relief Association on December 29, 2011, "allowable service" is the period of service credited by the Minneapolis Police Relief Association as reflected in the transferred records of the association up to December 30, 2011, and the period of service credited under paragraph (a), clause (1), after December 30, 2011.

(e) MS 2002 [Expired]

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353.01, subdivision 17a, is amended to read:

Subd. 17a. Average salary. (a) "Average salary," ~~for purposes of calculating a retirement annuity under section 353.29, subdivision 3~~ unless otherwise specified, means an amount equivalent to the average of the highest salary of the member, police officer, or firefighter, whichever applies, upon which employee contributions were paid for any five successive years of allowable service, based on dates of salary periods as listed on salary deduction reports. Average salary must be based upon all allowable service if this service is less than five years.

(b) "Average salary" may not include any reduced salary paid during a period in which the employee is entitled to benefit payments from workers' compensation for temporary disability, unless the average salary is higher, including this period.

(c) "Average salary," for purposes of calculating benefits for a surviving spouse or dependent children under section 353.657, subdivision 2 or 3, means the average of the full-time monthly base salary rate in effect during the last six months of allowable service. If the employment during the last six months of allowable service was part-time, the average salary must be prorated based on the actual number of hours worked.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353.01, subdivision 29, is amended to read:

Subd. 29. Designated beneficiary. "Designated beneficiary" means the person or, organization, trust, or estate designated by a member, former member, ~~disabilitant, or retired member in writing, signed and filed with the association before the death of the member, former member, disabilitant, or retired member,~~ or a person legally authorized to act on

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behalf of the member or former member to receive a refund of the balance of the member's or former member's accumulated deductions after death. A beneficiary designation is valid if it is made in the form prescribed by the executive director and is received by the association on or before the date of death of the member or former member. If a beneficiary designation is deemed to be invalid for any reason, any remaining balance of the member's or former member's accumulated deductions are subject to the provisions of section 353.32, subdivisions 4 and 5.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353.27, subdivision 7, is amended to read:

Subd. 7. Adjustment for erroneous receipts or disbursements. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), erroneous employee deductions and erroneous employer contributions and additional employer contributions to the general employees retirement plan of the Public Employees Retirement Association or to the public employees police and fire retirement plan for a person who otherwise does not qualify for membership under this chapter, are considered:

(1) valid if the initial erroneous deduction began before January 1, 1990. Upon determination of the error by the association, the person may continue membership in the association while employed in the same position for which erroneous deductions were taken, or file a written election to terminate membership and apply for a refund upon termination of public service or defer an annuity under section 353.34; or

(2) invalid, if the initial erroneous employee deduction began on or after January 1, 1990. Upon determination of the error, the association shall refund all erroneous employee deductions and all erroneous employer contributions as specified in paragraph (e). No person may claim a right to continued or past membership in the association based on erroneous deductions which began on or after January 1, 1990.

(b) Erroneous deductions taken from the salary of a person who did not qualify for membership in the general employees retirement plan of the Public Employees Retirement Association or in the public employees police and fire retirement plan by virtue of concurrent employment before July 1, 1978, which required contributions to another retirement fund or relief association established for the benefit of officers and employees of a governmental subdivision, are invalid. Upon discovery of the error, allowable service credit for all invalid service if forfeited and, upon termination of public service, the association shall refund all erroneous employee deductions to the person, with interest as determined under section 353.34, subdivision 2, and all erroneous employer contributions without interest to the employer. This paragraph has both retroactive and prospective application.

(c) Adjustments to correct employer contributions and employee deductions taken in error from amounts which are not salary under section 353.01, subdivision 10, must be made as specified in paragraph (e). The period of adjustment must be limited to the fiscal year in which the error is discovered by the association and the immediate two preceding fiscal years.

(d) If there is evidence of fraud or other misconduct on the part of the employee or the employer, the board of trustees may authorize adjustments to the account of a member or former member to correct erroneous employee deductions and employer contributions on invalid salary and the recovery of any overpayments for a period longer than provided for under paragraph (c).

(e) Upon discovery of the receipt of erroneous employee deductions and employer contributions under paragraph (a), clause (2), or paragraph (c), the association must require the employer to discontinue the erroneous employee deductions and erroneous employer contributions reported on behalf of a member. Upon discontinuation, the association must:

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(1) for a member, provide a refund in the amount of the invalid employee deductions with interest on the invalid employee deductions at the rate specified under section 353.34, subdivision 2, from the received date of each invalid salary transaction through the date the credit or refund is made;

(2) for a former member who:

(i) is not receiving a retirement annuity or benefit, return the erroneous employee deductions to the former member through a refund with interest at the rate specified under section 353.34, subdivision 2, from the received date of each invalid salary transaction through the date the credit or refund is made; or

(ii) is receiving a retirement annuity or disability benefit, or a person who is receiving an optional annuity or survivor benefit, for whom it has been determined an overpayment must be recovered, adjust the payment amount and recover the overpayments as provided under this section; and

(3) return the invalid employer contributions reported on behalf of a member or former member to the employer by providing a credit against future contributions payable by the employer.

(f) In the event that a salary warrant or check from which a deduction for the retirement fund was taken has been canceled or the amount of the warrant or check returned to the funds of the department making the payment, a refund of the sum deducted, or any portion of it that is required to adjust the deductions, must be made to the department or institution.

(g) If the ~~accrual date of any~~ association discovers that a retirement annuity, survivor benefit, or disability benefit ~~is within the limitation period specified in paragraph (c), and an overpayment has resulted~~ has been incorrectly calculated by using invalid service or salary, or due to any erroneous calculation procedure, the association must recalculate the annuity or benefit payable and ~~recover any~~ begin payment of the corrected annuity or benefit effective the first of the month following discovery of the error. Any overpayment resulting from the incorrect calculation must be recovered as provided under subdivision 7b, if the accrual date, or any adjustment in the amount of the annuity or benefit calculated after the accrual date, except adjustments required under section 353.656, subdivision 4, falls within the current fiscal year and the two immediate previous fiscal years.

(h) Notwithstanding the provisions of this subdivision, the association may apply the Revenue Procedures defined in the federal Internal Revenue Service Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System and not issue a refund of erroneous employee deductions and employer contributions or not recover a small overpayment of benefits if the cost to correct the error would exceed the amount of the member refund or overpayment.

(i) Any fees or penalties assessed by the federal Internal Revenue Service for any failure by an employer to follow the statutory requirements for reporting eligible members and salary must be paid by the employer.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353.34, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. Refund or deferred annuity. (a) A former member is entitled to either a refund of accumulated employee deductions under subdivision 2, or to a deferred annuity under subdivision 3. Application for a refund may not be made before the date of termination of public service. ~~Except as specified in paragraph (b),~~ A refund must be paid within 120 days following receipt of the application unless the applicant has again become a public employee required to be covered by the association.

(b) If an individual was placed on layoff under section 353.01, subdivision 12 or 12c, a refund is not payable before termination of service under section 353.01, subdivision 11a.

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(c) An individual who terminates public service covered by the Public Employees Retirement Association general employees retirement plan, the MERF division, the Public Employees Retirement Association police and fire retirement plan, or the public employees local government correctional service retirement plan, and who is employed by a different employer and who becomes an active member covered by one of the other two plans, may receive a refund of employee contributions plus annual compound interest from the plan from which the member terminated service at the applicable rate specified in subdivision 2.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353.34, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2. Refund with interest. (a) Except as provided in subdivision 1, any person who ceases to be a public employee is entitled to receive a refund in an amount equal to accumulated deductions with annual compound interest to the first day of the month in which the refund is processed.

(b) For a person who ceases to be a public employee before July 1, 2011, the refund interest is at the rate of six percent to June 30, 2011, and at the rate of four percent after June 30, 2011. For a person who ceases to be a public employee after July 1, 2011, the refund interest is at the rate of four percent.

(c) If a person repays a refund and subsequently applies for another refund, the repayment amount, including interest, is added to the fiscal year balance in which the repayment was made.

(d) If the refund payable to a member is based on employee deductions that are determined to be invalid under section 353.27, subdivision 7, the interest payable on the invalid employee deductions is four percent.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353.50, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3. Service credit and benefit liability transfer. (a) All allowable service credit and salary credit of the members of the Minneapolis Employees Retirement Fund as specified in the records of the Minneapolis Employees Retirement Fund through June 30, 2010, are transferred to the MERF division of the Public Employees Retirement Association and are credited by the MERF division. Annuities or benefits of persons who are active members of the former Minneapolis Employees Retirement Fund on June 30, 2010, must be calculated under Minnesota Statutes 2008, sections 422A.11; 422A.12; 422A.13; 422A.14; 422A.15; 422A.151; 422A.155; 422A.156; 422A.16; 422A.17; 422A.18; 422A.19; 422A.20; and 422A.23, but are only eligible for automatic postretirement adjustments after December 31, 2010, under section 356.415.

(b) The liability for the payment of annuities and benefits of the Minneapolis Employees Retirement Fund retirees and benefit recipients as specified in the records of the Minneapolis Employees Retirement Fund on June 29, 2010, is transferred to the MERF division of the Public Employees Retirement Association on June 30, 2010.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353.50, subdivision 6, is amended to read:

Subd. 6. Benefits. (a) Retired, disabled, deferred, and inactive member benefits. The annuities and benefits of, or attributable to, retired, disabled, deferred, or inactive Minneapolis Employees Retirement Fund members with that status as of June 30, 2010, ~~with the exception of post-December 31, 2010, postretirement adjustments, which are governed by paragraph (b),~~ as calculated under Minnesota Statutes 2008, sections 422A.11; 422A.12; 422A.13; 422A.14; 422A.15; 422A.151; 422A.155; 422A.156; 422A.16; 422A.17; 422A.18; 422A.19; 422A.20; and 422A.23, continue in force ~~after the administrative consolidation under Laws 2010, chapter 359, article 11~~.

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(b) Benefits; benefit eligibility for June 30, 2010, active members. Persons who were active members of the former Minneapolis Employees Retirement Fund on June 30, 2010, upon satisfying eligibility requirements stated in the applicable sections of Minnesota Statutes 2008 specified in paragraph (a), are entitled to annuities or benefits specified in those sections. Eligibility for a formula retirement annuity includes the requirement in Minnesota Statutes 2008, sections 422A.13 and 422A.16, that the terminating member has attained retirement age, which is age 60 if the person has at least ten years of service credit, or any age if the person has 30 or more years of service credit.

~~(b)~~ (c) Postretirement adjustments. After December 31, 2010, annuities and benefits from the MERF division are eligible for annual automatic postretirement adjustments solely under section 356.415.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353.657, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2. Benefit amount. (a) The spouse of a deceased member is entitled to receive a monthly benefit for life equal to the following percentage of the member's average ~~full-time monthly~~ salary ~~rate~~, as defined in section 353.01, subdivision 17a, paragraph (c), as a member of the police and fire plan ~~in effect over the last six months of allowable service preceding the month in which death occurred~~:

(1) if the death was a line of duty death, 60 percent of the ~~stated~~ average salary is payable; and

(2) if the death was not a line of duty death or if death occurred while receiving disability benefits that accrued before July 1, 2007, 50 percent of the ~~stated~~ average salary is payable.

(b) If the member was a part-time employee in the position for which the employee qualified for participation in the police and fire plan, the monthly survivor benefit is based on the salary rate in effect for that member's part-time service during the last six months of allowable service. If the member's status changed from full time to part time ~~for~~ due to health reasons during the last ~~year~~ 12 months of employment, notwithstanding the definition of average salary in section 353.01, subdivision 17a, paragraph (c), the average salary used to compute the monthly survivor benefit is must be based on the full-time salary rate of the position held as a member of the police and fire plan in effect over the last six months of allowable service preceding the month in which the death occurred.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353.657, subdivision 2a, is amended to read:

Subd. 2a. Death while eligible survivor benefit. (a) If a member or former member who has attained the age of at least 50 years and either who is vested under section 353.01, subdivision 47, or who has credit for at least 30 years of allowable service, regardless of age attained, dies before the annuity or disability benefit becomes payable, notwithstanding any designation of beneficiary to the contrary, the surviving spouse may elect to receive a death while eligible survivor benefit.

(b) Notwithstanding the definition of surviving spouse in section 353.01, subdivision 20, a former spouse of the member, if any, is entitled to a portion of the death while eligible survivor benefit if stipulated under the terms of a marriage dissolution decree filed with the association. If there is no surviving spouse or child or children, a former spouse may be entitled to a lump-sum refund payment under section 353.32, subdivision 1, if provided for in a marriage dissolution decree but not a death while eligible survivor benefit despite the terms of a marriage dissolution decree filed with the association.

(c) The benefit may be elected instead of a refund with interest under section 353.32, subdivision 1, or surviving spouse benefits otherwise payable under subdivisions 1 and 2. The benefit must be an annuity equal to the 100 percent joint and survivor annuity which the member could have qualified for on the date of death, computed as provided in sections 353.651, ~~subdivisions 2 and~~ subdivision 3, and 353.30, subdivision 3.

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(d) The surviving spouse may apply for the annuity at any time after the date on which the deceased employee would have attained the required age for retirement based on the employee's allowable service. Sections 353.34, subdivision 3, and 353.71, subdivision 2, apply to a deferred annuity payable under this subdivision.

(e) No payment accrues beyond the end of the month in which entitlement to such annuity has terminated. An amount equal to the excess, if any, of the accumulated contributions which were credited to the account of the deceased employee over and above the total of the annuities paid and payable to the surviving spouse must be paid to the deceased member's last designated beneficiary or, if none, to the legal representative of the estate of such deceased member.

(f) Any member may request in writing, with the signed consent of the spouse, that this subdivision not apply and that payment be made only to the designated beneficiary, as otherwise provided by this chapter.

(g) For a member who is employed as a full-time firefighter by the Department of Military Affairs of the state of Minnesota, allowable service as a full-time state Military Affairs Department firefighter credited by the Minnesota State Retirement System may be used in meeting the minimum allowable service requirement of this subdivision.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353.657, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3. Dependent children. (a) A dependent child, as defined in section 353.01, subdivision 15, is entitled to receive a monthly benefit equal to ten percent of the member's average ~~full-time monthly~~ salary ~~rate~~, as defined in section 353.01, subdivision 17a, paragraph (c), as a member of the police and fire plan ~~in effect over the last six months of allowable service preceding the month in which death occurred~~.

(b) If the member's status changed from full-time to part-time due to health reasons during the last 12 months of employment, notwithstanding the definition of average salary in section 353.01, subdivision 17a, paragraph (c), the average salary used to compute the monthly dependent child benefit must be based on the full-time salary rate of the position held as a member of the police and fire plan in effect over the last six months of allowable service preceding the month in which the death occurred.

(c) Payments for the benefit of a dependent child must be made to the surviving parent, or to the legal guardian of the child or to any adult person with whom the child may at the time be living, provided only that the parent or other person to whom any amount is to be paid advises the board in writing that the amount will be held or used in trust for the benefit of the child.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353F.02, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3. Effective date of privatization. "Effective date of privatization" means the date that the operation of ~~the~~ a medical facility or other public employing unit is assumed by another employer or the date that ~~the~~ a medical facility or other public employing unit is purchased by another employer and active membership in the Public Employees Retirement Association consequently terminates.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353F.02, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4. Medical facility. "Medical facility" means:

(1) Bridges Medical Services;

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(2) Cedarview Care Center in Steele County;

(3) the City of Cannon Falls Hospital;

(4) the Chris Jenson Health and Rehabilitation Center in St. Louis County;

(5) Cornerstone Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Clearwater County ~~Memorial Hospital doing business as Clearwater Health Services in Bagley~~;

(6) the Dassel Lakeside Community Home;

(7) the Douglas County Hospital, with respect to the Mental Health Unit;

(8) the Fair Oaks Lodge, Wadena;

(9) the Glencoe Area Health Center;

(10) Hutchinson Area Health Care;

(11) Lake County Sunrise Home;

~~(11)~~ (12) the Lakefield Nursing Home;

~~(12)~~ (13) the Lakeview Nursing Home in Gaylord;

~~(13)~~ (14) the Luverne Public Hospital;

~~(14)~~ (15) the Oakland Park Nursing Home;

~~(15)~~ (16) the RenVilla Nursing Home;

~~(16)~~ (17) the Rice Memorial Hospital in Willmar, with respect to the Department of Radiology and the Department of Radiation/Oncology;

~~(17)~~ (18) the St. Peter Community Health Care Center;

~~(18)~~ (19) the Traverse Care Center in Traverse County;

~~(19)~~ (20) the Waconia-Ridgeview Medical Center;

~~(20)~~ (21) the Weiner Memorial Medical Center, Inc.;

~~(21)~~ (22) the Wheaton Community Hospital; and

~~(22)~~ (23) the Worthington Regional Hospital.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment if Minnesota Statutes, section 353F.02, subdivision 4, is not repealed in the 2013 legislative session.

Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353F.02, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

Subd. 4a. Privatized former public employer. "Privatized former public employer" means a medical facility or other employing unit formerly included in the definition of governmental subdivision under section 353.01, subdivision 6, that is privatized and whose employees are certified for participation under this chapter.

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EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353F.02, subdivision 6, is amended to read:

Subd. 6. ~~Terminated medical facility or other~~ Privatized former public ~~employing unit~~ employee. ~~"Terminated medical facility or other~~ (a) "Privatized former public ~~employing unit~~ employee" means a person who:

(1) was employed by the privatized former public employer on the day before the effective date ~~by the medical facility or other public employing unit~~ of privatization; or

(2) terminated employment with the ~~medical facility or other~~ privatized former public ~~employing unit~~ employer on the day before the effective date; and

(3) was a participant in the general employees retirement plan of the Public Employees Retirement Association at the time of termination of employment with the ~~medical facility or other~~ privatized former public ~~employing unit~~ employer.

(b) Privatized former public employee does not mean a person who, on the day before the effective date of privatization, was simultaneously employed with the privatized former public employer and by a governmental subdivision under section 353.01, subdivision 6, and who, after the effective date of privatization, continues to accrue service credit under section 353.01, subdivision 16, through simultaneous employment with a governmental subdivision.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 17. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353F.025, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. Eligibility determination. (a) The chief clerical officer of a governmental subdivision may submit a resolution from the governing body to the executive director of the Public Employees Retirement Association which supports providing coverage under this chapter for employees of that governmental subdivision who are privatized, and which states that the governing body will pay for actuarial calculations, as further specified in paragraph (c).

(b) The governing body must also provide a copy of any applicable purchase or lease agreement and any other information requested by the executive director to allow the executive director to verify that under the proposed employer change, the new employer does not qualify as a governmental subdivision under section 353.01, subdivision 6, making the employees ineligible for continued coverage as active members of the general employees retirement plan of the Public Employees Retirement Association.

