1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to retirement; providing for a mid-year effective date for joining the Public 
1.3 	Employees Retirement Association statewide volunteer firefighter plan for the 
1.4 	Hamel Volunteer Fire Department Relief Association and the Loretto Firefighters 
1.5 	Relief Association; authorizing the Public Employees Retirement Association to 
1.6 	merge the assets and liabilities related to retirement benefits for firefighters in the 
1.7 	merged Hamel and Loretto fire departments.
1.8 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.9 	Section 1. STATEWIDE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER PLAN COVERAGE FOR 
1.10 	HAMEL AND LORETTO FIREFIGHTERS; MERGER OF ASSETS AND 
1.11 	LIABILITIES.
 1.12 		Subdivision 1.Mid-year effective date for coverage by the statewide volunteer 
1.13 	firefighter plan. (a) If the requirements of paragraph (b) and all other requirements for 
1.14 	coverage by the statewide volunteer firefighter plan under Minnesota Statutes, section 
1.15 	353G.05, are satisfied by the governing boards of the independent nonprofit firefighting 
1.16 	corporation and the affiliated relief associations, the effective date of coverage is as provided 
1.17 	in paragraph (c) or (d), as applicable, notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 353G.05, 
1.18 	subdivision 5, paragraph (c).
1.19 	(b) The Hamel Volunteer Fire Department Relief Association and the Loretto Firefighters 
1.20 	Relief Association must submit to the state auditor detailed investment or financial statements 
1.21 	in a format satisfactory to the state auditor that confirm transfer of all special fund assets 
1.22 	to the State Board of Investment.
1.23 	(c) Coverage of the volunteer firefighters employed by the independent nonprofit 
1.24 	firefighting corporation that operates the fire department that serves the community of 
2.1 	Hamel is effective on the later of the date of approval by the governing board of the 
2.2 	independent nonprofit firefighting corporation or the date of approval by the Board of 
2.3 	Trustees of the Hamel Volunteer Fire Department Relief Association.
2.4 	(d) Coverage of the volunteer firefighters employed by the independent nonprofit 
2.5 	firefighting corporation that operates the fire department that serves the city of Loretto is 
2.6 	effective on the later of the date of approval by the governing board of the independent 
2.7 	nonprofit firefighting corporation or the date of approval by the Board of Trustees of the 
2.8 	Loretto Firefighters Relief Association.
2.9 		Subd. 2.Merger of retirement accounts in the statewide volunteer firefighter plan 
2.10 	for the Hamel and Loretto firefighters. (a) The executive director of the public employees 
2.11 	retirement association must merge the assets and liabilities of the lump-sum retirement plan 
2.12 	account for the fire department that serves the community of Hamel with the assets and 
2.13 	liabilities of the lump-sum retirement plan account for the fire department that serves the 
2.14 	city of Loretto upon receipt of the following:
2.15 	(1) resolutions approved by the governing board of the independent nonprofit firefighting 
2.16 	corporation associated with the fire department that serves the community of Hamel 
2.17 	approving the merger and directing the executive director to merge the lump-sum plan 
2.18 	accounts and take any other action determined necessary by the executive director to 
2.19 	effectuate the merger; and
2.20 	(2) resolutions approved by the governing board of the independent nonprofit firefighting 
2.21 	corporation associated with the fire department that serves the city of Loretto approving the 
2.22 	merger and directing the executive director to merge the lump-sum plan accounts and take 
2.23 	any other action determined necessary by the executive director to effectuate the merger.
2.24 	(b) The executive director is authorized to take whatever actions deemed necessary to 
2.25 	effectuate the merger, notwithstanding any state laws to the contrary.

2.26 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.