1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to state government; proposing early separation incentives for employees 
1.3 	of the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. IRON RANGE RESOURCES AND REHABILITATION BOARD; 
1.6 	EARLY SEPARATION INCENTIVE PROGRAM AUTHORIZATION.
 1.7 	(a) "Commissioner" as used in this section means the commissioner of the Iron 
1.8 	Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board unless otherwise specified.
1.9 	(b) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the commissioner, in consultation 
1.10 	with the commissioner of management and budget, shall offer a targeted early separation 
1.11 	incentive program for employees of the commissioner who have attained the age of 60 
1.12 	years or who have received credit for at least 30 years of allowable service under the 
1.13 	provisions of Minnesota Statutes, chapter 352.  The commissioner shall also offer a 
1.14 	targeted separation incentive program for employees of the commissioner whose positions 
1.15 	are in support of operations at Giants Ridge and will be eliminated if the agency no longer 
1.16 	directly manages Giants Ridge operations.
1.17 	(c) The early separation incentive program may include one or more of the following:
1.18 	(1) employer-paid postseparation health, medical, and dental insurance until age 
1.19 	65; and
1.20 	(2) cash incentives that may, but are not required to be, used to purchase additional 
1.21 	years of service credit through the Minnesota State Retirement System, to the extent that 
1.22 	the purchases are otherwise authorized by law.
1.23 	(d) The commissioner shall establish eligibility requirements for employees to 
1.24 	receive an incentive.
2.1 	(e) The commissioner, consistent with the established program provisions under 
2.2 	paragraph (b), and with the eligibility requirements under paragraph (f), may designate 
2.3 	specific programs or employees as eligible to be offered the incentive program.
2.4 	(f) Acceptance of the offered incentive must be voluntary on the part of the 
2.5 	employee and must be in writing. The incentive may only be offered at the sole discretion 
2.6 	of the commissioner.
2.7 	(g) The cost of the incentive is payable solely by funds made available to the 
2.8 	commissioner by law, but only on prior approval of the expenditures by a majority of the 
2.9 	members of the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board.
2.10 	(h) Unilateral implementation of this section by the commissioner is not an unfair 
2.11 	labor practice under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 179A.

2.12 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment. 
2.13 	This section is repealed April 2, 2017.