(c) Following receipt of a resolution and a determination by the executive director that the new employer is not a governmental subdivision, the executive director shall direct the consulting actuary retained under section 356.214 to determine whether the general employees retirement plan of the Public Employees Retirement Association, if coverage under this chapter is provided, is expected to receive a net gain or a net loss if privatization occurs. A net gain is expected if the actuarial liability of the special benefit coverage provided under this chapter, if extended to the applicable employees under the privatization, is less than the actuarial gain otherwise to accrue to the plan. A net loss is expected if the actuarial accrued liability of the special benefit coverage provided under this chapter, if extended to the applicable employees under the privatization, is more than the actuarial gain otherwise to accrue to the plan. The date of the actuarial calculations used to make this determination must be within one year of the effective date~~, as defined in section 353F.02, subdivision 3~~ of privatization.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

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Sec. 18. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353F.025, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2. ~~Recommendation to legislature~~ Reporting privatizations. (a) If the actuarial calculations under subdivision 1, paragraph (c), indicate ~~that~~ privatization can be approved because a net gain to the general employees retirement plan of the Public Employees Retirement Association is expected ~~due to the privatization~~, or if paragraph ~~(c)~~ (b) applies, the executive director shall, following acceptance of the actuarial calculations by the board of trustees, forward ~~a recommendation~~ notice and supporting documentation, including a copy of the actuary's report and findings, to the chair of the Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement, the chair of the Governmental Operations, Reform, Technology and Elections Committee of the house of representatives, the chair of the State and Local Government Operations and Oversight Committee of the senate, and the executive director of the Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement and the chairs and the ranking minority members of the committees with jurisdiction over governmental operations in the house of representatives and senate. The recommendation must be in the form of an addition to the definition of "medical facility" under section 353F.02, subdivision 4, or to "other public employing unit" under section 353F.02, subdivision 5, whichever is applicable. The recommendation must be forwarded to the legislature before January 15 for the recommendation to be considered in that year's legislative session. The recommendation may be included as part of public pension administrative legislation under section 356B.05.

(b) If a medical facility or other public employing unit listed under section 353F.02, subdivision 4 or 5, fails to privatize within one year of the final enactment date of the legislation adding the entity to the applicable definition, its inclusion under this chapter is voided, and the executive director shall include in the subsequent proposed legislation under paragraph (a) a recommendation that the applicable entity be stricken from the definition.

~~(c)~~ (b) If the calculations under subdivision 1, paragraph (c), indicate a net loss, the executive director shall ~~forward a recommendation~~ recommend to the board of trustees that the privatization be ~~included as an addition under paragraph (a)~~ approved if the chief clerical officer of the applicable governmental subdivision submits a resolution from the governing body specifying that a lump sum payment will be made to the ~~executive director~~ Public Employees Retirement Association equal to the net loss, plus interest. The interest must be computed using the applicable ultimate preretirement interest rate assumption under section 356.215, subdivision 8, expressed as a monthly rate, from the date of the actuarial valuation from which the actuarial accrued liability data was used to determine the net loss in the actuarial study under subdivision 1, to the date of payment, with annual compounding. Payment must be made on or after the effective date ~~defined under section 353F.02~~ of privatization.

(c) The Public Employees Retirement Association must maintain a list that includes the names of all privatized former public employers in the association's comprehensive annual financial report and on the association's Web site. Annually by March 1, the association must submit to the executive director of the Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement the names of any privatized former public employers approved since the publication of the previous fiscal year's comprehensive annual financial report.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 19. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353F.03, is amended to read:

353F.03 VESTING RULE FOR CERTAIN EMPLOYEES.

Notwithstanding any provision of chapter 353 to the contrary, a ~~terminated medical facility or other~~ privatized former public ~~employing unit~~ employee is eligible to receive a retirement annuity under section 353.29 of the edition of Minnesota Statutes published in the year before the year in which the privatization occurred, without regard to the requirement specified in section 353.01, subdivision 47.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

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Sec. 20. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353F.04, is amended to read:

353F.04 AUGMENTATION INTEREST RATES FOR ~~TERMINATED MEDICAL OR OTHER~~ PRIVATIZED FORMER PUBLIC ~~EMPLOYING UNIT FACILITY~~ EMPLOYEES.

Subdivision 1. Enhanced augmentation rates. (a) The deferred annuity of a ~~terminated medical facility or other~~ privatized former public ~~employing unit~~ employee is subject to augmentation under section 353.71, subdivision 2, of the edition of Minnesota Statutes published in the year in which the privatization occurred, except that the rate of augmentation is as specified in this subdivision.

(b) This paragraph applies if the ~~legislation adding the medical facility or other employing unit to section 353F.02, subdivision 4 or 5, as applicable,~~ effective date of privatization was ~~enacted before July 26, 2005, and became effective before January 1, 2008, for the Hutchinson Area Health Care~~ on or before January 1, 2007, ~~for all other medical facilities and all other employing units~~ and also applies to Hutchinson Area Health Care with a privatization effective date of January 1, 2008. For a ~~terminated medical facility or other~~ privatized former public ~~employing unit~~ employee, the augmentation rate is 5.5 percent compounded annually until January 1 following the year in which the person attains age 55. From that date to the effective date of retirement, the augmentation rate is 7.5 percent compounded annually.

(c) If paragraph (b) is not applicable, and if the effective date of the privatization is before January 1, 2011, the augmentation rate is four percent compounded annually until January 1, following the year in which the person attains age 55. From that date to the effective date of retirement, the augmentation rate is six percent compounded annually.

(d) If the effective date of the privatization is after December 31, 2010, the applicable augmentation rate depends on the result of computations specified in section 353F.025, subdivision 1. If those computations indicate no loss or a net gain to the fund of the general employees retirement plan of the Public Employees Retirement Association, the augmentation rate is 2.0 percent compounded annually until the effective date of retirement. If the computations under that subdivision indicate a net loss to the fund if a 2.0 percent augmentation rate is used, but a net gain or no loss if a 1.0 percent rate is used, then the augmentation rate is 1.0 percent compounded annually until the effective date of retirement.

~~(e) The term "effective date of the privatization" as used in this subdivision means the "effective date" as defined in section 353F.02, subdivision 3.~~

Subd. 2. Exceptions. The increased augmentation rates specified in subdivision 1 do not apply ~~if the terminated medical facility or other~~ to a privatized former public ~~employing unit~~ employee:

(1) beginning the first of the month in which the privatized former public employee becomes covered again by a retirement plan enumerated in section 356.30, subdivision 3, if the employee continues to be covered and accrues at least six months of credited service; or

(2) beginning the first of the month after a privatized former public employee terminates service with the successor entity; or

~~(2)~~ (3) if the person begins receipt of a retirement annuity while employed by the employer which assumed operations of or purchased the ~~medical facility or other~~ privatized former public ~~employing unit or purchased the medical facility or other public employing unit~~ employer.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

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Sec. 21. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353F.05, is amended to read:

353F.05 AUTHORIZATION FOR ADDITIONAL ALLOWABLE SERVICE FOR EARLY RETIREMENT PURPOSES.

(a) For the purpose of determining eligibility for early retirement benefits provided under section 353.30, subdivision 1a, of the edition of Minnesota Statutes published in the year before the year in which the privatization occurred, and notwithstanding any provision of chapter 353, to the contrary, the years of allowable service for a ~~terminated medical facility or other~~ privatized former public ~~employing unit~~ employee who transfers employment on the effective date of privatization and does not apply for a refund of contributions under section 353.34, subdivision 1, of the edition of Minnesota Statutes published in the year before the year in which the privatization occurred, or any similar provision, includes service with the successor employer to the ~~medical facility or other~~ privatized former public ~~employing unit~~ employer following the effective date. The successor employer shall provide any reports that the executive director of the Public Employees Retirement Association may reasonably request to permit calculation of benefits.

(b) To be eligible for early retirement benefits under this section, the individual must separate from service with the successor to the privatized former public employer ~~to the medical facility~~. The ~~terminated eligible individual~~ privatized former public employee, or an individual authorized to act on behalf of that ~~individual~~ employee, may apply for an annuity following application procedures under section 353.29, subdivision 4.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 22. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353F.051, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. Eligibility. A ~~terminated medical facility or other~~ privatized former public ~~employing unit~~ employee who is totally and permanently disabled under Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 353.01, subdivision 19, and who had a medically documented preexisting condition of the disability before the termination of coverage, may apply for a disability benefit.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 23. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353F.052, is amended to read:

353F.052 APPLICATION OF SURVIVING SPOUSE, DEPENDENT CHILD PROVISION.

Notwithstanding any provisions of law to the contrary, subdivisions within section 353.32 of the edition of Minnesota Statutes published in the year before the year in which a privatization occurred, applicable to the surviving spouse or dependent children of a former member as defined in section 353.01, subdivision 7a, apply to the survivors of a ~~terminated medical facility or other~~ privatized former public ~~employing unit~~ employee.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 24. [353F.057] TERMINATION FROM SERVICE REQUIREMENT.

Upon termination of service from the privatized former public employer or any successor entity after the effective date of privatization, a privatized former public employee must separate from any employment relationship with the privatized former public employer or any successor entity for at least 30 days to qualify to receive a retirement annuity under this chapter.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

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Sec. 25. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353F.06, is amended to read:

353F.06 APPLICATION OF REEMPLOYED ANNUITANT EARNINGS LIMITATIONS.

If a privatized former public employee satisfies the separation from service requirement in section 353F.057 and thereafter resumes employment with the privatized former public employer or any successor entity or a governmental subdivision under section 353.01, subdivision 6, the reemployed annuitant earnings limitations of section 353.37 apply ~~to any service by a terminated medical facility or other public employing unit employee as an employee of the successor employer to the medical facility~~.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 26. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353F.07, is amended to read:

353F.07 EFFECT ON REFUND.

Notwithstanding any provision of chapter 353 to the contrary, ~~terminated medical facility or other~~ privatized former public ~~employing unit~~ employees may receive a refund of employee accumulated contributions plus interest as provided in section 353.34, subdivision 2, at any time after the transfer of employment to the successor employer of the ~~terminated medical facility or other~~ privatized former public ~~employing unit~~ employer. If a ~~terminated medical facility or other~~ privatized former public ~~employing unit~~ employee has received a refund from a pension plan listed in section 356.30, subdivision 3, the person may not repay that refund unless the person again becomes a member of one of those listed plans and complies with section 356.30, subdivision 2.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 27. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353F.08, is amended to read:

353F.08 COUNSELING SERVICES.

The ~~medical facility or other~~ privatized former public ~~employing unit~~ employer and the executive director of the Public Employees Retirement Association shall provide ~~terminated medical facility or other~~ privatized former public ~~employing unit~~ employees with counseling on their benefits available under the general employees retirement plan of the Public Employees Retirement Association during ~~the 90 days following~~ a period mutually agreed upon before or after the effective date of privatization.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 28. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 356.415, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. Annual postretirement adjustments; generally. (a) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, or 1e, retirement annuity, disability benefit, or survivor benefit recipients of a covered retirement plan are entitled to a postretirement adjustment annually on January 1, as follows:

(1) a postretirement increase of 2.5 percent must be applied each year, effective January 1, to the monthly annuity or benefit of each annuitant or benefit recipient who has been receiving an annuity or a benefit for at least 12 full months prior to the January 1 increase; and

(2) for each annuitant or benefit recipient who has been receiving an annuity or a benefit amount for at least one full month, an annual postretirement increase of 1/12 of 2.5 percent for each month that the person has been receiving an annuity or benefit must be applied, effective on January 1 following the calendar year in which the person has been retired for less than 12 months.

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(b) The increases provided by this subdivision commence on January 1, 2010.

(c) An increase in annuity or benefit payments under this section must be made automatically unless written notice is filed by the annuitant or benefit recipient with the executive director of the covered retirement plan requesting that the increase not be made.

(d) The retirement annuity payable to a person who retires before becoming eligible for Social Security benefits and who has elected the optional payment as provided in section 353.29, subdivision 6, must be treated as the sum of a period certain retirement annuity and a life retirement annuity for the purposes of any postretirement adjustment. The period certain retirement annuity plus the life retirement annuity must be the annuity amount payable until age 62 for section 353.29, subdivision 6. A postretirement adjustment granted on the period certain retirement annuity must terminate when the period certain retirement annuity terminates.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective January 1, 2014.

Sec. 29. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 356.415, subdivision 1b, is amended to read:

Subd. 1b. Annual postretirement adjustments; PERA; general employees retirement plan and local government correctional retirement plan. (a) Retirement annuity, disability benefit, or survivor benefit recipients of the general employees retirement plan of the Public Employees Retirement Association and the local government correctional service retirement plan are entitled to a postretirement adjustment annually on January 1, as follows:

(1) for January 1, 2011, and each successive January 1 until funding stability is restored for the applicable retirement plan, a postretirement increase of one percent must be applied each year, effective on January 1, to the monthly annuity or benefit amount of each annuitant or benefit recipient who has been receiving an annuity or benefit for at least 12 full months as of the current June 30;

(2) for January 1, 2011, and each successive January 1 until funding stability is restored for the applicable retirement plan, for each annuitant or benefit recipient who has been receiving an annuity or a benefit for at least one full month, but less than 12 full months as of the current June 30, an annual postretirement increase of 1/12 of one percent for each month the person has been receiving an annuity or benefit must be applied;

(3) for each January 1 following the restoration of funding stability for the applicable retirement plan, a postretirement increase of 2.5 percent must be applied each year, effective January 1, to the monthly annuity or benefit amount of each annuitant or benefit recipient who has been receiving an annuity or benefit for at least 12 full months as of the current June 30; and

(4) for each January 1 following restoration of funding stability for the applicable retirement plan, for each annuity or benefit recipient who has been receiving an annuity or a benefit for at least one full month, but less than 12 full months as of the current June 30, an annual postretirement increase of 1/12 of 2.5 percent for each month the person has been receiving an annuity or benefit must be applied.

(b) Funding stability is restored when the market value of assets of the applicable retirement plan equals or exceeds 90 percent of the actuarial accrued liabilities of the applicable plan in the most recent prior actuarial valuation prepared under section 356.215 and the standards for actuarial work by the approved actuary retained by the Public Employees Retirement Association under section 356.214.

(c) If, after applying the increase as provided for in paragraph (a), clauses (3) and (4), the market value of the applicable retirement plan is determined in the next subsequent actuarial valuation prepared under section 356.215 to be less than 90 percent of the actuarial accrued liability of any of the applicable Public Employees Retirement Association plans, the increase provided in paragraph (a), clauses (1) and (2), are to be applied as of the next successive January until funding stability is again restored.

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(d) An increase in annuity or benefit payments under this section must be made automatically unless written notice is filed by the annuitant or benefit recipient with the executive director of the Public Employees Retirement Association requesting that the increase not be made.

(e) The retirement annuity payable to a person who retires before becoming eligible for Social Security benefits and who has elected the optional payment, as provided in section 353.29, subdivision 6, must be treated as the sum of a period-certain retirement annuity and a life retirement annuity for the purposes of any postretirement adjustment. The period-certain retirement annuity plus the life retirement annuity must be the annuity amount payable until age 62 for section 353.29, subdivision 6. A postretirement adjustment granted on the period-certain retirement annuity must terminate when the period-certain retirement annuity terminates.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective January 1, 2014.

Sec. 30. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 356.635, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. Retirement benefit commencement. (a) The retirement benefit of a member who has terminated employment must begin no later than the later of April 1 of the calendar year following the calendar year that the member attains the federal minimum distribution age under section 401(a)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code or April 1 of the calendar year following the calendar year in which the member terminated employment.

(b) The consent requirements of section 411(a)(11) of the Internal Revenue Code do not apply to the extent that a distribution is required to satisfy the requirements of section 401(a)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 31. REPEALER.

(a) Minnesota Statutes 2012, sections 353F.02, subdivisions 4 and 5; and 353F.025, subdivision 3, are repealed.

(b) Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353.29, subdivision 6, is repealed.

EFFECTIVE DATE. Paragraph (a) is effective the day following final enactment. Paragraph (b) is effective January 1, 2014.

ARTICLE 4

BENEFIT ACCRUAL RATE SPECIFICATION

Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 352.115, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3. Retirement annuity formula. (a) This paragraph, in conjunction with section 352.116, subdivision 1, applies to a person who became a covered employee or a member of a pension fund listed in section 356.30, subdivision 3, before July 1, 1989, unless paragraph (b), in conjunction with section 352.116, subdivision 1a, produces a higher annuity amount, in which case paragraph (b) ~~will apply~~ applies. The employee's average salary, as defined in section 352.01, subdivision 14a, multiplied by ~~the~~ 1.2 percent ~~specified in section 356.315, subdivision 1,~~ per year of allowable service for the first ten years and ~~the~~ 1.7 percent ~~specified in section 356.315, subdivision 2,~~ for each later year of allowable service and pro rata for completed months less than a full year ~~shall determine~~ determines the amount of the retirement annuity to which the employee is entitled.

(b) This paragraph applies to a person who has become at least 55 years old and first became a covered employee after June 30, 1989, and to any other covered employee who has become at least 55 years old and whose annuity amount, when calculated under this paragraph and in conjunction with section 352.116, subdivision 1a, is higher than it is when calculated under paragraph (a), in conjunction with section 352.116, subdivision 1. The employee's average salary, as defined in section 352.01, subdivision 14a, multiplied by ~~the~~ 1.7 percent ~~specified in section 356.315, subdivision 2,~~ for each year of allowable service and pro rata for months less than a full year ~~shall determine~~ determines the amount of the retirement annuity to which the employee is entitled.

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Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 352.87, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3. Retirement annuity formula. A person specified in subdivision 1 is entitled to receive a retirement annuity applicable for allowable service credit under this section calculated by multiplying the employee's average salary, as defined in section 352.01, subdivision 14a, by ~~the~~ 2.0 percent ~~specified in section 356.315, subdivision 2a,~~ for each year or portions of a year of allowable service credit. No reduction for retirement before the normal retirement age, as specified in section 352.01, subdivision 25, applies to service to which this section applies.

Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 352.93, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2. Calculating monthly annuity. The monthly annuity under this section must be determined by multiplying the average monthly salary by the number of years, or completed months, of covered correctional service by ~~the~~ 2.4 percent ~~specified in section 356.315, subdivision 5~~ if employed as a correctional state employee before July 1, 2010, or 2.2 percent if employed as a correctional state employee after June 30, 2010.

Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 352.95, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. Duty disability; computation of benefit. A covered correctional employee who is determined to have a duty disability, physical or psychological, as defined under section 352.01, subdivision 17b, is entitled to a duty disability benefit. The duty disability benefit must be based on covered correctional service only. The duty disability benefit amount is 50 percent of the average salary defined in section 352.93, plus an additional 2.4 percent ~~equal to that specified in section 356.315, subdivision 5,~~ if employed as a correctional state employee before July 1, 2010, or 2.2 percent if employed as a correctional state employee after June 30, 2010, for each year of covered correctional service in excess of 20 years, ten months, prorated for completed months.

Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 352B.08, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2. Normal retirement annuity. The annuity must be paid in monthly installments. The annuity ~~shall be~~ is equal to the amount determined by multiplying the average monthly salary of the member by ~~the~~ 3.0 percent ~~specified in section 356.315, subdivision 6,~~ for each year and pro rata for completed months of service.

Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 352B.10, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. Duty disability. A member who is determined to qualify for duty disability as defined in section 352B.011, subdivision 7, is entitled to receive a duty disability benefit while disabled. The benefits must be paid monthly. The duty disability benefit is an amount equal to the member's average monthly salary multiplied by 60 percent, plus an additional 3.0 percent ~~equal to that specified in section 356.315, subdivision 6,~~ for each year and pro rata for completed months of service in excess of 20 years, if any.

Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353.29, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3. Retirement annuity formula. (a) This paragraph, in conjunction with section 353.30, subdivisions 1a, 1b, and 1c, applies to any member who first became a public employee or a member of a pension fund listed in section 356.30, subdivision 3, before July 1, 1989, unless paragraph (b), in conjunction with section 353.30, subdivision 5, produces a higher annuity amount, in which case paragraph (b) ~~will apply~~ applies. The average salary as defined in section 353.01, subdivision 17a, multiplied by ~~the~~ 2.2 percent specified in ~~section 356.315, subdivision 3,~~ for each year of allowable service for the first ten years and thereafter by ~~the~~ 2.7 percent ~~specified in section 356.315, subdivision 4,~~ per year of allowable service and completed months less than a full year for a basic member, and ~~the~~ 1.2 percent ~~specified in section 356.315, subdivision 1,~~ for each year of allowable service for the first ten years and thereafter by ~~the~~ 1.7 percent ~~specified in section 356.315, subdivision 2,~~ per year of allowable service and completed months less than a full year for a coordinated member ~~shall determine~~ determines the amount of the normal retirement annuity.

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(b) This paragraph applies to a member who has become at least 55 years old and first became a public employee after June 30, 1989, and to any other member whose annuity amount, when calculated under this paragraph and in conjunction with section 353.30, subdivision 5, is higher than it is when calculated under paragraph (a), in conjunction with section 353.30, subdivisions 1a, 1b, and 1c. The average salary, as defined in section 353.01, subdivision 17a, multiplied by ~~the~~ 2.7 percent ~~specified in section 356.315, subdivision 4,~~ for each year of allowable service and completed months less than a full year for a basic member and ~~the~~ 1.7 percent ~~specified in section 356.315, subdivision 2,~~ per year of allowable service and completed months less than a full year for a coordinated member, ~~shall determine~~ determines the amount of the normal retirement annuity.

Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353.651, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3. Retirement annuity formula. The average salary as defined in section 353.01, subdivision 17a, multiplied by ~~the~~ 3.0 percent ~~specified in section 356.315, subdivision 6,~~ per year of allowable service determines the amount of the normal retirement annuity. If the member has earned allowable service for performing services other than those of a police officer or firefighter, the annuity representing that service must be computed under sections 353.29 and 353.30.

Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353.656, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. Duty disability; computation of benefits. (a) A member of the police and fire plan, other than a firefighter covered by section 353.6511, or a police officer covered by section 353.6512, who is determined to qualify for duty disability as defined in section 353.01, subdivision 41, ~~shall~~ is entitled to receive disability benefits during the period of such disability in an amount equal to 60 percent of the average salary as defined in section 353.01, subdivision 17a, plus an additional ~~percentage specified under section 356.315, subdivision 6,~~ 3.0 percent of that average salary for each year of service in excess of 20 years.

(b) To be eligible for a benefit under paragraph (a), the member must have:

(1) not met the requirements for a retirement annuity under section 353.651, subdivision 1; or

(2) met the requirements under that subdivision, but does not have at least 20 years of allowable service credit.

(c) If paragraph (b), clause (2), applies, the disability benefit must be paid for a period of 60 months from the disability benefit accrual date and at the end of that period is subject to provisions of subdivision 5a.

(d) If the disability under this subdivision occurs before the member has at least five years of allowable service credit in the police and fire plan, the disability benefit must be computed on the average salary from which deductions were made for contribution to the police and fire fund.

Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353.656, subdivision 1a, is amended to read:

Subd. 1a. Total and permanent duty disability; computation of benefits. (a) A member of the police and fire plan, other than a firefighter covered by section 353.6511, or a police officer covered by section 353.6512, whose disabling condition is determined to be a duty disability that is also a permanent and total disability as defined in section 353.01, subdivision 19, is entitled to receive, for life, disability benefits in an amount equal to 60 percent of the average salary as defined in section 353.01, subdivision 17a, plus an additional 3.0 percent ~~specified in section 356.315, subdivision 6,~~ of that average salary for each year of service in excess of 20 years.

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basis for payment of the benefit under paragraph (a). A member receiving a disability benefit under this subdivision who is found to no longer be permanently and totally disabled as defined under section 353.01, subdivision 19, but continues to meet the definition for receipt of a duty disability under section 353.01, subdivision 41, is subject to subdivision 1 upon written notice from the association's medical advisor that the person is no longer considered permanently and totally disabled.

(c) If a member approved for disability benefits under this subdivision dies before attaining normal retirement age as defined in section 353.01, subdivision 37, paragraph (b), or within 60 months of the effective date of the disability, whichever is later, the surviving spouse is entitled to receive a survivor benefit under section 353.657, subdivision 2, paragraph (a), clause (1), if the death is the direct result of the disabling condition for which disability benefits were approved, or section 353.657, subdivision 2, paragraph (a), clause (2), if the death is not directly related to the disabling condition for which benefits were approved under this subdivision.

(d) If the election of an actuarial equivalent optional annuity is not made at the time the permanent and total disability benefit accrues, an election must be made within 90 days before the member attains normal retirement age as defined under section 353.01, subdivision 37, paragraph (b), or having collected total and permanent disability benefits for 60 months, whichever is later. If a member receiving disability benefits who has dependent children dies, subdivision 6a, paragraph (c), applies.

Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353.656, subdivision 3a, is amended to read:

Subd. 3a. Total and permanent regular disability; computation of benefits. (a) A member of the police and fire plan, other than a firefighter covered by section 353.6511, or a police officer covered by section 353.6512, whose disabling condition is determined to be a regular disability under section 353.01, subdivision 46, that is also a permanent and total disability as defined in section 353.01, subdivision 19, is entitled to receive, for life, a disability benefit in an amount equal to 45 percent of the average salary as defined in section 353.01, subdivision 17a, plus an additional 3.0 percent ~~specified in section 356.315, subdivision 6,~~ of that average salary for each year of service in excess of 15 years.

(b) A disability benefit payable under paragraph (a) is subject to eligibility review under section 353.33, subdivision 6, but the review may be waived if the executive director receives a written statement from the association's medical advisor that no improvement can be expected in the member's disabling condition that was the basis for payment of the benefit under paragraph (a). A member receiving a disability benefit under this subdivision who is found to no longer be permanently and totally disabled as defined under section 353.01, subdivision 19, but continues to meet the definition for receipt of a regular disability under section 353.01, subdivision 46, is subject to subdivision 3 upon written notice from the association's medical advisor that the person is no longer considered permanently and totally disabled.

(c) A member approved for disability benefits under this subdivision may elect to receive a normal disability benefit or an actuarial equivalent optional annuity. If the election of an actuarial equivalent optional annuity is not made at the time the total and permanent disability benefit accrues, an election must be made within 90 days before the member attains normal retirement age as defined in section 353.01, subdivision 37, paragraph (b), or having collected disability benefits for 60 months, whichever is later. No surviving spouse benefits are payable if the member dies during the period in which a normal total and permanent disability benefit is being paid. If a member receiving disability benefits who has dependent children dies, subdivision 6a, paragraph (c), applies.

Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353E.04, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3. Annuity amount. (a) The average salary as defined in subdivision 2, multiplied by ~~the~~ 1.9 percent ~~specified in section 356.315, subdivision 5a,~~ for each year of allowable service, determines the amount of the normal retirement annuity.

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(b) If a person has earned allowable service in the general employees retirement plan of the Public Employees Retirement Association or the public employees police and fire ~~fund prior to~~ retirement plan before participation under this chapter, the retirement annuity representing such service must be computed in accordance with the formula specified in sections 353.29 and 353.30 or 353.651, whichever applies.

Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353E.06, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. Duty disability qualification requirements. A local government correctional employee who is determined to qualify for a duty disability as defined in section 353E.001, subdivision 1, is entitled to a disability benefit. The disability benefit must be based on covered service under this chapter only and is an amount equal to 47.5 percent of the average salary defined in section 353E.04, subdivision 2, plus an additional 1.9 percent ~~equal to that specified in section 356.315, subdivision 5a,~~ for each year of covered service under this chapter in excess of 25 years.

Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 354.44, subdivision 6, is amended to read:

Subd. 6. Computation of formula program retirement annuity. (a) The formula retirement annuity must be computed in accordance with the applicable provisions of the formulas stated in paragraph (b) or (d) on the basis of each member's average salary under section 354.05, subdivision 13a, for the period of the member's formula service credit.

(b) This paragraph, in conjunction with paragraph (c), applies to a person who first became a member of the association or a member of a pension fund listed in section 356.30, subdivision 3, before July 1, 1989, unless paragraph (d), in conjunction with paragraph (e), produces a higher annuity amount, in which case paragraph (d) applies. The average salary as defined in section 354.05, subdivision 13a, multiplied by the following percentages per year of formula service credit shall determine the amount of the annuity to which the member qualifying therefor is entitled for service rendered before July 1, 2006:

	Coordinated Member	Basic Member

Each year of service during first ten	~~the~~ 1.2 percent ~~specified in section 356.315, subdivision 1,~~ per year		~~the~~ 2.2 percent ~~specified in section 356.315, subdivision 3,~~ per year

Each year of service thereafter	~~the~~ 1.7 percent ~~specified in section 356.315, subdivision 2,~~ per year		~~the~~ 2.7 percent ~~specified in section 356.315, subdivision 4,~~ per year

For service rendered on or after July 1, 2006, the average salary as defined in section 354.05, subdivision 13a, multiplied by the following percentages per year of service credit, determines the amount the annuity to which the member qualifying therefor is entitled:

	Coordinated Member	Basic Member

Each year of service during first ten	~~the~~ 1.4 percent ~~specified in section 356.315, subdivision 1a,~~ per year	~~the~~ 2.2 percent ~~specified in section 356.315, subdivision 3,~~ per year

Each year of service after ten years of service	~~the~~ 1.9 percent ~~specified in section 356.315, subdivision 2b,~~ per year	~~the~~ 2.7 percent ~~specified in section 356.315, subdivision 4,~~ per year

(c)(i) This paragraph applies only to a person who first became a member of the association or a member of a pension fund listed in section 356.30, subdivision 3, before July 1, 1989, and whose annuity is higher when calculated under paragraph (b), in conjunction with this paragraph than when calculated under paragraph (d), in conjunction with paragraph (e).

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(ii) Where any member retires prior to normal retirement age under a formula annuity, the member shall be paid a retirement annuity in an amount equal to the normal annuity provided in paragraph (b) reduced by one-quarter of one percent for each month that the member is under normal retirement age at the time of retirement except that for any member who has 30 or more years of allowable service credit, the reduction shall be applied only for each month that the member is under age 62.

(iii) Any member whose attained age plus credited allowable service totals 90 years is entitled, upon application, to a retirement annuity in an amount equal to the normal annuity provided in paragraph (b), without any reduction by reason of early retirement.

(d) This paragraph applies to a member who has become at least 55 years old and first became a member of the association after June 30, 1989, and to any other member who has become at least 55 years old and whose annuity amount when calculated under this paragraph and in conjunction with paragraph (e), is higher than it is when calculated under paragraph (b), in conjunction with paragraph (c). For a basic member, the average salary, as defined in section 354.05, subdivision 13a, multiplied by ~~the~~ 2.7 percent ~~specified by section 356.315, subdivision 4,~~ for each year of service for a basic member ~~shall determine~~ determines the amount of the retirement annuity to which the basic member is entitled. The annuity of a basic member who was a member of the former Minneapolis Teachers Retirement Fund Association as of June 30, 2006, must be determined according to the annuity formula under the articles of incorporation of the former Minneapolis Teachers Retirement Fund Association in effect as of that date. For a coordinated member, the average salary, as defined in section 354.05, subdivision 13a, multiplied by ~~the~~ 1.7 percent ~~specified in section 356.315, subdivision 2,~~ for each year of service rendered before July 1, 2006, and by ~~the~~ 1.9 percent ~~specified in section 356.315, subdivision 2b,~~ for each year of service rendered on or after July 1, 2006, determines the amount of the retirement annuity to which the coordinated member is entitled.

(e) This paragraph applies to a person who has become at least 55 years old and first becomes a member of the association after June 30, 1989, and to any other member who has become at least 55 years old and whose annuity is higher when calculated under paragraph (d) in conjunction with this paragraph than when calculated under paragraph (b), in conjunction with paragraph (c). An employee who retires under the formula annuity before the normal retirement age shall be paid the normal annuity provided in paragraph (d) reduced so that the reduced annuity is the actuarial equivalent of the annuity that would be payable to the employee if the employee deferred receipt of the annuity and the annuity amount were augmented at an annual rate of three percent compounded annually from the day the annuity begins to accrue until the normal retirement age if the employee became an employee before July 1, 2006, and at 2.5 percent compounded annually if the employee becomes an employee after June 30, 2006.

(f) No retirement annuity is payable to a former employee with a salary that exceeds 95 percent of the governor's salary unless and until the salary figures used in computing the highest five successive years average salary under paragraph (a) have been audited by the Teachers Retirement Association and determined by the executive director to comply with the requirements and limitations of section 354.05, subdivisions 35 and 35a.

Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 354A.31, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4. Computation of normal coordinated retirement annuity; St. Paul fund. (a) This subdivision applies to the coordinated program of the St. Paul Teachers Retirement Fund Association.

(b) The normal coordinated retirement annuity is an amount equal to a retiring coordinated member's average salary under section 354A.011, subdivision 7a, multiplied by the retirement annuity formula percentage.

(c) This paragraph, in conjunction with subdivision 6, applies to a person who first became a member or a member in a pension fund listed in section 356.30, subdivision 3, before July 1, 1989, unless paragraph (d), in conjunction with subdivision 7, produces a higher annuity amount, in which case paragraph (d) will apply. The retirement annuity formula percentage for purposes of this paragraph is ~~the~~ 1.2 percent ~~specified in section 356.315, subdivision 1,~~ per year for each year of coordinated service for the first ten years and ~~the~~ 1.7 percent ~~specified in section 356.315, subdivision 2,~~ for each year of coordinated service thereafter.

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(d) This paragraph applies to a person who has become at least 55 years old and who first becomes a member after June 30, 1989, and to any other member who has become at least 55 years old and whose annuity amount, when calculated under this paragraph and in conjunction with subdivision 7 is higher than it is when calculated under paragraph (c), in conjunction with the provisions of subdivision 6. The retirement annuity formula percentage for purposes of this paragraph is ~~the~~ 1.7 percent ~~specified in section 356.315, subdivision 2,~~ for each year of coordinated service.

Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 354A.31, subdivision 4a, is amended to read:

Subd. 4a. Computation of normal coordinated retirement annuity; Duluth fund. (a) This subdivision applies to the new law coordinated program of the Duluth Teachers Retirement Fund Association.

(c) This paragraph, in conjunction with subdivision 6, applies to a person who first became a member or a member in a pension fund listed in section 356.30, subdivision 3, before July 1, 1989, unless paragraph (d), in conjunction with subdivision 7, produces a higher annuity amount, in which case paragraph (d) applies. The retirement annuity formula percentage for purposes of this paragraph is ~~the~~ 1.2 percent ~~specified in section 356.315, subdivision 1,~~ per year for each year of coordinated service for the first ten years and ~~the~~ 1.7 percent ~~specified in section 356.315, subdivision 2,~~ for each subsequent year of coordinated service.

(d) This paragraph applies to a person who is at least 55 years old and who first becomes a member after June 30, 1989, and to any other member who is at least 55 years old and whose annuity amount, when calculated under this paragraph and in conjunction with subdivision 7, is higher than it is when calculated under paragraph (c) in conjunction with subdivision 6. The retirement annuity formula percentage for purposes of this paragraph is ~~the~~ 1.7 percent ~~specified in section 356.315, subdivision 2,~~ for each year of coordinated service.

Sec. 17. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 356.30, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. Eligibility; computation of annuity. (a) Notwithstanding any provisions of the laws governing the retirement plans enumerated in subdivision 3, a person who has met the qualifications of paragraph (b) may elect to receive a retirement annuity from each enumerated retirement plan in which the person has at least one-half year of allowable service, based on the allowable service in each plan, subject to the provisions of paragraph (c).

(b) A person may receive, upon retirement, a retirement annuity from each enumerated retirement plan in which the person has at least one-half year of allowable service, and augmentation of a deferred annuity calculated at the appropriate rate under the laws governing each public pension plan or fund named in subdivision 3, based on the date of the person's initial entry into public employment from the date the person terminated all public service if:

(1) the person has allowable service in any two or more of the enumerated plans;

(2) the person has sufficient allowable service in total that equals or exceeds the applicable service credit vesting requirement of the retirement plan with the longest applicable service credit vesting requirement; and

(3) the person has not begun to receive an annuity from any enumerated plan or the person has made application for benefits from each applicable plan and the effective dates of the retirement annuity with each plan under which the person chooses to receive an annuity are within a one-year period.

(c) The retirement annuity from each plan must be based upon the allowable service, accrual rates, and average salary in the applicable plan except as further specified or modified in the following clauses:

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(1) the laws governing annuities must be the law in effect on the date of termination from the last period of public service under a covered retirement plan with which the person earned a minimum of one-half year of allowable service credit during that employment;

(2) the "average salary" on which the annuity from each covered plan in which the employee has credit in a formula plan must be based on the employee's highest five successive years of covered salary during the entire service in covered plans;

(3) the accrual rates to be used by each plan must be those percentages prescribed by each plan's formula as continued for the respective years of allowable service from one plan to the next, recognizing all previous allowable service with the other covered plans;

(4) the allowable service in all the plans must be combined in determining eligibility for and the application of each plan's provisions in respect to reduction in the annuity amount for retirement prior to normal retirement age; and

(5) the annuity amount payable for any allowable service under a nonformula plan of a covered plan must not be affected, but such service and covered salary must be used in the above calculation.

(d) This section does not apply to any person whose final termination from the last public service under a covered plan was before May 1, 1975.

(e) For the purpose of computing annuities under this section, the accrual rates used by any covered plan, except the public employees police and fire plan, the judges retirement fund, and the State Patrol retirement plan, must not exceed ~~the~~ 2.7 percent ~~specified in section 356.315, subdivision 4,~~ per year of service for any year of service or fraction thereof. The formula percentage used by the judges retirement fund must not exceed ~~the percentage rate specified in section 356.315, subdivision 8,~~ 3.2 percent per year of service for any year of service or fraction thereof. The accrual rate used by the public employees police and fire plan and the State Patrol retirement plan must not exceed ~~the percentage rate specified in section 356.315, subdivision 6,~~ 3.0 percent per year of service for any year of service or fraction thereof. The accrual rate or rates used by the legislators retirement plan must not exceed 2.5 percent, but this limit does not apply to the adjustment provided under section 3A.02, subdivision 1, paragraph (c).

