SF 4625
Introduction - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)
Posted on 03/24/2026 10:15 a.m.
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A bill for an act
relating to local government; updating terminology related to Ramsey County
human resources personnel structure; adjusting certain positions to unclassified
service for consistency with other similar positions; repealing obsolete language;
making technical changes; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 383A.281,
subdivision 13; 383A.283, subdivisions 2, 3; 383A.284, subdivisions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5;
383A.285, subdivisions 2, 3, 4, 5, 10; 383A.286, subdivisions 2, 3; 383A.288,
subdivisions 5, 6; 383A.289, subdivisions 1, 3; 383A.291, subdivision 1a;
383A.292, subdivisions 1, 2; 383A.294, subdivision 6; 383A.295, subdivisions 1,
2; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 383A.298; 383A.301.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Section 1.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.281, subdivision 13, is amended to
read:
Subd. 13.
County personnel system.
"County personnel system" means all employees
in the departments or agencies of county government or joint city and county agencies which
receive their funding in whole or in part from the county board, including employees ofnew text begin the
following, but excluding other employees not subject to a county personnel system because
of state lawnew text end :
deleted text begin (a)deleted text end new text begin (1)new text end elected officials;
deleted text begin (b)deleted text end new text begin (2)new text end the Saint Paul-Ramsey Medical Center Commission; and
deleted text begin (c)deleted text end new text begin (3)new text end the deleted text begin court administrator of district court;deleted text end new text begin Examiner of Titles.
new text end
deleted text begin
but not including:
deleted text end
deleted text begin
(1) district court judges;
deleted text end
deleted text begin
(2) court reporters, law clerks, referees employed by the district court, and the Second
Judicial District administrator's office;
deleted text end
deleted text begin
(3) court commissioners;
deleted text end
deleted text begin
(4) the public defender;
deleted text end
deleted text begin
(5) employees of the Examiner of Titles, Agricultural Extension Service, Humane Society,
Historical Society, and Soil and Water Conservation District; and
deleted text end
deleted text begin
(6) other employees not subject to a county personnel system because of state law.
deleted text end
Sec. 2.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.283, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2.
deleted text begin Directordeleted text end new text begin Chief human resources officernew text end .
The deleted text begin directordeleted text end new text begin chief human resources
officernew text end shall be appointed by the Ramsey County deleted text begin executive directordeleted text end new text begin county managernew text end , on
the basis of merit and fitness as a result of a competitive examination, subject to the approval
of the county board. The deleted text begin directordeleted text end new text begin chief human resources officernew text end shall be in the deleted text begin classifieddeleted text end new text begin
unclassifiednew text end service deleted text begin and shall report directly to and be supervised by the Ramsey County
executive directordeleted text end .
Sec. 3.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.283, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3.
Responsibilities.
The new text begin chief new text end human resources deleted text begin directordeleted text end new text begin officernew text end shall provide
personnel management services and assistance to all county departments, enforce any
personnel rules and regulations adopted by the county board, and carry out the responsibilities
set forth in sections 383A.281 to 383A.301.
Sec. 4.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.284, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1.
Rulemaking.
The new text begin chief new text end human resources deleted text begin directordeleted text end new text begin officernew text end shall prepare
rules to implement the provisions of sections 383A.281 to 383A.301. The rules shall be
effective upon approval by the county board. Prior to approval, the county board shall hold
a public hearing on the proposed rules after giving notice to county departments, employees,
affected labor organizations, and the public. The rules approved by the county board shall
have the force and effect of law. The rules may be amended or repealed in the same manner
as originally adopted.
Sec. 5.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.284, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2.
Collective bargaining.
The deleted text begin executive directordeleted text end new text begin county managernew text end or the deleted text begin director'sdeleted text end new text begin
county manager'snew text end designee shall be the chief labor negotiator for the county. The deleted text begin executive
directordeleted text end new text begin county managernew text end may, as necessary and at discretion, include department heads of
affected departments in the labor negotiation process. The deleted text begin executive directordeleted text end new text begin county managernew text end
shall recommend to the county board for its final approval all collective bargaining
agreements. To the extent they are covered by a collective bargaining agreement, the
compensation, term, and conditions of employment for all employees represented by an
exclusive representative certified pursuant to chapter 179A shall be governed by the collective
bargaining agreement executed by the county board and the parties and it shall supersede
any rule or administrative procedure adopted pursuant to sections 383A.281 to 383A.301,
unless a provision of the agreement is found to violate other state or federal law.
