HF 3921

as introduced - 91st Legislature (2019 - 2020) Posted on 02/27/2020 01:47pm

A bill for an act
relating to retirement; volunteer firefighter relief associations; increasing the
maximum lump-sum service pension amount; amending Minnesota Statutes 2018,
section 424A.02, subdivision 3; repealing Laws 2018, chapter 211, article 14,
section 29.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 424A.02, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Flexible service pension maximums.

(a) Annually on or before August 1 as
part of the certification of the financial requirements and minimum municipal obligation
determined under section 424A.092, subdivision 4, or 424A.093, subdivision 5, as applicable,
the secretary or some other official of the relief association designated in the bylaws of each
defined benefit relief association shall calculate and certify to the governing body of the
applicable municipality the average amount of available financing per active covered
firefighter for the most recent three-year period. The amount of available financing includes
any amounts of fire state aid and police and firefighter retirement supplemental state aid
received or receivable by the relief association, any amounts of municipal contributions to
the relief association raised from levies on real estate or from other available revenue sources
exclusive of fire state aid, and one-tenth of the amount of assets in excess of the accrued
liabilities of the relief association calculated under section 424A.092, subdivision 2;
424A.093, subdivisions 2 and 4; or 424A.094, subdivision 2, if any.

(b) The maximum service pension which the defined benefit relief association has
authority to provide for in its bylaws for payment to a member retiring after the calculation
date when the minimum age and service requirements specified in subdivision 1 are met
must be determined using the table in paragraph (c) or (d), whichever applies.

(c) For a defined benefit relief association where the governing bylaws provide for a
monthly service pension to a retiring member, the maximum monthly service pension amount
per month for each year of service credited that may be provided for in the bylaws is the
greater of the service pension amount provided for in the bylaws on the date of the calculation
of the average amount of the available financing per active covered firefighter or the
maximum service pension figure corresponding to the average amount of available financing
per active covered firefighter:

Minimum Average Amount of Available Financing per Firefighter		Maximum Service Pension Amount Payable per Month for Each Year of Service
$ ...		$ .25
41		.50
81		1.00
122		1.50
162		2.00
203		2.50
243		3.00
284		3.50
324		4.00
365		4.50
405		5.00
486		6.00
567		7.00
648		8.00
729		9.00
810		10.00
891		11.00
972		12.00
1053		13.00
1134		14.00
1215		15.00
1296		16.00
1377		17.00
1458		18.00
1539		19.00
1620		20.00
1701		21.00
1782		22.00
1823		22.50
1863		23.00
1944		24.00
2025		25.00
2106		26.00
2187		27.00
2268		28.00
2349		29.00
2430		30.00
2511		31.00
2592		32.00
2673		33.00
2754		34.00
2834		35.00
2916		36.00
2997		37.00
3078		38.00
3159		39.00
3240		40.00
3321		41.00
3402		42.00
3483		43.00
3564		44.00
3645		45.00
3726		46.00
3807		47.00
3888		48.00
3969		49.00
4050		50.00
4131		51.00
4212		52.00
4293		53.00
4374		54.00
4455		55.00
4536		56.00
4617		57.00
4698		58.00
4779		59.00
4860		60.00
4941		61.00
5022		62.00
5103		63.00
5184		64.00
5265		65.00
5346		66.00
5427		67.00
5508		68.00
5589		69.00
5670		70.00
5751		71.00
5832		72.00
5913		73.00
5994		74.00
6075		75.00
6156		76.00
6237		77.00
6318		78.00
6399		79.00
6480		80.00
6561		81.00
6642		82.00
6723		83.00
6804		84.00
6885		85.00
6966		86.00
7047		87.00
7128		88.00
7209		89.00
7290		90.00
7371		91.00
7452		92.00
7533		93.00
7614		94.00
7695		95.00
7776		96.00
7857		97.00
7938		98.00
8019		99.00
8100		100.00
any amount in excess of
8100		100.00