(f) Any period of time for which a person has credit in more than one of the covered plans must be used only once for the purpose of determining total allowable service.

(g) If the period of duplicated service credit is more than one-half year, or the person has credit for more than one-half year, with each of the plans, each plan must apply its formula to a prorated service credit for the period of duplicated service based on a fraction of the salary on which deductions were paid to that fund for the period divided by the total salary on which deductions were paid to all plans for the period.

(h) If the period of duplicated service credit is less than one-half year, or when added to other service credit with that plan is less than one-half year, the service credit must be ignored and a refund of contributions made to the person in accord with that plan's refund provisions.

Sec. 18. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 356.315, subdivision 9, is amended to read:

Subd. 9. Future benefit accrual rate increases. After January 2, 1998, benefit accrual rate increases under ~~this section~~ 352.115, subdivision 3; 352.87, subdivision 3; 352.93, subdivision 3; 352.95, subdivision 1; 352B.08, subdivision 2; 352B.10, subdivision 1; 353.29, subdivision 3; 353.651, subdivision 3; 353.656, subdivision 1, 1a, or 3a; 353E.04, subdivision 3; 353E.06, subdivision 1; 354.44, subdivision 6; 354A.31, subdivision 4 or 4a; 356.30, subdivision 1; 490.121, subdivision 22; or 490.124, subdivision 1, must apply only to allowable service or formula service rendered after the effective date of the benefit accrual rate increase.

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Sec. 19. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 490.121, subdivision 22, is amended to read:

Subd. 22. Service credit limit. "Service credit limit" means the greater of: (1) 24 years of allowable service under this chapter; or (2) for judges with allowable service rendered before July 1, 1980, the number of years of allowable service under chapter 490, which, when multiplied by the percentage ~~listed in section 356.315, subdivision 7~~ 2.7 or 8 3.2, whichever is applicable to each year of service, equals 76.8.

Sec. 20. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 490.124, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. Basic retirement annuity. (a) Except as qualified hereinafter from and after the mandatory retirement date, the normal retirement date, the early retirement date, or one year from the disability retirement date, as the case may be, a retiring judge is eligible to receive a retirement annuity from the judges' retirement fund.

(b) The retirement annuity is an amount equal to: (1) ~~the~~ 2.7 percent ~~specified in section 356.315, subdivision 7,~~ multiplied by the judge's final average compensation with that result then multiplied by the number of years and fractions of years of allowable service rendered before July 1, 1980; plus (2) ~~the~~ 3.2 percent ~~specified in section 356.315, subdivision 8,~~ multiplied by the judge's final average compensation with that result then multiplied by the number of years and fractions of years of allowable service rendered after June 30, 1980.

(c) Service that exceeds the service credit limit in section 490.121, subdivision 22, must be excluded in calculating the retirement annuity, but the compensation earned by the judge during this period of judicial service must be used in determining a judge's final average compensation and calculating the retirement annuity.

Sec. 21. REPEALER.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 356.315, subdivisions 1, 1a, 2, 2a, 2b, 3, 4, 5, 5a, 6, 7, and 8, are repealed.

Sec. 22. EFFECTIVE DATE.

Sections 1 to 21 are effective the day following final enactment.

ARTICLE 5

REVISIONS AND REPEALS OF FORMER LOCAL POLICE

AND PAID FIREFIGHTER RELIEF ASSOCIATION LAWS

Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 6.495, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. Audit and examinations. All powers and duties conferred and imposed upon the state auditor with respect to state, county, and first-class city officers, institutions, and property are hereby extended to the various fire ~~and police~~ relief associations in the state. The state auditor shall annually audit the special and general funds of the relief association or, at the request of the board of trustees or the municipality, the state auditor may contract for an annual audit by a certified public accountant. The state auditor may determine that an annual audit is not necessary, in which case the state auditor shall develop a plan for examination of unaudited relief associations, and shall prescribe suitable systems of accounts and budgeting, and forms, books, and instructions concerning the same.

Copies of the written report of the state auditor on the financial condition and accounts of the relief association ~~shall~~ must be filed with the board of trustees of the relief association and the governing body of the municipality associated with the relief association. If the report discloses malfeasance, misfeasance, or nonfeasance with regard to relief association funds, copies thereof ~~shall~~ must be filed with the city attorney or county attorney in the city or county in which the relief association is located, and these officials of the law shall institute proceedings, civil or criminal, as the law and public interest require.

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Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 6.495, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3. Report to commissioner of revenue. The state auditor shall file with the commissioner of revenue a financial compliance report certifying for each relief association:

(1) the completion of the annual financial report required ~~pursuant to~~ under section 69.051 and the auditing or certification of those financial reports ~~pursuant to~~ under subdivision 1; and

(2) the receipt of any actuarial valuations required ~~pursuant to~~ under section ~~69.77 or~~ 69.773 or sections 31 to 42.

Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 6.67, is amended to read:

6.67 PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS; REPORT OF POSSIBLE MISCONDUCT.

Whenever a public accountant in the course of auditing the books and affairs of a political subdivision or a local public pension plan governed by ~~section 69.77,~~ sections 69.771 to 69.775, or chapter 354A or 424A, or sections 31 to 42, discovers evidence pointing to nonfeasance, misfeasance, or malfeasance, on the part of an officer or employee in the conduct of duties and affairs, the public accountant shall promptly make a report of such discovery to the state auditor and the county attorney of the county in which the governmental unit is situated and the public accountant shall also furnish a copy of the report of audit upon completion to said officers. The county attorney shall act on such report in the same manner as required by law for reports made to the county attorney by the state auditor.

Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 13D.01, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. In executive branch, local government. All meetings, including executive sessions, must be open to the public

(a) of a state

(1) agency,

(2) board,

(3) commission, or

(4) department,

when required or permitted by law to transact public business in a meeting;

(b) of the governing body of a

(1) school district however organized,

(2) unorganized territory,

(3) county,

(4) statutory or home rule charter city,

(5) town, or

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(6) other public body;

(1) committee,

(2) subcommittee,

(3) board,

(4) department, or

(5) commission,

of a public body; and

(d) of the governing body or a committee of:

(1) a statewide public pension plan defined in section 356A.01, subdivision 24; or

(2) a local public pension plan governed by ~~section 69.77,~~ sections 69.771 to 69.775, or chapter 354A, or sections 31 to 42.

Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.011, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. Definitions. Unless the language or context clearly indicates that a different meaning is intended, the following words and terms, for the purposes of this chapter and chapters 423, 423A, 424 and 424A, have the meanings ascribed to them:

(a) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of revenue.

(b) "Municipality" means:

(1) a home rule charter or statutory city;

(2) an organized town;

(3) a park district subject to chapter 398;

(4) the University of Minnesota;

(5) for purposes of the fire state aid program only, an American Indian tribal government entity located within a federally recognized American Indian reservation;

(6) for purposes of the police state aid program only, an American Indian tribal government with a tribal police department which exercises state arrest powers under section 626.90, 626.91, 626.92, or 626.93;

(7) for purposes of the police state aid program only, the Metropolitan Airports Commission; and

(8) for purposes of the police state aid program only, the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Public Safety with respect to peace officers covered under chapter 352B.

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(c) "Minnesota Firetown Premium Report" means a form prescribed by the commissioner containing space for reporting by insurers of fire, lightning, sprinkler leakage and extended coverage premiums received upon risks located or to be performed in this state less return premiums and dividends.

(d) "Firetown" means the area serviced by any municipality having a qualified fire department or a qualified incorporated fire department having a subsidiary volunteer firefighters' relief association.

(e) "Market value" means latest available market value of all property in a taxing jurisdiction, whether the property is subject to taxation, or exempt from ad valorem taxation obtained from information which appears on abstracts filed with the commissioner of revenue or equalized by the State Board of Equalization.

(f) "Minnesota Aid to Police Premium Report" means a form prescribed by the commissioner for reporting by each fire and casualty insurer of all premiums received upon direct business received by it in this state, or by its agents for it, in cash or otherwise, during the preceding calendar year, with reference to insurance written for insuring against the perils contained in auto insurance coverages as reported in the Minnesota business schedule of the annual financial statement which each insurer is required to file with the commissioner in accordance with the governing laws or rules less return premiums and dividends.

(g) "Peace officer" means any person:

(1) whose primary source of income derived from wages is from direct employment by a municipality or county as a law enforcement officer on a full-time basis of not less than 30 hours per week;

(2) who has been employed for a minimum of six months prior to December 31 preceding the date of the current year's certification under subdivision 2, clause (b);

(3) who is sworn to enforce the general criminal laws of the state and local ordinances;

(4) who is licensed by the Peace Officers Standards and Training Board and is authorized to arrest with a warrant; and

(5) who is a member of the State Patrol retirement plan or the public employees police and fire fund.

(h) "Full-time equivalent number of peace officers providing contract service" means the integral or fractional number of peace officers which would be necessary to provide the contract service if all peace officers providing service were employed on a full-time basis as defined by the employing unit and the municipality receiving the contract service.

(i) "Retirement benefits other than a service pension" means any disbursement authorized under section 424A.05, subdivision 3, clauses (3) and (4).

(j) "Municipal clerk, municipal clerk-treasurer, or county auditor" means:

(1) for the police state aid program ~~and police relief association financial reports~~:

(i) the person who was elected or appointed to the specified position or, in the absence of the person, another person who is designated by the applicable governing body;

(ii) in a park district, the secretary of the board of park district commissioners;

(iii) in the case of the University of Minnesota, the official designated by the Board of Regents;

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(iv) for the Metropolitan Airports Commission, the person designated by the commission;

(v) for the Department of Natural Resources or the Department of Public Safety, the respective commissioner;

(vi) for a tribal police department which exercises state arrest powers under section 626.90, 626.91, 626.92, or 626.93, the person designated by the applicable American Indian tribal government; and

(2) for the fire state aid program and fire relief association financial reports, the person who was elected or appointed to the specified position, or, for governmental entities other than counties, if the governing body of the governmental entity designates the position to perform the function, the chief financial official of the governmental entity or the chief administrative official of the governmental entity.

(k) "Voluntary statewide lump-sum volunteer firefighter retirement plan" means the retirement plan established by chapter 353G.

Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.011, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2. Qualification for fire or police state aid. (a) Unless retirement coverage is provided by the voluntary statewide lump-sum volunteer firefighter retirement plan, in order to qualify to receive fire state aid, on or before March 15 annually, in conjunction with the financial report required pursuant to section 69.051, the clerk of each municipality having a duly organized fire department as provided in subdivision 4, or the secretary of each independent nonprofit firefighting corporation having a subsidiary incorporated firefighters' relief association, whichever is applicable, and the fire chief, shall jointly certify the existence of the municipal fire department or of the independent nonprofit firefighting corporation, whichever is applicable, which meets the minimum qualification requirements set forth in this subdivision, and the fire personnel and equipment of the municipal fire department or the independent nonprofit firefighting corporation as of the preceding December 31.

(b) Where retirement coverage is provided by the voluntary statewide lump-sum volunteer firefighter retirement plan, in order to qualify to receive fire state aid, on or before March 15, annually, the executive director of the Public Employees Retirement Association shall certify the existence of that coverage for each municipality and the municipal clerk or independent nonprofit firefighting corporation secretary, whichever applies, and the applicable fire chief shall certify the fire personnel and fire department equipment as of the preceding December 31.

(c) Certification must be made to the commissioner on a form prescribed by the commissioner and shall include any other facts the commissioner may require. The certification must be made to the commissioner in duplicate. Each copy of the certificate must be duly executed and is deemed to be an original. The commissioner shall forward one copy to the auditor of the county wherein the fire department is located and shall retain one copy.

(d) On or before March 15 annually the clerk of each municipality having a duly organized police department and having a duly incorporated relief association shall certify that fact to the county auditor of the county where the police department is located and to the commissioner on a form prescribed by the commissioner together with the other facts the commissioner or auditor may require.

~~(e)~~ (c) Except as provided in subdivision 2b, on or before March 15 annually, in order to qualify to receive police state aid, the clerk of each municipality and the auditor of each county employing one or more peace officers as defined in subdivision 1, clause (g), shall certify the number of such peace officers to the commissioner on forms prescribed by the commissioner. Credit for officers employed less than a full year must be apportioned. Each full month of employment of a qualifying officer during the calendar year entitles the employing municipality or county to credit for 1/12 of the payment for employment of a peace officer for the entire year. For purposes of sections 69.011 to 69.051, employment of a peace officer commences when the peace officer is entered on the payroll of the respective municipal police department or county sheriff's department. No peace officer may be included in the certification of the number of peace officers by more than one ~~municipality or county~~ employing unit for the same month.

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(d) A certification made under this subdivision must be filed with the commissioner, must be made on a form prescribed by the commissioner, and must include any other facts that the commissioner requires.

Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.011, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3. Failure to file certificate deemed waiver. (a) If a certification required by this section is not filed with the commissioner by the due date prescribed by this section, the commissioner shall notify the county, the municipality, or the nonprofit firefighting corporation that a portion or all of its current year aid will be forfeited if the certification is not received within ten days.

(b) The amount of aid forfeited is equal to the amount of state police aid or state fire aid determined for the county, the municipality, or the nonprofit firefighting corporation for the current year, multiplied by five percent for each week or fraction of a week that this certification is late. The penalty ~~will~~ must be computed beginning ten days after the postmark date of the commissioner's notification as required under this subdivision. All forfeited aid amounts revert to the general fund in the state treasury. Failure to receive the certificate form ~~cannot~~ may not be used as a defense for ~~not filing~~ a failure to file.

Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.011, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4. Qualification for fire state aid. ~~Any~~ (a) A municipality in this state qualifies to receive fire state aid if it meets the general requirements of paragraph (b) and if it meets the specific requirements of paragraph (c).

(b) Minimum qualifications for fire state aid include the following:

(1) having for more than one year an organized fire department and officially established by the governing body of the municipality or an independent nonprofit firefighting corporation created under the nonprofit corporation act of this state and operating exclusively for firefighting purposes and providing retirement and relief benefits to its members,; and

(2) having a separate subsidiary incorporated firefighter's relief ~~and pension~~ association providing retirement and relief benefits, or participating in the voluntary statewide lump-sum volunteer firefighter retirement plan~~, may qualify to receive state aid if it meets the following~~ or, if a paid fire department, having retirement coverage by the public employees police and fire retirement plan.

(c) Minimum requirements for fire state aid also include the following or their equivalent as determined by the state fire marshal ~~by July 1, 1972~~:

~~(a)~~ (1) having ten paid or volunteer firefighters including a fire chief and assistant fire chief~~, and~~;

~~(b)~~ (2) having regular scheduled meetings and frequent drills including instructions in firefighting tactics and in the use, care, and operation of all fire apparatus and equipment~~, and~~;

~~(c)~~ (3) having a motorized fire truck equipped with a motorized pump, 250 gallon or larger water tank, 300 feet of one inch or larger fire hose in two lines with combination spray and straight stream nozzles, five-gallon hand pumps—tank extinguisher or equivalent, dry chemical extinguisher or equivalent, ladders, extension ladders, pike poles, crow bars, axes, lanterns, fire coats, helmets, and boots~~, and~~;

~~(d)~~ (4) having apparatus suitably housed in a building of good construction with facilities for care of hose and equipment~~, and~~;

~~(e)~~ (5) having a reliable and adequate method of receiving fire alarms by telephone or with electric siren and suitable means of sounding an alarm~~, and~~;

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~~(f)~~ (6) if response is to be provided outside the corporate limits of the municipality wherein the fire department is located, ~~the municipality has~~ having another piece of motorized apparatus to make the response,; and

~~(g)~~ (7) meeting other requirements that the commissioner establishes by rule.

Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.021, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. Minnesota Firetown Premium Report and Minnesota Aid to Police Premium Report. The commissioner shall, at the time of mailing tax forms, send blank copies of the Minnesota Firetown Premium Report and when applicable the Minnesota Aid to Police Premium Report to each insurer, including township and farmers mutual insurance companies licensed to write insurance as described in section 69.011, subdivision 1, clauses (c) and (f) in this state. These reports ~~shall~~ must contain space for the insurers name, address, gross premiums less return premiums, dividends, net premiums, certification and other facts that the commissioner may require.

Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.021, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2. Report of premiums. (a) Each insurer, including township and farmers mutual insurers where applicable, shall return to the commissioner the reports described in subdivision 1 certified by its secretary and president or chief financial officer.

(b) The Minnesota Firetown Premium Report ~~shall~~ must contain a true and accurate statement of the total premium for all gross direct fire, lightning, sprinkler leakage, and extended coverage insurance of all domestic mutual insurers and the total premiums for all gross direct fire, lightning, sprinkler leakage and extended coverage insurance of all other insurers, less return premiums and dividends received by them on that business written or done during the preceding calendar year upon property located within the state or brought into the state for temporary use. The fire and extended coverage portion of multiperil and multiple peril package premiums and all other combination premiums ~~shall~~ must be determined by applying percentages determined by the commissioner or by rating bureaus recognized by the commissioner.

(c) The Minnesota Aid to Police Premium Report ~~shall~~ must contain a true and accurate statement of the total premiums, less return premiums and dividends, on all direct business received by such insurer in this state, or by its agents for it, in cash or otherwise, during the preceding calendar year, with reference to insurance written for perils described in section 69.011, subdivision 1, clause (f).

Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.021, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3. Penalty for fraudulent, incorrect, incomplete returns and late filing of report. (a) When it appears to the commissioner that any insurer has made an incomplete or inaccurate report, the commissioner shall return the report and demand that a complete and accurate report be filed. If the insurer fails to file a report on or before March 1, annually, the insurer ~~shall be~~ is liable and shall pay $25 for each seven days ~~delinquent~~, or fraction thereof, that the report is delinquent, but not to exceed $200. If the insurer fails to file a corrected report within 30 days after demand, the insurer is liable for the penalties provided in ~~this subdivision~~ paragraph (b) or (c) for knowingly filing an inaccurate or false report.

(b) Any insurer ~~who~~ which knowingly makes and files an inaccurate or false report ~~shall be~~ is liable to a fine in an amount of not less than $25 nor more than $1,000, as determined by the commissioner, and additionally the commissioner of commerce may revoke the insurer's certificate of authority.

(c) Any person whose duty it is to make the report who fails or refuses to make it within 30 days after notification by the commissioner shall be fined an amount of not more than $1,000.

(d) Failure of the insurer to receive a reporting form ~~shall~~ does not excuse the insurer from filing the report.

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Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.021, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4. Determination of qualified state aid recipients; certification to commissioner of management and budget. (a) The commissioner shall determine which municipalities and independent nonprofit firefighting corporations are qualified to receive fire state aid directly or are qualified to receive the benefit of fire state aid paid to the voluntary statewide lump-sum volunteer firefighter retirement plan and which municipalities and counties are qualified to receive police state aid.

(b) The commissioner shall determine qualification for state aid upon receipt of:

(1) the fire department personnel and equipment certification or the police department and qualified peace officers certificate, whichever applies, required under section 69.011;

(2) the financial compliance report required under section 6.495, subdivision 3, if applicable; and

(3) any other relevant information which comes to the attention of the commissioner.

