1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to employee benefits; providing that 
  1.3             Minnesota Humanities Commission employees are eligible 
  1.4             for certain state benefit programs; amending Minnesota 
  1.5             Statutes 2003 Supplement, section 43A.24, subdivision 
  1.6             2. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2003 Supplement, section 
  1.9   43A.24, subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  1.10     Subd. 2.  [OTHER ELIGIBLE PERSONS.] The following persons 
  1.11  are eligible for state paid life insurance and hospital, 
  1.12  medical, and dental benefits as determined in applicable 
  1.13  collective bargaining agreements or by the commissioner or by 
  1.14  plans pursuant to section 43A.18, subdivision 6, or by the Board 
  1.15  of Regents for employees of the University of Minnesota not 
  1.16  covered by collective bargaining agreements.  Coverages made 
  1.17  available, including optional coverages, are as contained in the 
  1.18  plan established pursuant to section 43A.18, subdivision 2: 
  1.19     (a) a member of the state legislature, provided that 
  1.20  changes in benefits resulting in increased costs to the state 
  1.21  shall not be effective until expiration of the term of the 
  1.22  members of the existing house of representatives.  An eligible 
  1.23  member of the state legislature may decline to be enrolled for 
  1.24  state paid coverages by filing a written waiver with the 
  1.25  commissioner.  The waiver shall not prohibit the member from 
  1.26  enrolling the member or dependents for optional coverages, 
  2.1   without cost to the state, as provided for in section 43A.26.  A 
  2.2   member of the state legislature who returns from a leave of 
  2.3   absence to a position previously occupied in the civil service 
  2.4   shall be eligible to receive the life insurance and hospital, 
  2.5   medical, and dental benefits to which the position is entitled; 
  2.6      (b) an employee of the legislature or an employee of a 
  2.7   permanent study or interim committee or commission or a state 
  2.8   employee on leave of absence to work for the legislature, during 
  2.9   a regular or special legislative session, as determined by the 
  2.10  Legislative Coordinating Commission; 
  2.11     (c) a judge of the appellate courts or an officer or 
  2.12  employee of these courts; a judge of the district court, a judge 
  2.13  of county court, or a judge of county municipal court; a 
  2.14  district court referee, judicial officer, court reporter, or law 
  2.15  clerk; a district administrator; an employee of the Office of 
  2.16  the District Administrator that is not in the Second or Fourth 
  2.17  Judicial District; a court administrator or employee of the 
  2.18  court administrator in a judicial district under section 
  2.19  480.181, subdivision 1, paragraph (b), and a guardian ad litem 
  2.20  program employee; 
  2.21     (d) a salaried employee of the Public Employees Retirement 
  2.22  Association; 
  2.23     (e) a full-time military or civilian officer or employee in 
  2.24  the unclassified service of the Department of Military Affairs 
  2.25  whose salary is paid from state funds; 
  2.26     (f) a salaried employee of the Minnesota Historical 
  2.27  Society, whether paid from state funds or otherwise, who is not 
  2.28  a member of the governing board; 
  2.29     (g) an employee of the regents of the University of 
  2.30  Minnesota; 
  2.31     (h) notwithstanding section 43A.27, subdivision 3, an 
  2.32  employee of the state of Minnesota or the regents of the 
  2.33  University of Minnesota who is at least 60 and not yet 65 years 
  2.34  of age on July 1, 1982, who is otherwise eligible for employee 
  2.35  and dependent insurance and benefits pursuant to section 43A.18 
  2.36  or other law, who has at least 20 years of service and retires, 
  3.1   earlier than required, within 60 days of March 23, 1982; or an 
  3.2   employee who is at least 60 and not yet 65 years of age on July 
  3.3   1, 1982, who has at least 20 years of state service and retires, 
  3.4   earlier than required, from employment at Rochester state 
  3.5   hospital after July 1, 1981; or an employee who is at least 55 
  3.6   and not yet 65 years of age on July 1, 1982, and is covered by 
  3.7   the Minnesota State Retirement System correctional employee 
  3.8   retirement plan or the State Patrol retirement fund, who has at 
  3.9   least 20 years of state service and retires, earlier than 
  3.10  required, within 60 days of March 23, 1982.  For purposes of 
  3.11  this clause, a person retires when the person terminates active 
  3.12  employment in state or University of Minnesota service and 
  3.13  applies for a retirement annuity.  Eligibility shall cease when 
  3.14  the retired employee attains the age of 65, or when the employee 
  3.15  chooses not to receive the annuity that the employee has applied 
  3.16  for.  The retired employee shall be eligible for coverages to 
  3.17  which the employee was entitled at the time of retirement, 
  3.18  subject to any changes in coverage through collective bargaining 
  3.19  or plans established pursuant to section 43A.18, for employees 
  3.20  in positions equivalent to that from which retired, provided 
  3.21  that the retired employee shall not be eligible for state-paid 
  3.22  life insurance.  Coverages shall be coordinated with relevant 
  3.23  health insurance benefits provided through the federally 
  3.24  sponsored Medicare program; 
  3.25     (i) an employee of an agency of the state of Minnesota 
  3.26  identified through the process provided in this paragraph who is 
  3.27  eligible to retire prior to age 65.  The commissioner and the 
  3.28  exclusive representative of state employees shall enter into 
  3.29  agreements under section 179A.22 to identify employees whose 
  3.30  positions are in programs that are being permanently eliminated 
  3.31  or reduced due to federal or state policies or practices.  
  3.32  Failure to reach agreement identifying these employees is not 
  3.33  subject to impasse procedures provided in chapter 179A.  The 
  3.34  commissioner must prepare a plan identifying eligible employees 
  3.35  not covered by a collective bargaining agreement in accordance 
  3.36  with the process outlined in section 43A.18, subdivisions 2 and 
  4.1   3.  For purposes of this paragraph, a person retires when the 
  4.2   person terminates active employment in state service and applies 
  4.3   for a retirement annuity.  Eligibility ends as provided in the 
  4.4   agreement or plan, but must cease at the end of the month in 
  4.5   which the retired employee chooses not to receive an annuity, or 
  4.6   the employee is eligible for employer-paid health insurance from 
  4.7   a new employer.  The retired employees shall be eligible for 
  4.8   coverages to which they were entitled at the time of retirement, 
  4.9   subject to any changes in coverage through collective bargaining 
  4.10  or plans established under section 43A.18 for employees in 
  4.11  positions equivalent to that from which they retired, provided 
  4.12  that the retired employees shall not be eligible for state-paid 
  4.13  life insurance; 
  4.14     (j) employees of the state Board of Public Defense, with 
  4.15  eligibility determined by the state Board of Public Defense in 
  4.16  consultation with the commissioner of employee relations; and 
  4.17     (k) employees of supporting organizations of Minnesota 
  4.18  Technology, Inc., established after July 1, 2003, under section 
  4.19  116O.05, subdivision 4, as paid for by the supporting 
  4.20  organization; and 
  4.21     (l) employees of the Minnesota Humanities Commission, as 
  4.22  paid for by the commission.