SF 4464
Introduction - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)
Posted on 04/08/2026 09:10 a.m.
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A bill for an act
relating to retirement; continued health insurance coverage for peace officers and
firefighters disabled in the line of duty; modifying eligibility to receive continued
health insurance coverage for which the employer must pay the employer
contribution; amending Minnesota Statutes 2025 Supplement, section 299A.465,
subdivision 1.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Section 1.
Minnesota Statutes 2025 Supplement, section 299A.465, subdivision 1, is
amended to read:
Subdivision 1.
new text begin Peace new text end officer or firefighter disabled in line of duty.
(a) This subdivision
applies to any peace officer or firefighter:
(1) who the Public Employees Retirement Association or the Minnesota State Retirement
System determines is eligible to receive a duty disability benefit pursuant to section 353.656
or 352B.10, subdivision 1, respectively; deleted text begin or
deleted text end
new text begin
(2) who does not qualify to receive a duty disability benefit by operation of the eligibility
requirement under section 353.656, subdivision 1, paragraph (b), clause (2); or
new text end
deleted text begin (2)deleted text end new text begin (3)new text end who is a member of a local police or salaried firefighters relief association and
qualifies for a duty disability benefit under the terms of plans of the relief associations, and
the peace officer or firefighter has discontinued public service as a peace officer or firefighter
as a result of a disabling injury and has been determined, by the Public Employees Retirement
Association, to have otherwise met the duty disability criteria set forth in section 353.01,
subdivision 41.
(b) new text begin If a peace officer or firefighter described in paragraph (a), clause (2), wishes to
receive continued health insurance coverage under this section, the peace officer or firefighter
must submit a request for coverage to the executive director of the Public Employees
Retirement Association. new text end Determinations made in accordance with paragraph (a) are binding
on the peace officer or firefighter, employer, and state. The determination must be made by
the executive director of the Public Employees Retirement Association or by the executive
director of the Minnesota State Retirement System, whichever applies, and is not subject
to section 356.96, subdivision 2. Upon making a determination, the executive director must
provide written notice to the peace officer or firefighter and the employer. The notice must
include a written statement of the reasons for the determination. If the notice is from the
executive director of the Minnesota State Retirement System, the notice must also include:
(1) a notice that the deleted text begin persondeleted text end new text begin peace officer or firefighternew text end may petition for a review of the
determination by requesting that a contested case be initiated before the Office of
Administrative Hearings, the cost of which must be borne by the peace officer or firefighter
and the employer; and
(2) a statement that any deleted text begin persondeleted text end new text begin peace officer or firefighternew text end who does not petition for a
review within 60 days is precluded from contesting issues determined by the executive
director in any other administrative review or court procedure.
If, prior to the contested case hearing, additional information is provided to support the
claim for duty disability as defined in section 352B.011, subdivision 7, the executive director
may reverse the determination without the requested hearing. If a hearing is held before the
Office of Administrative Hearings, the determination rendered by the judge conducting the
fact-finding hearing is a final decision and order under section 14.62, subdivision 2a, and
is binding on the applicable executive director, the peace officer or firefighter, employer,
and state. Review of a final determination made by the Office of Administrative Hearings
under this section may only be obtained by writ of certiorari to the Minnesota Court of
Appeals under sections 14.63 to 14.68. Only the peace officer or firefighter, employer, and
state have standing to participate in a judicial review of the decision of the Office of
Administrative Hearings.
(c) The new text begin peace new text end officer's or firefighter's employer must continue to provide health coverage
and pay for the coverage as required by paragraphs (d) to (g) for:
(1) the new text begin peace new text end officer or firefighter; and
(2) the new text begin peace new text end officer's or firefighter's dependents if the new text begin peace new text end officer or firefighter was
receiving dependent coverage at the time of the injury under the employer's group health
plan.