(1) the police state aid which each county or municipality is to receive under subdivisions 5, 6, 7a, and 10; and

(2) the fire state aid which each municipality or nonprofit firefighting corporation is to receive under subdivisions 5 and 7.

(d) The commissioner shall certify to the commissioner of management and budget the name of each county or municipality, and the amount of state aid which each county or municipality is to receive, in the case of police state aid. The commissioner shall certify to the commissioner of management and budget the name of each municipality or independent nonprofit firefighting corporation and the amount of state aid which each municipality or independent nonprofit firefighting corporation is to receive directly or the amount of state aid which the voluntary statewide lump-sum volunteer firefighter retirement plan is qualified to receive on behalf of the municipality or corporation, in the case of fire state aid.

Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.021, subdivision 5, is amended to read:

Subd. 5. Calculation of state aid. (a) The amount of fire state aid available for apportionment, before the addition of the minimum fire state aid allocation amount under subdivision 7, is equal to 107 percent of the amount of premium taxes paid to the state upon the fire, lightning, sprinkler leakage, and extended coverage premiums reported to the commissioner by insurers on the Minnesota Firetown Premium Report. This amount must be reduced by the amount required to pay the state auditor's costs and expenses of the audits or exams of the firefighters relief associations.

The total amount for apportionment in respect to fire state aid must not be less than two percent of the premiums reported to the commissioner by insurers on the Minnesota Firetown Premium Report after subtracting the following amounts:

(1) the amount required to pay the state auditor's costs and expenses of the audits or exams of the firefighters relief associations; and

(2) one percent of the premiums reported by town and farmers' mutual insurance companies and mutual property and casualty companies with total assets of $5,000,000 or less.

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(b) The total amount for apportionment as police state aid is equal to 104 percent of the amount of premium taxes paid to the state on the premiums reported to the commissioner by insurers on the Minnesota Aid to Police Premium Report~~, reduced by the amount required to pay the costs and expenses of the state auditor for audits or exams of police relief associations~~. The total amount for apportionment in respect to the police state aid program must not be less than two percent of the amount of premiums reported to the commissioner by insurers on the Minnesota Aid to Police Premium Report ~~after subtracting the amount required to pay the state auditor's cost and expenses of the audits or exams of the police relief associations~~.

(c) The commissioner shall calculate the percentage of increase or decrease reflected in the apportionment over or under the previous year's available state aid using the same premiums as a basis for comparison.

(d) In addition to the amount for apportionment of police state aid under paragraph (b), each year $100,000 must be apportioned for police state aid. An amount sufficient to pay this increase is annually appropriated from the general fund.

Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.021, subdivision 7, is amended to read:

Subd. 7. Apportionment of fire state aid to municipalities and relief associations. (a) The commissioner shall apportion the fire state aid relative to the premiums reported on the Minnesota Firetown Premium Reports filed under this chapter to each municipality and/or firefighters relief association qualified under section 69.011, subdivision 4.

(b) The commissioner shall calculate an initial fire state aid allocation amount for each municipality or fire department under paragraph (c) and, if applicable, a minimum fire state aid allocation amount for each municipality or fire department under paragraph (d). The municipality or fire department must ~~receive~~ be apportioned the larger fire state aid amount.

(c) The initial fire state aid allocation amount is the amount available for apportionment as fire state aid under subdivision 5, without the inclusion of any additional funding amount to support a minimum fire state aid amount under section 423A.02, subdivision 3, allocated one-half in proportion to the population as shown in the last official statewide federal census for each fire town and one-half in proportion to the market value of each fire town, including (1) the market value of tax-exempt property and (2) the market value of natural resources lands receiving in lieu payments under sections 477A.11 to 477A.14, but excluding the market value of minerals. In the case of incorporated or municipal fire departments furnishing fire protection to other cities, towns, or townships as evidenced by valid fire service contracts filed with the commissioner, the distribution must be adjusted proportionately to take into consideration the crossover fire protection service. Necessary adjustments must be made to subsequent apportionments. In the case of municipalities or independent fire departments qualifying for the aid, the commissioner shall calculate the state aid for the municipality or relief association on the basis of the population and the market value of the area furnished fire protection service by the fire department as evidenced by duly executed and valid fire service agreements filed with the commissioner. If one or more fire departments are furnishing contracted fire service to a city, town, or township, only the population and market value of the area served by each fire department may be considered in calculating the state aid and the fire departments furnishing service shall enter into an agreement apportioning among themselves the percent of the population and the percent of the market value of each shared service area. The agreement must be in writing and must be filed with the commissioner.

(d) The minimum fire state aid allocation amount is the amount in addition to the initial fire state allocation amount that is derived from any additional funding amount to support a minimum fire state aid amount under section 423A.02, subdivision 3, and allocated to municipalities with volunteer firefighters relief associations or covered by the voluntary statewide lump-sum volunteer firefighter retirement plan based on the number of active volunteer firefighters who are members of the relief association as reported in the annual financial reporting for the calendar year 1993 to the Office of the State Auditor, but not to exceed 30 active volunteer firefighters, so that all municipalities or fire departments with volunteer firefighters relief associations receive in total at least a minimum

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fire state aid amount per 1993 active volunteer firefighter to a maximum of 30 firefighters. If a relief association is established after calendar year 1993 and before calendar year 2000, the number of active volunteer firefighters who are members of the relief association as reported in the annual financial reporting for calendar year 1998 to the Office of the State Auditor, but not to exceed 30 active volunteer firefighters, shall be used in this determination. If a relief association is established after calendar year 1999, the number of active volunteer firefighters who are members of the relief association as reported in the first annual financial reporting submitted to the Office of the State Auditor, but not to exceed 20 active volunteer firefighters, must be used in this determination. If a relief association is terminated as a result of providing retirement coverage for volunteer firefighters by the voluntary statewide lump-sum volunteer firefighter retirement plan under chapter 353G, the number of active volunteer firefighters of the municipality covered by the statewide plan as certified by the executive director of the Public Employees Retirement Association to the commissioner and the state auditor, but not to exceed 30 active firefighters, must be used in this determination.

(e) Unless the firefighters of the applicable fire department are members of the voluntary statewide lump-sum volunteer firefighter retirement plan, the fire state aid must be paid to the treasurer of the municipality where the fire department is located and the treasurer of the municipality shall, within 30 days of receipt of the fire state aid, transmit the aid to the relief association if the relief association has filed a financial report with the treasurer of the municipality and has met all other statutory provisions pertaining to the aid apportionment. If the firefighters of the applicable fire department are members of the voluntary statewide lump-sum volunteer firefighter retirement plan, the fire state aid must be paid to the executive director of the Public Employees Retirement Association and deposited in the voluntary statewide lump-sum volunteer firefighter retirement fund.

(f) The commissioner may make rules to permit the administration of the provisions of this section.

(g) Any adjustments needed to correct prior misallocations must be made to subsequent fire state aid apportionments.

Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.021, subdivision 7a, is amended to read:

Subd. 7a. Apportionment of police state aid. (a) Subject to the reduction provided for under subdivision 10, the commissioner shall apportion the police state aid to each municipality ~~and~~, to ~~the~~ each county, and to the Departments of Natural Resources and Public Safety in the following manner:

(1) for all municipalities maintaining police departments, counties, the Department of Natural Resources, and the Department of Public Safety, the police state aid must be distributed in proportion to the relationship that the total number of peace officers, as determined under section 69.011, subdivision 1, ~~clause~~ paragraph (g), and subdivision 2, ~~clause~~ paragraph (b), employed by that employing unit for 12 calendar months and the proportional or fractional number who were employed less than 12 months bears to the total number of peace officers employed by all municipalities ~~and~~, counties, the Departments of Natural Resources and Public Safety, subject to any reduction under subdivision 10;

(2) for each municipality which contracts with the county for police service, a proportionate amount of the state aid distributed to the county based on the full-time equivalent number of peace officers providing contract service to that municipality must be credited against the municipality's contract obligation; and

(3) for each municipality which contracts with another municipality for police service, a proportionate amount of the state aid distributed to the municipality providing contract service based on the full-time equivalent number of peace officers providing contract service to that municipality on a full-time equivalent basis must be credited against the contract obligation of the municipality receiving contract service.

(b) Any necessary additional adjustments must be made to subsequent police state aid apportionments.

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Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.021, subdivision 8, is amended to read:

Subd. 8. Population and market value. (a) In computations relating to fire state aid requiring the use of population figures, only official statewide federal census figures ~~are to~~ may be used. Increases or decreases in population disclosed by reason of any special census must not be taken into consideration.

(b) In calculations relating to fire state aid requiring the use of market value property figures, only the latest available market value property figures may be used.

Sec. 17. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.021, subdivision 9, is amended to read:

Subd. 9. Appeal. (a) In the event that a municipality, a county, a fire relief association, ~~a police relief association,~~ the Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Public Safety, or the voluntary statewide lump-sum volunteer firefighter retirement plan, feels itself to be aggrieved, it may request the commissioner to review and adjust the apportionment of funds within the county in the case of police state aid, or within the state in the case of fire state aid.

(b) The decision of the commissioner is subject to appeal, review, and adjustment by the district court in the county in which the applicable municipality, or fire department~~, or police department~~ is located or by the Ramsey County District Court with respect to the Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Public Safety, or the voluntary statewide lump-sum volunteer firefighter retirement plan.

Sec. 18. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.021, subdivision 10, is amended to read:

Subd. 10. Reduction in police state aid apportionment. (a) The commissioner of revenue shall reduce the apportionment of police state aid under subdivisions 5, paragraph (b), 6, and 7a, for eligible employer units by the amount of any excess police state aid.

(b) "Excess police state aid" is:

(1) for counties and for municipalities in which police retirement coverage is provided wholly by the public employees police and fire fund and all police officers are members of the plan governed by sections 353.63 to 353.657, the amount in excess of the employer's total prior calendar year obligation as defined in paragraph (c), as certified by the executive director of the Public Employees Retirement Association;

(2) for municipalities in which police retirement coverage is provided in part by the public employees police and fire fund governed by sections 353.63 to 353.657 and in part by a local police consolidation account governed by chapter 353A, and established before March 2, 1999, for which the municipality declined merger under section 353.665, subdivision 1, or established after March 1, 1999, the amount in excess of the employer's total prior calendar year obligation as defined in paragraph (c), plus the amount of the employer's total prior calendar year obligation under section 353A.09, subdivision 5, paragraphs (a) and (b), as certified by the executive director of the Public Employees Retirement Association;

(3) for municipalities in which police retirement coverage is provided by the public employees police and fire plan governed by sections 353.63 to 353.657, in which police retirement coverage was provided by a police consolidation account under chapter 353A before July 1, 1999, and for which the municipality has an additional municipal contribution under section 353.665, subdivision 8, paragraph (b), the amount in excess of the employer's total prior calendar year obligation as defined in paragraph (c), plus the amount of any additional municipal contribution under section 353.665, subdivision 8, paragraph (b), until the year 2010, as certified by the executive director of the Public Employees Retirement Association;

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~~(4)~~ (2) for municipalities in which police retirement coverage is provided in part by the public employees police and fire fund governed by sections 353.63 to 353.657 and in part by a local police relief association governed by sections 69.77 and 423A.01 the cities of Fairmont and Minneapolis, the amount in excess of the employer's total prior calendar year obligation as defined in paragraph (c), as certified by the executive director of the public employees retirement association, plus the amount of the financial requirements of the relief association certified to the applicable municipality during the prior calendar year under section 69.77, subdivisions 4 and 5, reduced by the amount of member contributions deducted from the covered salary of the relief association during the prior calendar year under section 69.77, subdivision 3, as certified by the chief administrative officer of the applicable municipality any additional municipal contribution under section 353.668, subdivision 6, or 353.669, subdivision 6;

~~(5)~~ (3) for the Metropolitan Airports Commission, the amount in excess of the commission's total prior calendar year obligation as defined in paragraph (c), as certified by the executive director of the Public Employees Retirement Association; and

~~(6)~~ (4) for the Department of Natural Resources and for the Department of Public Safety, the amount in excess of the employer's total prior calendar year obligation under section 352B.02, subdivision 1c, for plan members who are peace officers under section 69.011, subdivision 1, clause (g), as certified by the executive director of the Minnesota State Retirement System.

(c) The employer's total prior calendar year obligation with respect to the public employees police and fire plan under paragraph (b), clause (1), is the total prior calendar year obligation under section 353.65, subdivision 3, for police officers as defined in section 353.64, subdivision 2, and the actual total prior calendar year obligation under section 353.65, subdivision 3, for firefighters, as defined in section 353.64, subdivision 3, but not to exceed for those firefighters the applicable following ~~amounts~~ employer calendar year amount:

	Municipality	Maximum Amount
	Albert Lea	$54,157.01
	Anoka	10,399.31
	Apple Valley	5,442.44
	Austin	49,864.73
	Bemidji	27,671.38
	Brooklyn Center	6,605.92
	Brooklyn Park	24,002.26
	Burnsville	15,956.00
	Cloquet	4,260.49
	Coon Rapids	39,920.00
	Cottage Grove	8,588.48
	Crystal	5,855.00
	East Grand Forks	51,009.88
	Edina	32,251.00
	Elk River	5,216.55
	Ely	13,584.16
	Eveleth	16,288.27
	Fergus Falls	6,742.00
	Fridley	33,420.64
	Golden Valley	11,744.61
	Hastings	16,561.00
	Hopkins	4,324.23
	International Falls	14,400.69
	Lakeville	782.35
	Lino Lakes	5,324.00
Journal of the House - 60th Day - Saturday, May 18, 2013 - Top of Page 5491	Little Falls	7,889.41
	Maple Grove	6,707.54
	Maplewood	8,476.69
	Minnetonka	10,403.00
	Montevideo	1,307.66
	Moorhead	68,069.26
	New Hope	6,739.72
	North St. Paul	4,241.14
	Northfield	770.63
	Owatonna	37,292.67
	Plymouth	6,754.71
	Red Wing	3,504.01
	Richfield	53,757.96
	Rosemount	1,712.55
	Roseville	9,854.51
	St. Anthony	33,055.00
	St. Louis Park	53,643.11
	Thief River Falls	28,365.04
	Virginia	31,164.46
	Waseca	11,135.17
	West St. Paul	15,707.20
	White Bear Lake	6,521.04
	Woodbury	3,613.00
	any other municipality	0.00

(d) The total amount of excess police state aid must be deposited in the excess police state-aid account in the general fund, administered and distributed as provided in subdivision 11.

Sec. 19. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.021, subdivision 11, is amended to read:

Subd. 11. Excess police state-aid holding account. (a) The excess police state-aid holding account is established in the general fund. The excess police state-aid holding account must be administered by the commissioner.

(b) Excess police state aid determined according to subdivision 10, must be deposited annually in the excess police state-aid holding account.

(c) From the balance in the excess police state-aid holding account, $900,000 must be canceled annually to the general fund.

(d) If a police officer stress reduction program is created by law and money is appropriated for that program, an amount equal to that appropriation must be transferred to the administrator of that program from the balance in the excess police state-aid holding account.

~~(e)~~ (d) On October 1 of each year, one-half of the balance of the excess police state-aid holding account remaining after the ~~deductions~~ deduction under ~~paragraphs~~ paragraph (c) ~~and (d)~~ is appropriated for additional amortization aid under section 423A.02, subdivision 1b.

~~(f)~~ (e) Annually, the remaining balance in the excess police state-aid holding account, after the deductions under paragraphs (c), and (d)~~, and (e),~~ cancels to the general fund.

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Sec. 20. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.031, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. Commissioner's warrant. (a) The commissioner of management and budget shall issue to the Public Employees Retirement Association on behalf of a municipality or independent nonprofit firefighting corporation that is a member of the voluntary statewide lump-sum volunteer firefighter retirement plan under chapter 353G, to the Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Public Safety, or to the county, municipality, or independent nonprofit firefighting corporation certified to the commissioner of management and budget by the commissioner a warrant for an amount equal to the amount of fire state aid or police state aid, whichever applies, certified for the applicable state aid recipient by the commissioner under section 69.021.

(b) Fire state aid and police state aid is payable on October 1 annually. The amount of state aid due and not paid by October 1 accrues interest payable to the state aid recipient at the rate of one percent for each month or part of a month that the amount remains unpaid after October 1.

Sec. 21. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.031, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3. Appropriations. There is hereby appropriated annually from the state general fund to the commissioner of revenue ~~an amount~~ amounts sufficient to make the police state aid payments and the fire state aid payments specified in this section and section 69.021.

Sec. 22. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.031, subdivision 5, is amended to read:

Subd. 5. Deposit of state aid. (a) If the municipality or the independent nonprofit firefighting corporation is covered by the voluntary statewide lump-sum volunteer firefighter retirement plan under chapter 353G, the executive director shall credit the fire state aid against future municipal contribution requirements under section 353G.08 and shall notify the municipality or independent nonprofit firefighting corporation of the fire state aid so credited at least annually. If the municipality or the independent nonprofit firefighting corporation is not covered by the voluntary statewide lump-sum volunteer firefighter retirement plan, the municipal treasurer shall, within 30 days after receipt, transmit the fire state aid to the treasurer of the duly incorporated firefighters' relief association if there is one organized and the association has filed a financial report with the municipality. If the relief association has not filed a financial report with the municipality, the municipal treasurer shall delay transmission of the fire state aid to the relief association until the complete financial report is filed. If the municipality or independent nonprofit firefighting corporation is not covered by the voluntary statewide lump-sum volunteer firefighter retirement plan, if there is no relief association organized, or if the association has dissolved or has been removed as trustees of state aid, then the treasurer of the municipality shall deposit the money in the municipal treasury and the money may be disbursed only for the purposes and in the manner set forth in section 424A.08 or for the payment of the employer contribution requirement with respect to firefighters covered by the public employees police and fire retirement plan under section 353.65, subdivision 3.

~~(b) The municipal treasurer, upon receipt of the police state aid, shall disburse the police state aid in the following manner:~~

(1) For a municipality in which a local police relief association exists and all peace officers are members of the association, the total state aid must be transmitted to the treasurer of the relief association within 30 days of the date of receipt, and the treasurer of the relief association shall immediately deposit the total state aid in the special fund of the relief association;

~~(2)~~ (b) For a municipality in which police retirement coverage is provided by the public employees police and fire fund and all peace officers are members of the fund, including municipalities covered by section 353.665, the total state aid must be applied toward the municipality's employer contribution to the public employees police and fire fund under sections 353.65, subdivision 3, and ~~353.665~~ 353.668, subdivision 8 6, ~~paragraph (b)~~ or 353.669, subdivision 6, if applicable~~; or~~.

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(3) For a municipality other than a city of the first class with a population of more than 300,000 in which both a police relief association exists and police retirement coverage is provided in part by the public employees police and fire fund, the municipality may elect at its option to transmit the total state aid to the treasurer of the relief association as provided in clause (1), to use the total state aid to apply toward the municipality's employer contribution to the public employees police and fire fund subject to all the provisions set forth in clause (2), or to allot the total state aid proportionately to be transmitted to the police relief association as provided in this subdivision and to apply toward the municipality's employer contribution to the public employees police and fire fund subject to the provisions of clause (2) on the basis of the respective number of active full-time peace officers, as defined in section 69.011, subdivision 1, clause (g).