(d) For a defined benefit relief association in which the governing bylaws provide for a
lump-sum service pension to a retiring member, the maximum lump-sum service pension
amount for each year of service credited that may be provided for in the bylaws is the greater
of the service pension amount provided for in the bylaws on the date of the calculation of
the average amount of the available financing per active covered firefighter or the maximum
service pension figure corresponding to the average amount of available financing per active
covered firefighter for the applicable specified period:

Minimum Average Amount of Available Financing per Firefighter		Maximum Lump-Sum Service Pension Amount Payable for Each Year of Service
$ ...		$ 10
11		20
16		30
23		40
27		50
32		60
43		80
54		100
65		120
77		140
86		160
97		180
108		200
131		240
151		280
173		320
194		360
216		400
239		440
259		480
281		520
302		560
324		600
347		640
367		680
389		720
410		760
432		800
486		900
540		1000
594		1100
648		1200
702		1300
756		1400
810		1500
864		1600
918		1700
972		1800
1026		1900
1080		2000
1134		2100
1188		2200
1242		2300
1296		2400
1350		2500
1404		2600
1458		2700
1512		2800
1566		2900
1620		3000
1672		3100
1726		3200
1753		3250
1780		3300
1820		3375
1834		3400
1888		3500
1942		3600
1996		3700
2023		3750
2050		3800
2104		3900
2158		4000
2212		4100
2265		4200
2319		4300
2373		4400
2427		4500
2481		4600
2535		4700
2589		4800
2643		4900
2697		5000
2751		5100
2805		5200
2859		5300
2913		5400
2967		5500
3021		5600
3075		5700
3129		5800
3183		5900
3237		6000
3291		6100
3345		6200
3399		6300
3453		6400
3507		6500
3561		6600
3615		6700
3669		6800
3723		6900
3777		7000
3831		7100
3885		7200
3939		7300
3993		7400
4047		7500
4101		7600
4155		7700
4209		7800
4263		7900
4317		8000
4371		8100
4425		8200
4479		8300
4533		8400
4587		8500
4641		8600
4695		8700
4749		8800
4803		8900
4857		9000
4911		9100
4965		9200
5019		9300
5073		9400
5127		9500
5181		9600
5235		9700
5289		9800
5343		9900
5397		10,000
5451		10,100
5505		10,200
5559		10,300
5613		10,400
5667		10,500
5721		10,600
5775		10,700
5829		10,800
5883		10,900
5937		11,000
5991		11,100
6045		11,200
6099		11,300
6153		11,400
6207		11,500
6261		11,600
6315		11,700
6369		11,800
6423		11,900
6477		12,000
6531		12,100
6585		12,200
6639		12,300
6693		12,400
6747		12,500
6801		12,600
6855		12,700
6909		12,800
6963		12,900
7017		13,000
7071		13,100
7125		13,200
7179		13,300
7233		13,400
7287		13,500
7341		13,600
7395		13,700
7449		13,800
7503		13,900
7557		14,000
7311		14,100
7665		14,200
7719		14,300
7773		14,400
7827		14,500
7881		14,600
7935		14,700
7989		14,800
8043		14,900
8097		15,000
any amount in excess of
5397 8097		10,000 15,000

(e) For a defined benefit relief association in which the governing bylaws provide for a
monthly benefit service pension as an alternative form of service pension payment to a
lump-sum service pension, the maximum service pension amount for each pension payment
type must be determined using the applicable table contained in this subdivision.

(f) If a defined benefit relief association establishes a service pension in compliance
with the applicable maximum contained in paragraph (c) or (d) and the minimum average
amount of available financing per active covered firefighter is subsequently reduced because
of a reduction in fire state aid or because of an increase in the number of active firefighters,
the relief association may continue to provide the prior service pension amount specified
in its bylaws, but may not increase the service pension amount until the minimum average
amount of available financing per firefighter under the table in paragraph (c) or (d), whichever
applies, permits.

(g) No defined benefit relief association is authorized to provide a service pension in an
amount greater than the largest applicable flexible service pension maximum amount even
if the amount of available financing per firefighter is greater than the financing amount
associated with the largest applicable flexible service pension maximum.