Sec. 6.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.284, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3.
deleted text begin Payroll voucher certificationdeleted text end new text begin Payrolls approvednew text end .
The deleted text begin director ofdeleted text end new text begin chiefnew text end human
resources new text begin officer new text end or the deleted text begin director'sdeleted text end new text begin officer'snew text end authorized agent shall be responsible for
deleted text begin certification of the payroll vouchers that thedeleted text end new text begin payment of salary or compensation ofnew text end persons
deleted text begin named in them have beendeleted text end appointed and employed in accordance with the provisions of
sections 383A.281 to 383A.301 and the rules under sections 383A.281 to 383A.301. deleted text begin No
Ramsey County disbursing or auditingdeleted text end new text begin The chief human resourcesnew text end officer new text begin or the officer's
authorized agent new text end shall deleted text begin make or approve or take part in making or approving payment for
personal service todeleted text end new text begin not certify a payroll item fornew text end a person holding a position in county service
unless the deleted text begin payroll voucher or account for the amount bears the certification of the director
or the authorized agentdeleted text end new text begin person has been appointed and employed in accordance with the
provisions of sections 383A.281 to 383.301 and the rules under sections 383A.281 to
383A.301new text end .
Sec. 7.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.284, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
Subd. 4.
Evaluation; report.
The county board shall establish performance indicators
and annually monitor the performance of the personnel management system in the county.
The new text begin chief new text end human resources deleted text begin directordeleted text end new text begin officernew text end shall periodically review and evaluate current
and future staff needs of all county departments, job classes and descriptions, training and
development, and internal and market comparability of all classification and salary schedules
and report to the county board on these and other personnel management areas, as requested.
Sec. 8.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.284, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
Subd. 5.
Review appointments.
Prior to each new appointment to the county personnel
system, the new text begin chief new text end human resources deleted text begin directordeleted text end new text begin officernew text end shall certify that the person has been
appointed in accordance with sections 383A.281 to 383A.301 and applicable rules and
regulations.
Sec. 9.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.285, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2.
Classification plan.
The new text begin chief new text end human resources deleted text begin directordeleted text end new text begin officernew text end shall maintain,
revise, and administer a classification and salary plan.
Sec. 10.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.285, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3.
Classification of positions.
The new text begin chief new text end human resources deleted text begin directordeleted text end new text begin officernew text end shall
place each position in the classified service in an appropriate class in the classification plan
or in a new class to be created, if appropriate. If a class is unique to a department, the new text begin chief
new text end human resources deleted text begin directordeleted text end new text begin officernew text end shall consult the head of that department before classifying
the unique positions.
Sec. 11.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.285, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
Subd. 4.
Appeal from classification or reclassification.
An appointing authority or an
employee affected by a classification or reclassification of a position may protest the action
in writing to the human resources director. The new text begin chief new text end human resources deleted text begin directordeleted text end new text begin officernew text end shall
review the classification or reclassification and may change the decision. Neither the
appointing authority nor the employee shall have any further right to appeal a decision
regarding a classification or reclassification to the Personnel Review Board.
Sec. 12.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.285, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
Subd. 5.
Study; implementation.
The new text begin chief new text end human resources deleted text begin directordeleted text end new text begin officernew text end shall
complete a reclassification study within 60 days after receiving a reclassification request.
The appointing authority shall implement the personnel changes required by the
reclassification decision in a timely manner and qualifications for reclassified positions
shall be reasonably commensurate with the requirements of the position.
Sec. 13.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.285, subdivision 10, is amended to read:
Subd. 10.
Unclassifying positions.
An employee in the classified service with permanent
tenure, who is an incumbent of a position which becomes unclassified and is not appointed
to or is removed from the unclassified position, shall be transferred by the new text begin chief new text end human
resources deleted text begin directordeleted text end new text begin officernew text end to a classified position within the same department comparable
to the unclassified position. If a comparable position is unavailable, the person shall be
transferred by the deleted text begin directordeleted text end new text begin chief human resources officernew text end to a classified position comparable
to that held immediately prior to being appointed to the position which was unclassified. If
the employee held an unclassified position with the same agency before being appointed to
the classified position that is unclassified, the person shall be transferred by the deleted text begin directordeleted text end new text begin
chief human resources officernew text end to a classified position comparable to the classified position
next in rank below the position that is unclassified. The employee's salary shall not be less
than it was in the position which was unclassified, but it may be frozen until it is
commensurate with the class and grade of the position to which the employee was transferred.
Sec. 14.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.286, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2.
Unclassified positions.