For a city of the first class with a population of more than 300,000, in addition, the city may elect to allot the appropriate portion of the total police state aid to apply toward the employer contribution of the city to the public employees police and fire fund based on the covered salary of police officers covered by the fund each payroll period and to transmit the balance to the police relief association; or

(4) For a municipality in which police retirement coverage is provided in part by the public employees police and fire fund and in part by a local police consolidation account governed by chapter 353A and established before March 2, 1999, for which the municipality declined merger under section 353.665, subdivision 1, or established after March 1, 1999, the total police state aid must be applied towards the municipality's total employer contribution to the public employees police and fire fund and to the local police consolidation account under sections 353.65, subdivision 3, and 353A.09, subdivision 5.

(c) The county treasurer, upon receipt of the police state aid for the county, shall apply the total state aid toward the county's employer contribution to the public employees police and fire fund under section 353.65, subdivision 3.

(d) The designated Metropolitan Airports Commission official, upon receipt of the police state aid for the Metropolitan Airports Commission, shall apply the total police state aid toward the commission's employer contribution for police officers to the public employees police and fire plan under section 353.65, subdivision 3.

(e) The police state aid apportioned to the Departments of Public Safety and Natural Resources under section 69.021, subdivision 7a, is appropriated to the commissioner of management and budget for transfer to the funds and accounts from which the salaries of peace officers certified under section 69.011, subdivision 2b, are paid. The commissioner of revenue shall certify to the commissioners of public safety, natural resources, and management and budget the amounts to be transferred from the appropriation for police state aid. The commissioners of public safety and natural resources shall certify to the commissioner of management and budget the amounts to be credited to each of the funds and accounts from which the peace officers employed by their respective departments are paid. Each commissioner shall allocate the police state aid first for employer contributions for employees funded from the general fund and then for employer contributions for employees funded from other funds. For peace officers whose salaries are paid from the general fund, the amounts transferred from the appropriation for police state aid must be canceled to the general fund.

Sec. 23. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.041, is amended to read:

69.041 SHORTFALL FROM GENERAL FUND.

(a) If the annual funding requirements of fire or police relief associations or consolidation accounts under sections ~~69.77,~~ 69.771 to 69.775, or 353A.09, or sections 31 to 42, exceed all applicable revenue sources of a given year, including the insurance premium taxes funding the applicable fire or police state aid as set under section 297I.05, subdivisions 2, 3, and 4, the shortfall in the annual funding requirements must be paid from the general fund to the extent appropriated by the legislature.

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(b) Nothing in this section may be deemed to relieve any municipality from its obligation to a relief association or consolidation account under law.

Sec. 24. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.051, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. Financial report and audit. (a) The board of ~~each salaried firefighters~~ the Bloomington Fire Department Relief Association~~, police relief association,~~ and each volunteer firefighters relief association as defined in section 424A.001, subdivision 4, with assets of at least $200,000 or liabilities of at least $200,000 in the prior year or in any previous year, according to the applicable actuarial valuation or according to the financial report if no valuation is required, shall prepare a financial report covering the special and general funds of the relief association for the preceding fiscal year, file the financial report, and submit financial statements.

(b) The financial report must contain financial statements and disclosures which present the true financial condition of the relief association and the results of relief association operations in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and in compliance with the regulatory, financing and funding provisions of this chapter and any other applicable laws. The financial report must be countersigned by:

(1) the municipal clerk or clerk-treasurer of the municipality in which the relief association is located if the relief association is a firefighters relief association which is directly associated with a municipal fire department ~~or is a police relief association~~; or

(2) by the municipal clerk or clerk-treasurer of the largest municipality in population which contracts with the independent nonprofit firefighting corporation if the volunteer firefighter relief association is a subsidiary of an independent nonprofit firefighting corporation and by the secretary of the independent nonprofit firefighting corporation; or

(3) by the chief financial official of the county in which the volunteer firefighter relief association is located or primarily located if the relief association is associated with a fire department that is not located in or associated with an organized municipality.

(c) The financial report must be retained in its office for public inspection and must be filed with the governing body of the government subdivision in which the associated fire department is located after the close of the fiscal year. One copy of the financial report must be furnished to the state auditor after the close of the fiscal year.

(d) Audited financial statements must be attested to by a certified public accountant or by the state auditor and must be filed with the state auditor within 180 days after the close of the fiscal year. The state auditor may accept this report in lieu of the report required in paragraph (c).

Sec. 25. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.051, subdivision 1a, is amended to read:

Subd. 1a. Financial statement. (a) The board of each volunteer firefighters relief association, as defined in section 424A.001, subdivision 4, that is not required to file a financial report and audit under subdivision 1 must prepare a detailed statement of the financial affairs for the preceding fiscal year of the relief association's special and general funds in the style and form prescribed by the state auditor. The detailed statement must show:

(1) the sources and amounts of all money received;

(2) all disbursements, accounts payable and accounts receivable;

(3) the amount of money remaining in the treasury;

(4) total assets, including a listing of all investments;

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(5) the accrued liabilities; and

(6) all other items necessary to show accurately the revenues and expenditures and financial position of the relief association.

(b) The detailed financial statement required under paragraph (a) must be certified by an independent public accountant or auditor or by the auditor or accountant who regularly examines or audits the financial transactions of the municipality. In addition to certifying the financial condition of the special and general funds of the relief association, the accountant or auditor conducting the examination shall give an opinion as to the condition of the special and general funds of the relief association, and shall comment upon any exceptions to the report. The independent accountant or auditor must have at least five years of public accounting, auditing, or similar experience, and must not be an active, inactive, or retired member of the relief association or the fire ~~or police~~ department.

(1) the municipal clerk or clerk-treasurer of the municipality; or

(2) where applicable, by the municipal clerk or clerk-treasurer of the largest municipality in population which contracts with the independent nonprofit firefighting corporation if the relief association is a subsidiary of an independent nonprofit firefighting corporation and by the secretary of the independent nonprofit firefighting corporation; or

(d) The volunteer firefighters' relief association board must file the detailed statement required under paragraph (a) in the relief association office for public inspection and present it to the ~~city council~~ governing body of the municipality within 45 days after the close of the fiscal year, and must submit a copy of the detailed statement to the state auditor within 90 days of the close of the fiscal year.

Sec. 26. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.051, subdivision 1b, is amended to read:

Subd. 1b. Qualification. The state auditor may, upon a demonstration by a relief association of hardship or an inability to conform, extend the deadline for reports under subdivisions 1 or 1a, but not beyond November 30th following the due date. If the reports are not received by November 30th, the municipality or relief association ~~will forfeit~~ forfeits its current year state aid, and, until the state auditor receives the required information, the relief association or municipality ~~will be~~ is ineligible to receive any future state aid. A municipality or ~~police or~~ firefighters' relief association ~~shall~~ does not qualify initially to receive, or be entitled subsequently to retain, state aid ~~pursuant to~~ under this chapter if the financial reporting requirement or the applicable requirements of this chapter or any other statute or special law have not been complied with or are not fulfilled.

Sec. 27. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.051, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2. Treasurers bond. No (a) The treasurer of a the Bloomington Fire Department Relief Association ~~governed by section 69.77 shall~~ may not enter upon duties without having given the association a bond in a reasonable amount acceptable to the municipality for the faithful discharge of duties according to law.

(b) No treasurer of a relief association governed by sections 69.771 to 69.776 ~~shall~~ may enter upon the duties of the office until the treasurer has given the association a good and sufficient bond in an amount equal to at least ten percent of the assets of the relief association; however, the amount of the bond need not exceed $500,000.

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Sec. 28. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.051, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3. Report by certain municipalities. (a) The chief administrative officer of each municipality which has an organized fire department but which does not have a firefighters' relief association governed by section 69.77 or sections 69.771 to 69.775 and which is not exempted under paragraph (b) shall annually prepare a detailed financial report of the receipts and disbursements by the municipality for fire protection service during the preceding calendar year, on a form prescribed by the state auditor. The financial report must contain any information which the state auditor deems necessary to disclose the sources of receipts and the purpose of disbursements for fire protection service. The financial report must be signed by the municipal clerk or clerk-treasurer of the municipality. The financial report must be filed by the municipal clerk or clerk-treasurer with the state auditor on or before July 1 annually. The municipality ~~shall~~ does not qualify initially to receive, ~~or be~~ and is not entitled subsequently to retain, state aid under this chapter if the financial reporting requirement or the applicable requirements of this chapter or any other statute or special law have not been complied with or are not fulfilled.

(b) Each municipality that has an organized fire department and provides retirement coverage to its firefighters through the voluntary statewide lump-sum volunteer firefighter retirement plan under chapter 353G qualifies to have fire state aid transmitted to and retained in the statewide lump-sum volunteer firefighter retirement fund without filing a detailed financial report if the executive director of the Public Employees Retirement Association certifies compliance by the municipality with the requirements of sections 353G.04 and 353G.08, paragraph (e), and certifies conformity by the applicable fire chief with the requirements of section 353G.07.

Sec. 29. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.051, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4. Notification by commissioner and state auditor. (a) The state auditor, in performing an audit or examination, shall notify the Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement if the audit or examination reveals malfeasance, misfeasance, or nonfeasance in office by relief association officials or municipal officials.

(b) The commissioner shall notify the Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement if the state auditor has not filed the required financial compliance reports by July 1.

Sec. 30. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.33, is amended to read:

69.33 REPORT; AMOUNT OF PREMIUMS RECEIVED BY INSURANCE COMPANIES.

For purposes of the first class city fire insurance premium tax surcharge aid program under section 297I.10, the commissioner shall enclose in the annual statement blank that is sent to all fire insurance companies doing business in this state a blank form containing the names of all cities of the first class and require these companies, at the time of making their annual statements to the commissioner, to state on these blanks the amount of premiums received by them upon properties insured within the corporate limits of the cities named thereon during the year ending December 31st last past. Thereafter, before July first each year, the commissioner shall certify to the commissioner of management and budget the information thus obtained, together with the amount of the tax for the benefit of the pension plans covering firefighters in cities of the first class paid in such year by these companies upon these insurance premiums.

Sec. 31. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.77, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. Conditioned employer support for a the Bloomington Fire Department Relief Association. (a) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, only if the ~~municipality~~ city of Bloomington and the Bloomington Fire Department Relief Association comply with the provisions of this section, ~~a municipality~~ the city of Bloomington may contribute public funds, including any applicable police or fire state aid, or levy property taxes for the support of ~~a police or firefighters'~~ the Bloomington Fire Department Relief Association, enumerated in subdivision 1a, however organized, which provides retirement coverage or pays a service pension to a retired police officer or firefighter or a retirement benefit to a surviving dependent of either an active or retired police officer or firefighter, and for the operation and maintenance of the relief association.

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(b) The commissioner shall not include in the apportionment of ~~police or~~ fire state aid ~~to the county auditor under section 69.021, subdivision 6, any municipality in which there exists a local police or salaried firefighters' relief association as enumerated in subdivision 1a which~~ the city of Bloomington if the Bloomington Fire Department Relief Association does not comply with the provisions of this section or the provisions of any applicable special law relating to the funding or financing of the association and ~~that municipality~~ the city of Bloomington may not qualify initially to receive, or be entitled subsequently to retain, fire state aid under sections 69.011 to 69.051 until the reason for the disqualification is remedied, whereupon the ~~municipality~~ city of Bloomington, if otherwise qualified, is entitled to again receive fire state aid for the year occurring immediately subsequent to the year in which the disqualification is remedied.

(c) The state auditor and the commissioner shall determine if ~~a municipality with a local police or salaried firefighters' relief association fails~~ the city of Bloomington and the Bloomington Fire Department Relief Association fail to comply with the provisions of this section or the funding or financing provisions of any applicable special law.

Sec. 32. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.77, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2. Inapplicable penalty. The penalty provided for in subdivision 1 does not apply to a the Bloomington Fire Department Relief Association ~~enumerated in subdivision 1a~~ if the requirements of subdivisions 3 to 10 are met.

Sec. 33. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.77, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4. Relief association financial requirements; minimum municipal obligation. (a) The officers of the Bloomington Fire Department Relief Association shall determine the financial requirements of the relief association and the minimum obligation of the ~~municipality~~ city of Bloomington for the following calendar year in accordance with the requirements of this subdivision. The financial requirements of the relief association and the minimum obligation of the ~~municipality~~ city of Bloomington must be determined on or before the submission date established by the ~~municipality~~ city of Bloomington under subdivision 5.

(b) The financial requirements of the relief association for the following calendar year must be based on the most recent actuarial valuation or survey of the special fund of the association if more than one fund is maintained by the association, or of the association, if only one fund is maintained, prepared in accordance with sections 356.215, subdivisions 4 to 15, and 356.216, as required under subdivision 10. If an actuarial estimate is prepared by the actuary of the relief association as part of obtaining a modification of the benefit plan of the relief association and the modification is implemented, the actuarial estimate must be used in calculating the subsequent financial requirements of the relief association.

(c) If the relief association has an unfunded actuarial accrued liability as reported in the most recent actuarial valuation or survey, the total of the amounts calculated under clauses (1), (2), and (3), constitute the financial requirements of the relief association for the following year. If the relief association does not have an unfunded actuarial accrued liability as reported in the most recent actuarial valuation or survey, the amount calculated under clauses (1) and (2) constitute the financial requirements of the relief association for the following year. The financial requirement elements are:

(1) the normal level cost requirement for the following year, expressed as a dollar amount, which must be determined by applying the normal level cost of the relief association as reported in the actuarial valuation or survey and expressed as a percentage of covered payroll to the estimated covered payroll of the active membership of the relief association, including any projected change in the active membership, for the following year;

(2) ~~for the Bloomington Fire Department Relief Association,~~ to the dollar amount of normal cost determined under clause (1) must be added an amount equal to the dollar amount of the administrative expenses of the special fund of the association if more than one fund is maintained by the association, or of the association if only one fund is maintained, for the most recent year, multiplied by the factor of 1.035. The administrative expenses are those authorized under section 69.80; and

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(3) to the dollar amount of normal cost and expenses determined under clauses (1) and (2) must be added an amount equal to the level annual dollar amount which is sufficient to amortize the unfunded actuarial accrued liability as determined from the actuarial valuation or survey of the fund, using an interest assumption set at the applicable rate specified in section 356.215, subdivision 8, by that fund's amortization date as specified in paragraph (d).

~~(d)~~ The ~~Bloomington Fire Department Relief Association~~ special fund amortization date is determined under section 356.216, clause (2). The amortization date specified in this paragraph supersedes any amortization date specified in any applicable special law.

(d) If the actuarial value of the assets of the special fund of the relief association exceed the actuarial accrued liability as reported in the most recent actuarial valuation of the special fund of the relief association, the financial requirements of the relief association are the amounts calculated under paragraph (c), clauses (1) and (2), reduced by one-tenth of the amount by which the actuarial value of the assets of the special fund of the relief association exceeds the actuarial accrued liability of the special fund of the relief association.

(e) The minimum obligation of the municipality is an amount equal to the financial requirements of the relief association reduced by the estimated amount of member contributions from covered salary anticipated for the following calendar year and the estimated ~~amounts~~ amount anticipated for the following calendar year from the ~~applicable~~ fire state aid program established under sections 69.011 to 69.051 receivable by the relief association after any allocation made under section 69.031, subdivision 5, paragraph (b), clause (2), or 423A.01, subdivision 2, paragraph (a), clause (6), from the local police and salaried firefighters' relief association amortization aid program established under section 423A.02, subdivision 1, from the supplementary amortization state-aid program established under section 423A.02, subdivision 1a, and from the additional amortization state aid under section 423A.02, subdivision 1b.

Sec. 34. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.77, subdivision 5, is amended to read:

Subd. 5. Determination submission. The officers of the relief association shall submit the determination of the financial requirements of the relief association and of the minimum obligation of the municipality to the ~~governing body~~ Bloomington City Council on or before the date established by the ~~municipality~~ city of Bloomington, which may not be earlier than August 1 and may not be later than September 1 of each year. The ~~governing body of the municipality~~ Bloomington City Council must ascertain whether or not the determinations were prepared in accordance with law.

Sec. 35. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.77, subdivision 6, is amended to read:

Subd. 6. Municipal payment. (a) The ~~municipality~~ city of Bloomington shall provide for and shall pay, each year, at least the amount of the minimum obligation of the ~~municipality~~ city of Bloomington to the Bloomington Fire Department Relief Association.

(b) If there is any deficiency in the municipal payment to meet the minimum obligation of the ~~municipality~~ city of Bloomington as of the end of any calendar year, the amount of the deficiency must be added to the minimum obligation of the ~~municipality~~ city of Bloomington for the following year calculated under subdivision 4 and must include interest at the compound rate of six percent per annum from the date that the ~~municipality~~ city of Bloomington was required to make payment under this subdivision until the date that the ~~municipality~~ city of Bloomington actually makes the required payment.

Sec. 36. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.77, subdivision 7, is amended to read:

Subd. 7. Budget inclusion. (a) The ~~municipality~~ city of Bloomington shall provide in the annual municipal budget for at least the minimum obligation of the municipality calculated under subdivision 4.

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(b) The ~~municipality~~ city of Bloomington may levy taxes for the payment of the minimum obligation of the ~~municipality~~ city of Bloomington without any limitation as to rate or amount and irrespective of limitations imposed by other provisions of law upon the rate or amount of taxation when the balance of the special fund or any fund of the relief association has attained a specified minimum asset level. In addition, any taxes levied under this section may not cause the amount or rate of other taxes levied in that year or to be levied in a subsequent year by the ~~municipality~~ city of Bloomington which are subject to a limitation as to rate or amount to be reduced.

(c) If the ~~municipality~~ city of Bloomington does not include the full amount of the minimum obligation of the ~~municipality~~ city of Bloomington in the levy that the ~~municipality~~ city of Bloomington certified to the Hennepin County auditor in any year, the officers of the relief association shall certify the amount of any deficiency to the Hennepin County auditor. Upon verifying the existence of any deficiency in the levy certified by the ~~municipality~~ city of Bloomington, the Hennepin County auditor shall spread a levy over the taxable property of the ~~municipality~~ city of Bloomington in the amount of the deficiency certified to by the officers of the relief association.

Sec. 37. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.77, subdivision 8, is amended to read:

Subd. 8. Accelerated amortization. Any sums of money paid by the ~~municipality~~ city of Bloomington to the relief association in excess of the minimum obligation of the ~~municipality~~ city of Bloomington in any year must be used to amortize any unfunded actuarial accrued liabilities of the Bloomington Fire Department Relief Association.

Sec. 38. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.77, subdivision 9, is amended to read:

Subd. 9. Local paid fire relief association investment authority. (a) The ~~special fund~~ funds of the association must be invested in securities that are authorized investments under section 356A.06, subdivision 6 or 7, whichever applies.