new text begin
(d) If a peace officer or firefighter satisfies clause (1), (2), or (3), the employer is
responsible for the continued payment of the employer's contribution for health insurance
coverage of the peace officer or firefighter and, if applicable, the peace officer's or
firefighter's dependents until the peace officer or firefighter reaches age 65 or, if deceased,
would have reached age 65, even if the peace officer's or firefighter's disability benefits
have ceased under section 353.656, subdivision 5a, paragraph (b):
new text end
deleted text begin (d) For andeleted text end new text begin (1) the peace new text end officer or firefighter deleted text begin whodeleted text end has applied for deleted text begin ordeleted text end new text begin ,new text end been approved to
receive deleted text begin benefitsdeleted text end new text begin , or is receiving benefitsnew text end under section 353.656 deleted text begin prior to the date of enactment
or andeleted text end new text begin before May 24, 2025;
new text end
new text begin (2) the peacenew text end officer or firefighter deleted text begin who appliesdeleted text end new text begin has appliednew text end for deleted text begin and isdeleted text end new text begin , beennew text end approved fornew text begin ,
or is receivingnew text end total and permanent duty disability benefits under section 353.656, subdivision
1adeleted text begin , the employer is responsible for the continued payment of the employer's contribution
for health coverage of the officer or firefighter and, if applicable, the officer's or firefighter's
dependents. Coverage must continue for the officer or firefighter and, if applicable, the
officer's or firefighter's dependents until the officer or firefighter reaches age 65 or, if
deceased, would have reached age 65.deleted text end new text begin ; or
new text end
new text begin
(3) on or after May 24, 2025, the peace officer or firefighter has applied for, been
approved to receive, or is receiving benefits under section 353.656 for a duty disability that
is not based solely on a psychological condition as defined in section 353.032, subdivision
1.
new text end
(e) For deleted text begin andeleted text end new text begin a peace new text end officer or firefighter approved to receive benefits under section 353.656
on or after deleted text begin the date of enactment anddeleted text end new text begin May 24, 2025,new text end who is not approved for total and
permanent duty disability benefits under section 353.656, subdivision 1a, new text begin and who is not a
peace officer or firefighter described in paragraph (d), clause (3), new text end the employer is responsible
for the continued payment of the employer's contribution for health coverage of the new text begin peace
new text end officer or firefighter and, if applicable, the new text begin peace new text end officer's or firefighter's dependentsdeleted text begin .
Coverage must continuedeleted text end new text begin as followsnew text end :
(1) for the new text begin peace new text end officer or firefighter for a period of 60 months or, if earlier, until the
new text begin peace new text end officer or firefighter reaches age 65; and
(2) for the new text begin peace new text end officer's or firefighter's dependents for a period of 60 months.
(f) For deleted text begin andeleted text end new text begin a peace new text end officer or firefighter who has applied for or been approved to receive
benefits under section 352B.10, subdivision 1, the employer is responsible for the continued
payment of the employer's contribution for health coverage of the new text begin peace new text end officer or firefighter
and, if applicable, the new text begin peace new text end officer's or firefighter's dependents. Coverage must continue
for the new text begin peace new text end officer or firefighter and, if applicable, the new text begin peace new text end officer's or firefighter's
dependents until the new text begin peace new text end officer or firefighter reaches age 65 or, if deceased, would have
reached age 65.
(g) The employer is not required to continue health coverage for dependents after the
person is no longer a dependent.
(h) deleted text begin Andeleted text end new text begin A peacenew text end officer or firefighter who has applied for or been approved to receive
benefits under section 353.656 may affirmatively waive health coverage under this section
but must not receive any payment or other consideration from the employer in exchange
for waiver of the coverage. Any agreement entered into between deleted text begin andeleted text end new text begin a peacenew text end officer or
firefighter who has applied for or been approved to receive benefits under section 353.656
and the new text begin peace new text end officer's or firefighter's employer or the employer's agent providing for
compensation for a waiver of coverage under this section is void. Nothing in this subdivision
shall be construed to render void any agreement entered into prior to the date of enactment.
(i) Once a duty disability determination is made pursuant to section 353.656, the employer
has no right to challenge and is prohibited from challenging the continuation and payment
of health coverage under this section.
new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end
new text begin
This section is effective retroactively from May 24, 2025.
new text end