(h) The method of calculating service pensions must be applied uniformly for all years
of active service. Credit must be given for all years of active service except for caps on
service credit if so provided in the bylaws of the relief association.

EFFECTIVE DATE.

This section is effective January 1, 2021.

Sec. 2. REPEALER.

Laws 2018, chapter 211, article 14, section 29, is repealed.

EFFECTIVE DATE.

This section is effective January 1, 2021.

APPENDIX

Repealed Minnesota Session Laws: 20-7185

Laws 2018, chapter 211, article 14, section 29

Sec. 29. CERTAIN VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS RELIEF ASSOCIATION SERVICE PENSIONS.

(a) As used in this section, "qualifying volunteer firefighters relief association" means a volunteer firefighters relief association with a funding ratio of greater than 100 percent as of the most recent fiscal year end, and which provides a lump sum pension benefit based on a lump sum pension amount equal to $9,500 or more, as of the effective date of this section. For purposes of this section, "qualifying volunteer firefighters relief association" does not include an association whose maximum lump-sum pension amount is specifically established by other provisions of this bill.

(b) Notwithstanding any provision of Minnesota Statutes, section 424A.02, subdivision 3, paragraph (d), to the contrary, the maximum lump-sum pension amount for each year of service credited that may be provided for in the bylaws of a qualifying volunteer firefighters relief association is the maximum service pension figure corresponding to the average amount of available financing per active covered firefighter for the applicable specified period:

Minimum Average Amount of Available Financing per Firefighter		Maximum Lump-Sum Service Pension Amount Payable for Each Year of Service
$ ...		$ 10
11		20
16		30
23		40
27		50
32		60
43		80
54		100
65		120
77		140
86		160
97		180
108		200
131		240
151		280
173		320
194		360
216		400
239		440
259		480
281		520
302		560
324		600
347		640
367		680
389		720
410		760
432		800
486		900
540		1000
594		1100
648		1200
702		1300
756		1400
810		1500
864		1600
918		1700
972		1800
1026		1900
1080		2000
1134		2100
1188		2200
1242		2300
1296		2400
1350		2500
1404		2600
1458		2700
1512		2800
1566		2900
1620		3000
1672		3100
1726		3200
1753		3250
1780		3300
1820		3375
1834		3400
1888		3500
1942		3600
1996		3700
2023		3750
2050		3800
2104		3900
2158		4000
2212		4100
2265		4200
2319		4300
2373		4400
2427		4500
2481		4600
2535		4700
2589		4800
2643		4900
2697		5000
2751		5100
2805		5200
2859		5300
2913		5400
2967		5500
3021		5600
3075		5700
3129		5800
3183		5900
3237		6000
3291		6100
3345		6200
3399		6300
3453		6400
3507		6500
3561		6600
3615		6700
3669		6800
3723		6900
3777		7000
3831		7100
3885		7200
3939		7300
3993		7400
4047		7500
4101		7600
4155		7700
4209		7800
4263		7900
4317		8000
4371		8100
4425		8200
4479		8300
4533		8400
4587		8500
4641		8600
4695		8700
4749		8800
4803		8900
4857		9000
4911		9100
4965		9200
5019		9300
5073		9400
5127		9500
5181		9600
5235		9700
5289		9800
5343		9900
5397		10,000
5451		10,100
5505		10,200
5559		10,300
5613		10,400
5667		10,500
5721		10,600
5775		10,700
5729		10,800
5883		10,900
5937		11,000
5991		11,100
6045		11,200
6099		11,300
6153		11,400
6207		11,500
6261		11,600
6315		11,700
6369		11,800
6423		11,900
6477		12,000
6531		12,100
6585		12,200
6639		12,300
6693		12,400
6747		12,500
any amount in excess of 6747		12,500

(c) The maximum monthly service pension amount per month for each year of service credited that may be provided for in the bylaws of the volunteer firefighters relief association must be set pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 424A.02, subdivision 3, paragraph (c).

EFFECTIVE DATE.

This section is effective the day following final enactment.