(b) The governing board of the Bloomington Fire Department Relief Association may select and appoint a qualified private firm to measure management performance and return on investment, and the firm must use the formula or formulas developed by the State Board of Investment under section 11A.04, clause (11). The governing board of the Bloomington Fire Department Relief Association may certify general fund assets of the relief association for investment by the State Board of Investment in fixed income pools or in a separately managed account at the discretion of the State Board of Investment as provided in section 11A.14.

(c) The governing board of the association may certify general fund assets of the relief association for investment by the State Board of Investment in fixed income pools or in a separately managed account at the discretion of the State Board of Investment as provided in section 11A.14.

Sec. 39. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.77, subdivision 10, is amended to read:

Subd. 10. Actuarial valuation required. The governing board of the Bloomington Fire Department Relief Association shall obtain an actuarial valuation showing the condition of the special fund of the relief association under sections 356.215 and 356.216 and ~~any~~ the applicable standards for actuarial work established by the Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement. The actuarial valuation must be made as of December 31 of every year. A copy of the actuarial valuation must be filed with the Director of the Legislative Reference Library, the ~~governing body of the municipality in which the association is organized~~ Bloomington City Council, the executive director of the Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement, and the state auditor, not later than July 1 of the following year.

Sec. 40. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.77, subdivision 11, is amended to read:

Subd. 11. Municipal approval of benefit changes required. Any amendment to the bylaws or articles of incorporation of a the Bloomington Fire Department Relief Association which increases or otherwise affects the retirement coverage provided by or the service pensions or retirement benefits payable from ~~any police or firefighters'~~ the relief association ~~enumerated in subdivision 1a~~ is not effective until it is ratified by the ~~municipality~~

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~~in which the relief association is located~~ city of Bloomington. The officers of the relief association shall not seek municipal ratification before obtaining either an updated actuarial valuation including the proposed amendment or an estimate of the expected actuarial impact of the proposed amendment prepared by the actuary of the relief association and submitting that actuarial valuation or estimate to the Bloomington city clerk ~~of the municipality~~.

Sec. 41. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.77, subdivision 12, is amended to read:

Subd. 12. Application of other laws to contribution rate. In the absence of any specific provision to the contrary, no general or special law previously enacted may be construed as reducing the levy amount ~~or rate of contribution~~ to ~~a police or firefighters~~ the Bloomington Fire Department Relief Association to which subdivision 1a applies, by ~~a municipality or member of the association~~ the city of Bloomington, which is required as a condition for the use of public funds or the levy of taxes for the support of the association. ~~Each~~ The Bloomington Fire Department Relief Association, the ~~municipality in which it is organized~~ city of Bloomington, and the officers of each, are authorized to do all things required by this section as a condition for the use of public funds or the levy of taxes for the support of the association.

Sec. 42. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.77, subdivision 13, is amended to read:

Subd. 13. Citation. This section may be cited as the "~~Police and Firefighters'~~ Bloomington Fire Department Relief ~~Associations~~ Association Guidelines Act ~~of 1969~~."

Sec. 43. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.771, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. Covered relief associations. The applicable provisions of sections 69.771 to 69.776 apply to any firefighters' relief association other than a the Bloomington Fire Department Relief Association ~~enumerated in section 69.77, subdivision 1a,~~ which is organized under any laws of this state, which is composed of volunteer firefighters or is composed partially of volunteer firefighters and partially of salaried firefighters with retirement coverage provided by the public employees police and fire fund and which, in either case, operates subject to the service pension minimum requirements for entitlement and maximums contained in section 424A.02, or subject to a special law modifying those requirements or maximums.

Sec. 44. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 69.80, is amended to read:

69.80 AUTHORIZED ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the payment of the following necessary, reasonable and direct expenses of maintaining, protecting and administering the special fund, when provided for in the bylaws of the association and approved by the board of trustees, constitutes authorized administrative expenses of a ~~police, salaried firefighters', or~~ volunteer firefighters' relief association organized under any law of this state or the Bloomington Fire Department Relief Association:

(1) office expense, including, but not limited to, rent, utilities, equipment, supplies, postage, periodical subscriptions, furniture, fixtures, and salaries of administrative personnel;

(2) salaries of the officers of the association, or their designees, and salaries of the members of the board of trustees of the association if the salary amounts are approved by the governing body of the entity that is responsible for meeting any minimum obligation under section ~~69.77,~~ 69.772, or 69.773, or sections 31 to 42, and the itemized expenses of relief association officers and board members that are incurred as a result of fulfilling their responsibilities as administrators of the special fund;

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(3) tuition, registration fees, organizational dues, and other authorized expenses of the officers or members of the board of trustees incurred in attending educational conferences, seminars, or classes relating to the administration of the relief association;

(4) audit, actuarial, medical, legal, and investment and performance evaluation expenses;

(5) filing and application fees payable by the relief association to federal or other governmental entities;

(6) reimbursement to the officers and members of the board of trustees, or their designees, for reasonable and necessary expenses actually paid and incurred in the performance of their duties as officers or members of the board; and

(7) premiums on fiduciary liability insurance and official bonds for the officers, members of the board of trustees, and employees of the relief association.

(b) Any other expenses of the relief association must be paid from the general fund of the association, if one exists. If a relief association has only one fund, that fund is the special fund for purposes of this section. If a relief association has a special fund and a general fund, and any expense of the relief association that is directly related to the purposes for which both funds were established, the payment of that expense must be apportioned between the two funds on the basis of the benefits derived by each fund.

Sec. 45. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 275.70, subdivision 5, is amended to read:

Subd. 5. Special levies. "Special levies" means those portions of ad valorem taxes levied by a local governmental unit for the following purposes or in the following manner:

(1) to pay the costs of the principal and interest on bonded indebtedness or to reimburse for the amount of liquor store revenues used to pay the principal and interest due on municipal liquor store bonds in the year preceding the year for which the levy limit is calculated;

(2) to pay the costs of principal and interest on certificates of indebtedness issued for any corporate purpose except for the following:

(i) tax anticipation or aid anticipation certificates of indebtedness;

(ii) certificates of indebtedness issued under sections 298.28 and 298.282;

(iii) certificates of indebtedness used to fund current expenses or to pay the costs of extraordinary expenditures that result from a public emergency; or

(iv) certificates of indebtedness used to fund an insufficiency in tax receipts or an insufficiency in other revenue sources, provided that nothing in this subdivision limits the special levy authorized under section 475.755;

(3) to provide for the bonded indebtedness portion of payments made to another political subdivision of the state of Minnesota;

(4) to fund payments made to the Minnesota State Armory Building Commission under section 193.145, subdivision 2, to retire the principal and interest on armory construction bonds;

(5) property taxes approved by voters which are levied against the referendum market value as provided under section 275.61;

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(6) to fund matching requirements needed to qualify for federal or state grants or programs to the extent that either (i) the matching requirement exceeds the matching requirement in calendar year 2001, or (ii) it is a new matching requirement that did not exist prior to 2002;

(7) to pay the expenses reasonably and necessarily incurred in preparing for or repairing the effects of natural disaster including the occurrence or threat of widespread or severe damage, injury, or loss of life or property resulting from natural causes, in accordance with standards formulated by the Emergency Services Division of the state Department of Public Safety, as allowed by the commissioner of revenue under section 275.74, subdivision 2;

(8) pay amounts required to correct an error in the levy certified to the county auditor by a city or county in a levy year, but only to the extent that when added to the preceding year's levy it is not in excess of an applicable statutory, special law or charter limitation, or the limitation imposed on the governmental subdivision by sections 275.70 to 275.74 in the preceding levy year;

(9) to pay an abatement under section 469.1815;

(10) to pay any costs attributable to increases in the employer contribution rates under chapter 353, or locally administered pension plans, that are effective after June 30, 2001;

(11) to pay the operating or maintenance costs of a county jail as authorized in section 641.01 or 641.262, or of a correctional facility as defined in section 241.021, subdivision 1, paragraph (f), to the extent that the county can demonstrate to the commissioner of revenue that the amount has been included in the county budget as a direct result of a rule, minimum requirement, minimum standard, or directive of the Department of Corrections, or to pay the operating or maintenance costs of a regional jail as authorized in section 641.262. For purposes of this clause, a district court order is not a rule, minimum requirement, minimum standard, or directive of the Department of Corrections. If the county utilizes this special levy, except to pay operating or maintenance costs of a new regional jail facility under sections 641.262 to 641.264 which will not replace an existing jail facility, any amount levied by the county in the previous levy year for the purposes specified under this clause and included in the county's previous year's levy limitation computed under section 275.71, shall be deducted from the levy limit base under section 275.71, subdivision 2, when determining the county's current year levy limitation. The county shall provide the necessary information to the commissioner of revenue for making this determination;

(12) to pay for operation of a lake improvement district, as authorized under section 103B.555. If the county utilizes this special levy, any amount levied by the county in the previous levy year for the purposes specified under this clause and included in the county's previous year's levy limitation computed under section 275.71 shall be deducted from the levy limit base under section 275.71, subdivision 2, when determining the county's current year levy limitation. The county shall provide the necessary information to the commissioner of revenue for making this determination;

(13) to repay a state or federal loan used to fund the direct or indirect required spending by the local government due to a state or federal transportation project or other state or federal capital project. This authority may only be used if the project is not a local government initiative;

(14) to pay for court administration costs as required under section 273.1398, subdivision 4b, less the (i) county's share of transferred fines and fees collected by the district courts in the county for calendar year 2001 and (ii) the aid amount certified to be paid to the county in 2004 under section 273.1398, subdivision 4c; however, for taxes levied to pay for these costs in the year in which the court financing is transferred to the state, the amount under this clause is limited to the amount of aid the county is certified to receive under section 273.1398, subdivision 4a;

(15) to fund a ~~police or~~ firefighters relief association as required under ~~section 69.77~~ sections 31 to 42 to the extent that the required amount exceeds the amount levied for this purpose in 2001;

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(16) for purposes of a storm sewer improvement district under section 444.20;

(17) to pay for the maintenance and support of a city or county society for the prevention of cruelty to animals under section 343.11, but not to exceed in any year $4,800 or the sum of $1 per capita based on the county's or city's population as of the most recent federal census, whichever is greater. If the city or county uses this special levy, any amount levied by the city or county in the previous levy year for the purposes specified in this clause and included in the city's or county's previous year's levy limit computed under section 275.71, must be deducted from the levy limit base under section 275.71, subdivision 2, in determining the city's or county's current year levy limit;

(18) for counties, to pay for the increase in their share of health and human service costs caused by reductions in federal health and human services grants effective after September 30, 2007;

(19) for a city, for the costs reasonably and necessarily incurred for securing, maintaining, or demolishing foreclosed or abandoned residential properties, as allowed by the commissioner of revenue under section 275.74, subdivision 2. A city must have either (i) a foreclosure rate of at least 1.4 percent in 2007, or (ii) a foreclosure rate in 2007 in the city or in a zip code area of the city that is at least 50 percent higher than the average foreclosure rate in the metropolitan area, as defined in section 473.121, subdivision 2, to use this special levy. For purposes of this paragraph, "foreclosure rate" means the number of foreclosures, as indicated by sheriff sales records, divided by the number of households in the city in 2007;

(20) for a city, for the unreimbursed costs of redeployed traffic-control agents and lost traffic citation revenue due to the collapse of the Interstate 35W bridge, as certified to the Federal Highway Administration;

(21) to pay costs attributable to wages and benefits for sheriff, police, and fire personnel. If a local governmental unit did not use this special levy in the previous year its levy limit base under section 275.71 shall be reduced by the amount equal to the amount it levied for the purposes specified in this clause in the previous year;

(22) an amount equal to any reductions in the certified aids or credit reimbursements payable under sections 477A.011 to 477A.014, and section 273.1384, due to unallotment under section 16A.152 or reductions under another provision of law. The amount of the levy allowed under this clause for each year is limited to the amount unallotted or reduced from the aids and credit reimbursements certified for payment in the year following the calendar year in which the tax levy is certified unless the unallotment or reduction amount is not known by September 1 of the levy certification year, and the local government has not adjusted its levy under section 275.065, subdivision 6, or 275.07, subdivision 6, in which case that unallotment or reduction amount may be levied in the following year;

(23) to pay for the difference between one-half of the costs of confining sex offenders undergoing the civil commitment process and any state payments for this purpose pursuant to section 253B.185, subdivision 5;

(24) for a county to pay the costs of the first year of maintaining and operating a new facility or new expansion, either of which contains courts, corrections, dispatch, criminal investigation labs, or other public safety facilities and for which all or a portion of the funding for the site acquisition, building design, site preparation, construction, and related equipment was issued or authorized prior to the imposition of levy limits in 2008. The levy limit base shall then be increased by an amount equal to the new facility's first full year's operating costs as described in this clause; and

(25) for the estimated amount of reduction to market value credit reimbursements under section 273.1384 for credits payable in the year in which the levy is payable.

Sec. 46. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 297I.10, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. Cities of the first class. (a) The commissioner shall order and direct a surcharge to be collected of two percent of the fire, lightning, and sprinkler leakage gross premiums, less return premiums, on all direct business received by any licensed foreign or domestic fire insurance company on property in a city of the first class, or by its agents for it, in cash or otherwise.

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(b) By July 31 and December 31 of each year, the commissioner of management and budget shall pay to ~~the relief association in~~ each city of the first class a warrant for an amount equal to the total amount of the surcharge on the premiums collected within ~~the~~ that city since the previous payment.

(c) The treasurer of the ~~relief association~~ city shall place the money received under this subdivision in ~~the~~ a special account or fund ~~of the relief association~~ to defray all or a a portion of the employer contribution requirement of public employees police and fire plan coverage for city firefighters.

Sec. 47. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 345.381, is amended to read:

345.381 PROPERTY HELD BY MINNESOTA PUBLIC PENSION FUND.

No amounts of money held or owing by a public pension fund enumerated in section 356.20, subdivision 2, or 356.30, subdivision 3, or governed by sections ~~69.77 or~~ 69.771 to 69.776 ~~shall~~ or sections 31 to 42 may be presumed to have been abandoned for purposes of sections 345.41, 345.42, 345.43, 345.47 and 345.48 if the plan governing the public pension fund includes a provision governing the disposition of unclaimed amounts of money.

Sec. 48. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353.01, subdivision 2a, is amended to read:

Subd. 2a. Included employees; mandatory membership. (a) Public employees whose salary exceeds $425 in any month and who are not specifically excluded under subdivision 2b or who have not been provided an option to participate under subdivision 2d, whether individually or by action of the governmental subdivision, must participate as members of the association with retirement coverage by the general employees retirement plan under this chapter, the public employees police and fire retirement plan under this chapter, or the local government correctional employees retirement plan under chapter 353E, whichever applies. Membership commences as a condition of their employment on the first day of their employment or on the first day that the eligibility criteria are met, whichever is later. Public employees include but are not limited to:

(1) persons whose salary meets the threshold in this paragraph from employment in one or more positions within one governmental subdivision;

(2) elected county sheriffs;

(3) persons who are appointed, employed, or contracted to perform governmental functions that by law or local ordinance are required of a public officer, including, but not limited to:

(i) town and city clerk or treasurer;

(ii) county auditor, treasurer, or recorder;

(iii) city manager as defined in section 353.028 who does not exercise the option provided under subdivision 2d; or

(iv) emergency management director, as provided under section 12.25;

(4) physicians under section 353D.01, subdivision 2, who do not elect public employees defined contribution plan coverage under section 353D.02, subdivision 2;

(5) full-time employees of the Dakota County Agricultural Society;

(6) employees of the Minneapolis Firefighters Relief Association or Minneapolis Police Relief Association who are not excluded employees under subdivision 2b due to coverage by the relief association pension plan and who elected general employee retirement plan coverage before August 20, 2009;

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~~(7)~~ (6) employees of the Red Wing Port Authority who were first employed by the Red Wing Port Authority before May 1, 2011, and who are not excluded employees under subdivision 2b; and

~~(8)~~ (7) employees of the Seaway Port Authority of Duluth who are not excluded employees under subdivision 2b.

(b) A public employee or elected official who was a member of the association on June 30, 2002, based on employment that qualified for membership coverage by the public employees retirement plan or the public employees police and fire plan under this chapter, or the local government correctional employees retirement plan under chapter 353E as of June 30, 2002, retains that membership for the duration of the person's employment in that position or incumbency in elected office. Except as provided in subdivision 28, the person shall participate as a member until the employee or elected official terminates public employment under subdivision 11a or terminates membership under subdivision 11b.

(c) If the salary of an included public employee is less than $425 in any subsequent month, the member retains membership eligibility.

(d) For the purpose of participation in the MERF division of the general employees retirement plan, public employees include employees who were members of the former Minneapolis Employees Retirement Fund on June 29, 2010, and who participate as members of the MERF division of the association.

Sec. 49. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353.01, subdivision 2b, is amended to read:

(1) persons whose salary from one governmental subdivision never exceeds $425 in a month;

(3) election officers or election judges;

(4) patient and inmate personnel who perform services for a governmental subdivision;

(6) employees who are employed by reason of work emergency caused by fire, flood, storm, or similar disaster;

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belonging to and contributing to another public pension plan or fund for other service occurring during the same period of time. A person who meets the definition of "public employee" in subdivision 2 by virtue of other service occurring during the same period of time becomes a member of the association unless contributions are made to another public retirement fund on the salary based on the other service or to the Teachers Retirement Association by a teacher as defined in section 354.05, subdivision 2;

(10) resident physicians, medical interns, and pharmacist residents and pharmacist interns who are serving in a degree or residency program in public hospitals or clinics;

(11) students who are serving in an internship or residency program sponsored by an accredited educational institution;

(12) persons who hold a part-time adult supplementary technical college license who render part-time teaching service in a technical college;

(14) public hospital employees who elected not to participate as members of the association before 1972 and who did not elect to participate from July 1, 1988, to October 1, 1988;

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(22) persons who are provided supported employment or work-study positions by a governmental subdivision and who participate in an employment or industries program maintained for the benefit of these persons where the governmental subdivision limits the position's duration to three years or less, including persons participating in a federal or state subsidized on-the-job training, work experience, senior citizen, youth, or unemployment relief program where the training or work experience is not provided as a part of, or for, future permanent public employment;

(23) independent contractors and the employees of independent contractors;

(24) reemployed annuitants of the association during the course of that reemployment; and

(25) persons appointed to serve on a board or commission of a governmental subdivision or an instrumentality thereof.

Sec. 50. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353.01, subdivision 6, is amended to read:

Subd. 6. Governmental subdivision. (a) "Governmental subdivision" means a county, city, town, school district within this state, or a department, unit or instrumentality of state or local government, or any public body established under state or local authority that has a governmental purpose, is under public control, is responsible for the employment and payment of the salaries of employees of the entity, and receives a major portion of its revenues from taxation, fees, assessments or from other public sources.