The following positions shall be in the unclassified
service:
deleted text begin (a)deleted text end new text begin (1)new text end positions held by elected officials or persons appointed to fill an elected office;
deleted text begin (b) one assistantdeleted text end new text begin (2) assistantsnew text end for each elected official;
deleted text begin (c)deleted text end new text begin (3)new text end the director or principal administrative officer of a department of county
government or agency created by lawdeleted text begin , except that the affirmative action officer, human
resources director, internal auditor, and director of budgeting and accounting shall be
positions in the classified servicedeleted text end ;
deleted text begin
(d) doctors, residents, and student nurses employed by the county or county agency;
deleted text end
deleted text begin (e)deleted text end new text begin (4)new text end members of a board or commission appointed by the county, or the county and
the city, and acting in an advisory capacity;
deleted text begin (f)deleted text end new text begin (5)new text end weed inspectorsdeleted text begin , election judges, or election clerksdeleted text end ;
deleted text begin
(g) special police officers or special deputy sheriffs serving without pay;
deleted text end
deleted text begin
(h) judges, court administrators, court reporters, receivers, referees, the examiner or
assistant examiners of titles, public defenders, arbiters, jurors, court administrator of district
court, or persons appointed by the district court to make or conduct a special inquiry of a
judicial or temporary character;
deleted text end
deleted text begin (i)deleted text end new text begin (6)new text end all positions in the Second Judicial District administrator's office;
deleted text begin (j)deleted text end new text begin (7)new text end the deleted text begin executive directordeleted text end new text begin county managernew text end and deleted text begin eightdeleted text end principal assistants;
deleted text begin
(k) the chief executive officer of the medical center and seven principal assistants;
deleted text end
deleted text begin
(l) interns, student workers, law clerks, or other employees employed for a limited
duration as determined by the county board;
deleted text end
deleted text begin (m)deleted text end new text begin (8)new text end positions designated by the county board as unclassified pursuant to subdivision
3;
deleted text begin (n)deleted text end new text begin (9)new text end the sheriff, the sheriff's chief deputy, deleted text begin threedeleted text end principal assistants, and deleted text begin adeleted text end personal
deleted text begin secretarydeleted text end new text begin secretariesnew text end ; and
deleted text begin (o)deleted text end new text begin (10)new text end the county attorney, the county attorney's first assistant, deleted text begin onedeleted text end principal deleted text begin assistantdeleted text end new text begin
assistantsnew text end , and deleted text begin adeleted text end personal deleted text begin secretarydeleted text end new text begin secretariesnew text end .
Sec. 15.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.286, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3.
Unclassified positions authorized by county board.
new text begin (a) new text end The county board
may designate additional positions in the unclassified service if the following criteria are
met:
deleted text begin (a)deleted text end new text begin (1)new text end designation of the position is not contrary to the provisions of other law relating
specifically to that department;
deleted text begin (b)deleted text end new text begin (2)new text end the person occupying the position of supervisor or a department assistant would
report directly to the department head and would be designated as part of the department
head's management team; and
deleted text begin (c)deleted text end new text begin (3)new text end the duties of the position involve significant discretion and substantial involvement
in the development, interpretation, and implementation of department policy.
new text begin (b) new text end The new text begin chief new text end human resources deleted text begin directordeleted text end new text begin officernew text end shall certify whether the designation is
consistent or inconsistent with the standards and criteria in this section. The county board
may appeal certification decisions to the Personnel Review Board.
Sec. 16.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.288, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
Subd. 5.
Waiver of competitive examinations.
The new text begin chief new text end human resources deleted text begin directordeleted text end new text begin
officernew text end shall establish a procedure and a definition of the criteria for the selection and referral
of qualified applicants to fill positions in routine service classifications involving unskilled
tasks. Applicants to fill vacancies in the classifications shall be exempt from ranking and
certification. The deleted text begin directordeleted text end new text begin chief human resources officernew text end shall refer all qualified applicants
to the appointing authority having vacancies in the appropriate classifications.
Sec. 17.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.288, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
Subd. 6.
Classified managerial positions.
The new text begin chief new text end human resources deleted text begin directordeleted text end new text begin officernew text end
shall establish criteria for the designation of positions in the classified service as managerial
positions where the duties involve significant discretion and substantial involvement in the
development, interpretation, and implementation of departmental and county policy. The
new text begin chief new text end human resources deleted text begin directordeleted text end new text begin officernew text end shall designate those classified positions that meet
these criteria in consultation with interested parties, including bargaining units certified
pursuant to chapter 179A representing Ramsey County employees. Classified positions, so
designated, shall be exempt from the examination and certification requirements of this
section, and the provisions of section 383A.289, and shall be filled by means of an open
application and screening process.
Sec. 18.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.289, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1.
General.
The new text begin chief new text end human resources deleted text begin directordeleted text end new text begin officernew text end shall prepare eligible
lists as provided in this section.
Sec. 19.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.289, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3.
Term of eligibility.
The term of eligibility of eligibles on lists shall be
determined by the new text begin chief new text end human resources deleted text begin directordeleted text end new text begin officernew text end .
Sec. 20.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.291, subdivision 1a, is amended to read:
Subd. 1a.
Under county rules.
Upon request of the appointing authority, the new text begin chief new text end human
resources deleted text begin directordeleted text end new text begin officernew text end shall certify eligibles in accordance with rules adopted under
section 383A.284, subdivision 1.
Sec. 21.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.292, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1.
Temporary appointments.
The new text begin chief new text end human resources deleted text begin directordeleted text end new text begin officernew text end
may authorize the appointing authority to make a temporary appointment of not more than
six months in any 12-month period. When practicable, the human resources director may
certify any qualified eligible from an eligible list for the temporary appointment, but may
authorize the appointment of any person deemed qualified by the appointing authority.
Sec. 22.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.292, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2.
Provisional appointments.
The new text begin chief new text end human resources deleted text begin directordeleted text end new text begin officernew text end may
authorize the appointing authority to make a provisional appointment for a position for
which there is no eligible list for a period of time determined by the human resources director
not to exceed six months.
Sec. 23.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.294, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
Subd. 6.
Production of documents.
The new text begin chief new text end human resources deleted text begin directordeleted text end new text begin officernew text end may
make a written request to an employee to produce relevant documents or to a person to
appear for the purpose of giving relevant oral statements or testimony relating to a
disciplinary action of an employee. An employee who is the subject of a disciplinary action
may make a written request to the new text begin chief new text end human resources deleted text begin directordeleted text end new text begin officernew text end for the production
of relevant documents or for the appearance of a person to give relevant oral statements or
testimony relating to the disciplinary action. The request for the appearance of a person
may be to appear and testify at a hearing of the Personnel Review Board or to appear at a
specified place to give an oral statement prior to a hearing of the Personnel Review Board.
The new text begin chief new text end human resources deleted text begin directordeleted text end new text begin officernew text end , or the employee upon receipt of a request for
production of relevant documents, shall furnish the requesting party the documents within
ten days of receipt of the written request. A person to whom a request for an appearance
has been made shall appear at the time and place designated in the request. If a party to
whom a request for relevant documents has been made fails to furnish the documents to the
requesting party within ten days of receipt of the request, the requesting party may make
an application to the district court for a determination that the refusal to produce the
documents was unreasonable. If a person to whom a request for appearance has been made
fails to appear at the time and place designated in the request, the party making the request
for appearance may make an application to the district court for a determination that the
failure to appear was unreasonable. If the district court determines that a failure to produce
requested documents or to appear was unreasonable, it may assess costs not exceeding $100
to the requesting party against the refusing party or person.
Sec. 24.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.295, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1.
Benefits.
The new text begin chief new text end human resources deleted text begin directordeleted text end new text begin officernew text end shall have the
authority to set hours of employment, sick leave, vacation leave, leave of absence without
pay, health insurance, life insurance, and other fringe benefits for employees in the classified
and unclassified service subject to the approval of the county board and in accordance with
the law.
Sec. 25.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.295, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2.
Layoffs.
The new text begin chief new text end human resources deleted text begin directordeleted text end new text begin officernew text end shall adopt rules and
regulations providing for the layoff and reemployment of employees on the basis of the
employee's seniority.
Sec. 26. new text begin REPEALER.
new text end
new text begin
Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 383A.298; and 383A.301,
new text end
new text begin
are repealed.
new text end
Sec. 27. new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE.
new text end
new text begin
This act is effective the day after the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners and the
county's chief clerical officer comply with Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021, subdivisions
2 and 3.
new text end
APPENDIX
Repealed Minnesota Statutes: 26-07690
383A.298 TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS.
All employees of the Civil Service Department shall be transferred to the Human Resources Department. All members of the Civil Service Commission shall be members of the Personnel Review Board and serve until their current term expires and a successor is appointed.
383A.301 STATUS OF PRESENT EMPLOYEES.
Each person holding a position with the county of Ramsey who has acquired permanent tenure or who was serving a probationary period on the effective date of sections 383A.281 to 383A.301 retains the position, seniority date, and accrued benefits.