(b) Governmental subdivision also means the Public Employees Retirement Association, the League of Minnesota Cities, the Association of Metropolitan Municipalities, charter schools formed under section 124D.10, service cooperatives exercising retirement plan participation under section 123A.21, subdivision 5, joint powers boards organized under section 471.59, subdivision 11, paragraph (a), family service collaboratives and children's mental health collaboratives organized under section 471.59, subdivision 11, paragraph (b) or (c), provided that the entities creating the collaboratives are governmental units that otherwise qualify for retirement plan membership, public hospitals owned or operated by, or an integral part of, a governmental subdivision or governmental subdivisions, the Association of Minnesota Counties, the Minnesota Inter-county Association, the Minnesota

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Municipal Utilities Association, the Metropolitan Airports Commission, the University of Minnesota with respect to police officers covered by the public employees police and fire retirement plan, the Minneapolis Employees Retirement Fund for employment initially commenced after June 30, 1979, the Range Association of Municipalities and Schools, soil and water conservation districts, economic development authorities created or operating under sections 469.090 to 469.108, the Port Authority of the city of St. Paul, the Seaway Port Authority of Duluth, the Red Wing Port Authority, the Spring Lake Park Fire Department, incorporated, the Lake Johanna Volunteer Fire Department, incorporated, the Red Wing Environmental Learning Center, the Dakota County Agricultural Society, and Hennepin Healthcare System, Inc.~~, and the Minneapolis Firefighters Relief Association and Minneapolis Police Relief Association with respect to staff covered by the Public Employees Retirement Association general plan.~~

(c) Governmental subdivision does not mean any municipal housing and redevelopment authority organized under the provisions of sections 469.001 to 469.047; or any port authority organized under sections 469.048 to 469.089 other than the Port Authority of the city of St. Paul or the Seaway Port Authority of Duluth and other than the Red Wing Port Authority; or any hospital district organized or reorganized prior to July 1, 1975, under sections 447.31 to 447.37 or the successor of the district; or the board of a family service collaborative or children's mental health collaborative organized under sections 124D.23, 245.491 to 245.495, or 471.59, if that board is not controlled by representatives of governmental units.

(d) A nonprofit corporation governed by chapter 317A or organized under Internal Revenue Code, section 501(c)(3), which is not covered by paragraph (a) or (b), is not a governmental subdivision unless the entity has obtained a written advisory opinion from the United States Department of Labor or a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service declaring the entity to be an instrumentality of the state so as to provide that any future contributions by the entity on behalf of its employees are contributions to a governmental plan within the meaning of Internal Revenue Code, section 414(d).

(e) A public body created by state or local authority may request membership on behalf of its employees by providing sufficient evidence that it meets the requirements in paragraph (a).

(f) An entity determined to be a governmental subdivision is subject to the reporting requirements of this chapter upon receipt of a written notice of eligibility from the association.

Sec. 51. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353.01, subdivision 10, is amended to read:

Subd. 10. Salary. (a) Subject to the limitations of section 356.611, "salary" means:

(1) the periodic compensation of a public employee, before deductions for deferred compensation, supplemental retirement plans, or other voluntary salary reduction programs, and also means "wages" and includes net income from fees; and

(2) for a public employee who is covered by a supplemental retirement plan under section 356.24, subdivision 1, clause (8), (9), or (10), which require all plan contributions be made by the employer, the contribution to the applicable supplemental retirement plan when an agreement between the parties establishes that the contribution will either result in a mandatory reduction of employees' wages through payroll withholdings, or be made in lieu of an amount that would otherwise be paid as wages~~; and~~.

(3) for a public employee who has prior service covered by a local police or firefighters relief association that has consolidated with the Public Employees Retirement Association or to which section 353.665 applies and who has elected coverage either under the public employees police and fire fund benefit plan under section 353A.08 following the consolidation or under section 353.665, subdivision 4, the rate of salary upon which member contributions to the special fund of the relief association were made prior to the effective date of the consolidation as specified by law and by bylaw provisions governing the relief association on the date of the initiation of the consolidation procedure and the actual periodic compensation of the public employee after the effective date of consolidation.

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(b) Salary does not mean:

(1) the fees paid to district court reporters, unused annual vacation or sick leave payments, in lump-sum or periodic payments, severance payments, reimbursement of expenses, lump-sum settlements not attached to a specific earnings period, or workers' compensation payments;

(2) employer-paid amounts used by an employee toward the cost of insurance coverage, employer-paid fringe benefits, flexible spending accounts, cafeteria plans, health care expense accounts, day care expenses, or any payments in lieu of any employer-paid group insurance coverage, including the difference between single and family rates that may be paid to a member with single coverage and certain amounts determined by the executive director to be ineligible;

(3) the amount equal to that which the employing governmental subdivision would otherwise pay toward single or family insurance coverage for a covered employee when, through a contract or agreement with some but not all employees, the employer:

(i) discontinues, or for new hires does not provide, payment toward the cost of the employee's selected insurance coverages under a group plan offered by the employer;

(ii) makes the employee solely responsible for all contributions toward the cost of the employee's selected insurance coverages under a group plan offered by the employer, including any amount the employer makes toward other employees' selected insurance coverages under a group plan offered by the employer; and

(iii) provides increased salary rates for employees who do not have any employer-paid group insurance coverages;

(4) except as provided in section 353.86 or 353.87, compensation of any kind paid to volunteer ambulance service personnel or volunteer firefighters, as defined in subdivision 35 or 36;

(5) the amount of compensation that exceeds the limitation provided in section 356.611; and

(6) amounts paid by a federal or state grant for which the grant specifically prohibits grant proceeds from being used to make pension plan contributions, unless the contributions to the plan are made from sources other than the federal or state grant.

(c) Amounts provided to an employee by the employer through a grievance proceeding or a legal settlement are salary only if the settlement is reviewed by the executive director and the amounts are determined by the executive director to be consistent with paragraph (a) and prior determinations.

Sec. 52. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353.01, subdivision 16, is amended to read:

Subd. 16. Allowable service; limits and computation. (a) "Allowable service" means:

(2) periods of service covered by payments in lieu of salary deductions under sections 353.27, subdivision 12, and 353.35;

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(4) a period of authorized leave of absence with pay from which deductions for employee contributions are made, deposited, and credited to the fund;

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required under this clause. The equivalent employer contribution, and, if applicable, the equivalent additional employer contribution must be paid by the governmental subdivision employing the member if the member makes the equivalent employee contributions. The employer payments must be made from funds available to the employing unit, using the employer and additional employer contribution rate or rates in effect at the time that the uniformed service was performed, applied to the same annual salary rate or rates used to compute the equivalent member contribution. The governmental subdivision involved may appropriate money for those payments. The amount of service credit obtainable under this section may not exceed five years unless a longer purchase period is required under United States Code, title 38, section 4312. The employing unit shall pay interest on all equivalent member and employer contribution amounts payable under this clause. Interest must be computed at a rate of 8.5 percent compounded annually from the end of each fiscal year of the leave or the break in service to the end of the month in which the payment is received. Upon payment, the employee must be granted allowable service credit for the purchased period; or

(9) a period specified under section 353.0162.

~~(d)~~ (c) No member may receive more than 12 months of allowable service credit in a year either for vesting purposes or for benefit calculation purposes. For an active member who was an active member of the former Minneapolis Firefighters Relief Association on December 29, 2011, "allowable service" is the period of service credited by the Minneapolis Firefighters Relief Association as reflected in the transferred records of the association up to December 30, 2011, and the period of service credited under paragraph (a), clause (1), after December 30, 2011. For an active member who was an active member of the former Minneapolis Police Relief Association on December 29, 2011, "allowable service" is the period of service credited by the Minneapolis Police Relief Association as reflected in the transferred records of the association up to December 30, 2011, and the period of service credited under paragraph (a), clause (1), after December 30, 2011.

~~(e)~~ (d) MS 2002 [Expired]

Sec. 53. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353.64, subdivision 1a, is amended to read:

Subd. 1a. Police and fire plan; other members. (a) A person who prior to July 1, 1961, was a member of the police and fire plan, by virtue of being a police officer or firefighter, shall, as long as the person remains in either position, continue membership in the plan.

~~(b) A person who~~ was employed by a governmental subdivision as a police officer and was a member of the police and fire plan on July 1, 1978, by virtue of being a police officer as defined by this section on that date, and if employed by the same governmental subdivision in a position in the same department in which the person was employed on that date, continues to be a member of the plan, whether or not that person has the power of arrest by warrant and is licensed by the Peace Officers Standards and Training Board after that date.

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~~(c)~~ (b) A person who was employed as a correctional officer by Rice county before July 1, 1998, for the duration of employment in the correctional position held on July 1, 1998, continues to be a member of the public employees police and fire plan, whether or not the person has the power of arrest by warrant and is licensed by the Peace Officers Standards and Training Board after that date.

(d) A person who was employed by a governmental subdivision as a police officer or a firefighter, whichever applies, was an active member of the local police or salaried firefighters relief association located in that governmental subdivision by virtue of that employment as of the effective date of the consolidation as authorized by sections 353A.01 to 353A.10, and has elected coverage by the public employees police and fire plan, shall become a member of the police and fire plan after that date if employed by the same governmental subdivision in a position in the same department in which the person was employed on that date.

(e) Any police officer or firefighter of a relief association that has consolidated with the association for which the employee has not elected coverage by the public employees police and fire plan as provided in sections 353A.01 to 353A.10, or any police officer or firefighter to whom section 353.665 applies who has not elected coverage by the public employees police and fire plan as provided in section 353.665, subdivision 4, must become a member of the public employees police and fire plan, but is not subject to the provisions of sections 353.651 to 353.659 unless an election for such coverage is made under section 353.665, subdivision 4.

Sec. 54. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353.659, is amended to read:

353.659 LOCAL RELIEF ASSOCIATION CONSOLIDATION ACCOUNT BENEFITS.

(a) For any person who ~~has~~ had prior service covered by a local police or firefighters relief association which has ~~consolidated~~ merged with the public employees police and fire retirement ~~association~~ plan and who has elected the type of benefit coverage provided by the public employees police and fire fund benefit plan ~~under section 353A.08 following the consolidation~~ as permitted by the applicable law, ~~any~~ the retirement benefits payable are governed by the applicable provisions of this chapter.

(b) For any person who ~~has~~ had prior service covered by a local police or firefighters relief association which has ~~consolidated~~ merged with the public employees police and fire retirement ~~association~~ plan and who ~~has~~ did not ~~elected~~ elect the type of benefit coverage provided by the public employees police and fire fund benefit plan ~~under section 353A.08 following the consolidation~~ as permitted by the applicable law, ~~any~~ the retirement benefits payable are governed by the provisions of Minnesota Statutes 2012, sections 353B.01 to 353B.13 which ~~apply~~ applied to the applicable former relief association or by section 353.6511 or 353.6512, if applicable.

Sec. 55. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353.665, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. ~~Merger authorized~~ Application. (a) ~~Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, unless the applicable municipality elects otherwise under paragraph (b), every~~ This section applies to the local police and fire relief associations or consolidation ~~account under chapter 353A in existence on March 1, 1999, becomes a part of~~ accounts that merged with the public employees police and fire plan and fund ~~governed by sections 353.63 to 353.659 on July 1, 1999~~ and are specified in paragraph (b).

(b) ~~If a municipality desires to retain its consolidation account~~ The former local police or fire relief associations or consolidation accounts, whichever applies, the governing body of the municipality must adopt a resolution to that effect and must file a copy of the resolution with the secretary of state, the state auditor, the legislative auditor, the management and budget commissioner, the revenue commissioner, the executive director of the public employees retirement association, and the executive director of the Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement. The retention election must apply to both consolidation accounts if the municipality is associated with more than one consolidation account. The retention resolution must be adopted and filed with all recipients before June 15, 1999. are:

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(1) the former local police and fire consolidation accounts that merged with the public employees police and fire retirement plan and fund under Laws 1999, chapter 222, article 4;

(2) the former Minneapolis Firefighters Relief Association;

(3) the former Minneapolis Police Relief Association;

(4) the former Fairmont Police Relief Association; and

(5) the former Virginia Fire Consolidation Account.

Sec. 56. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353.665, subdivision 5, is amended to read:

Subd. 5. Benefit coverage for ~~retirees and benefit recipients~~ certain former local relief association or consolidation account members. (a) ~~A person who received a~~ Except as provided in paragraph (b), (e), or (f), the annuity, service pension, a disability pension or benefit, or a survivor benefit ~~from a merging~~ attributable to or of a former member of a former merged local police or fire consolidation account ~~for the month of June 1999, and~~ who ~~has~~ did not previously elected participation in the Minnesota postretirement investment fund for any future postretirement adjustments rather than the postretirement adjustment mechanism or mechanisms of the relief association benefit plan under section 353A.08, subdivision 1, may elect participation in the Minnesota postretirement investment fund for any future postretirement adjustments or retention of the postretirement adjustment mechanism or mechanisms of the relief association benefit plan as reflected in the applicable provisions of chapter 353B. This election must be in writing on a form prescribed by the executive director and must be made before September 1, 1999. elect coverage by all or a portion of the public employees police and fire retirement plan as permitted by applicable law must be calculated or computed under the benefit plan provisions of the applicable former local police or paid firefighters relief association.

(b) If an eligible person is a minor, the election must be made by the person's parent or legal guardian. If the eligible person makes no affirmative election under this subdivision, the person retains the postretirement adjustment mechanism or mechanisms of the relief association benefit plan as reflected in the applicable provisions of chapter 353B. The annuity, service pension, disability pension or benefit, or survivor benefit attributable to or of a former member of the former Minneapolis Firefighters Relief Association or of the former Minneapolis Police Relief Association who had that status as of December 29, 2011, continue after consolidation in the same amount and under the same terms as provided in chapter 423B or 423C, respectively, and the bylaws in effect as of that date, except that the unit value is governed by section 353.01, subdivisions 10a and 10b, respectively, and the postretirement adjustments after December 31, 2015, must be calculated solely under section 353.6511, subdivision 7.

(c) On behalf of former members of the Minneapolis Firefighters Relief Association or Minneapolis Police Relief Association, the executive director shall withhold any health insurance or dental insurance premiums designated by the annuitant or benefit recipient and shall transfer them to the city of Minneapolis. The Public Employees Retirement Association may charge a necessary and reasonable monthly administrative fee to the city of Minneapolis for this function and bill it in addition to the employer contribution under section 353.65, subdivision 3, paragraph (b). Notwithstanding any provision of chapter 13 to the contrary, the executive director shall provide the city of Minneapolis with the current addresses of former members of the Minneapolis Firefighters Relief Association and the Minneapolis Police Relief Association. The city of Minneapolis shall continue to administer the health and dental insurance programs as constituted May 1, 2011, for the former members of the former Minneapolis relief associations.

(d) The executive director shall cooperate with the Minneapolis firefighters fraternal association and the Minneapolis police fraternal association to ensure adequate communications with the former members of the former Minneapolis Firefighters Relief Association or the Minneapolis Police Relief Association consistent with Public Employees Retirement Association policy.

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(c) The survivor benefit payable on behalf of any service pension or disability benefit recipient who elects participation in the Minnesota postretirement investment fund must be calculated under the relief association benefit plan in effect on the effective date of consolidation under chapter 353A as reflected in the applicable provisions of chapter 353B. (e) The annuity, service pension, disability pension or benefit, or survivor benefit attributable to or of a former member of the former Fairmont Police Relief Association must be calculated or computed under Minnesota Statutes 2000, sections 423.41 to 423.46, 423.48 to 423.59, 423.61, and 423.62; Laws 1963, chapter 423; Laws 1977, chapter 100; and Laws 1999, chapter 222, article 3, section 4, except that the annual base salary figure for pension and benefit determinations upon consolidation and for the balance of calendar year 2012 is $106,666.67 and after December 31, 2012, annual postretirement adjustments of pensions and benefits in force must be calculated solely under section 356.415, subdivision 1c.

(f) The annuity, service pension, disability pension or benefit, or survivor benefit attributable to or of a former member of the former Virginia firefighters consolidation account must be calculated or computed under the election made under Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353A.08, unless the person made a subsequent election under Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353.6691, subdivision 4, subject to any additional ad hoc postretirement adjustment under Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353.6691, subdivision 5, paragraph (d).

Sec. 57. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353.665, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

Subd. 5a. Continuing provisions; prior Minneapolis relief associations. (a) Health insurance account retention. The health insurance account of the former Minneapolis Firefighters Relief Association and the health insurance account of the former Minneapolis Police Relief Association shall remain with the financial institution holding the applicable account on the effective date of this section, if the applicable financial institution adequately performs all trustee and fiduciary duties with respect to the applicable account as a condition of the retention of the account.

(b) Health insurance account administrative expenses. Under Laws 2011, First Special Session chapter 8, article 6, section 14, and article 7, section 14, three years of expected administrative expenses were prepaid from the Minneapolis Firefighters Relief Association and the Minneapolis Police Relief Association health insurance accounts to the financial institution holding the applicable account. After the three-year prepayment period, the beneficiaries of the applicable account are responsible for the payment of administrative expenses related to the operation of the account.

(c) Successor in interest. The public employees police and fire retirement plan and fund is the successor in interest to all claims for or against the former Minneapolis Firefighters Relief Association and the former Minneapolis Police Relief Association. The public employees police and fire retirement plan and fund is not liable for any claim against a former Minneapolis relief association, its governing board, or its administrative staff acting in a fiduciary capacity, under chapter 356A or common law, which is founded upon a claim of a breach of fiduciary duty if the act or acts constituting the claimed breach were not undertaken in good faith. The public employees police and fire retirement plan may assert any applicable defense to any claim in any judicial or administrative proceeding that the applicable Minneapolis relief association, its board, or its administrative staff would otherwise have been entitled to assert, and the public employees police and fire retirement plan may assert any applicable defense that it has in its capacity as a statewide agency.

(d) Indemnification. The Public Employees Retirement Association shall indemnify any former fiduciary of the Minneapolis relief associations consistent with the provisions of section 356A.11. The indemnification may be effected by the purchase by the Public Employees Retirement Association of reasonable fiduciary liability tail insurance for the officers and directors of the former Minneapolis relief association.

Sec. 58. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 353.665, subdivision 8, is amended to read:

Subd. 8. Member and employer contributions. (a) ~~Effective on the first day of the first full pay period following June 30, 1999,~~ Except as provided in paragraph (b), (c), or (d), the employee contribution rate for ~~merging~~ merged former consolidation account active members is the rate specified in section 353.65, subdivision 2, and the regular municipal contribution rate on behalf of merged former consolidation account active members is the rate specified in section 353.65, subdivision 3.

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(b) The municipality associated with a merging former local consolidation account that had a positive value amortizable base calculation under subdivision 7, paragraph (d), after the preliminary calculation or the second calculation, whichever applies, must make an additional municipal contribution to the public employees police and fire plan for the period from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2009. The amount of the additional municipal contribution is the amount calculated by the actuary retained under section 356.214 and certified by the executive director of the Public Employees Retirement Association by which the amortizable base amount would be amortized on a level dollar annual end-of-the-year contribution basis, using an 8.5 percent interest rate assumption. The additional municipal contribution is payable during the month of January, is without any interest, or if made after January 31, but before the next following December 31, is payable with interest for the period since January 1 at a rate which is equal to the preretirement interest rate assumption specified in section 356.215, subdivision 8, applicable to the public employees police and fire fund expressed as a monthly rate and compounded on a monthly basis or if made after December 31 of the year in which the additional munic