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HF 2604

as introduced - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 04/20/2017 09:25am

KEY: stricken = removed, old language.
underscored = added, new language.
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A bill for an act
relating to retirement; authorizing the transfer of assets and members from the
voluntary statewide volunteer firefighter retirement plan to a volunteer firefighter
relief association; amending Minnesota Statutes 2016, sections 353G.01,
subdivision 9, by adding a subdivision; 353G.03, subdivision 3; 353G.08,
subdivision 3; 353G.11, subdivision 1; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota
Statutes, chapter 353G.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 353G.01, subdivision 9, is amended to read:


Subd. 9.

Municipality.

"Municipality" means a governmental entity specified in section
69.011, subdivision 1, paragraph (b), clauses (1), (2), and (5)deleted text begin .deleted text end new text begin , a city or township that has
entered into a contract with an independent nonprofit firefighting corporation, or a city or
township that has entered into a contract with a joint powers entity established under section
471.59.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 353G.01, is amended by adding a subdivision to
read:


new text begin Subd. 9a. new text end

new text begin Relief association. new text end

new text begin "Relief association" means a volunteer firefighter relief
association established under chapter 424A to which records, assets, and liabilities related
to lump-sum or monthly benefits for active and former firefighters will be transferred from
the retirement fund upon satisfaction of the requirements of section 353G.17.
new text end

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 353G.03, subdivision 3, is amended to read:


Subd. 3.

Composition.

(a) The advisory board consists of deleted text begin eightdeleted text end new text begin ten new text end members.

(b) The advisory board members are:

(1) one representative of Minnesota townships, appointed by the Minnesota Association
of Townships;

(2) two representatives of Minnesota cities, appointed by the League of Minnesota Cities;

(3) one representative of Minnesota fire chiefs, who is a fire chief, appointed by the
Minnesota State Fire Chiefs Association;

(4) two representatives of Minnesota volunteer firefighters, all who are active volunteer
firefighters, one of whom is covered by the lump-sum retirement division and one of whom
is covered by the monthly benefit retirement division, appointed by the Minnesota State
Fire Chiefs Association;

(5) deleted text begin one representativedeleted text end new text begin three representativesnew text end of Minnesota volunteer firefighters who deleted text begin isdeleted text end
new text begin are new text end covered by the lump-sum retirement division, appointed by the Minnesota State Fire
Departments Association; and

(6) one representative of the Office of the State Auditor, designated by the state auditor.

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 353G.08, subdivision 3, is amended to read:


Subd. 3.

Authorized account disbursements.

The assets of a lump-sum retirement
account or of a monthly benefit retirement account of the retirement fund may only be
disbursed for:

(1) the administrative expenses of the retirement plan;

(2) the investment expenses of the retirement fund;

(3) the service pensions payable under section 353G.10, 353G.11, 353G.14, or 353G.15;

(4) the survivor benefits payable under section 353G.12; deleted text begin and
deleted text end

(5) the disability benefit coverage insurance premiums under section 353G.115new text begin ; and
new text end

new text begin (6) a transfer of assets under section 353G.17new text end .

Sec. 5.

Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 353G.11, subdivision 1, is amended to read:


Subdivision 1.

Service pension levels; lump-sum retirement division.

Except as
provided in subdivision 1a, the lump-sum retirement division of the retirement plan provides
the following levels of service pension amounts per full year of good time service credit to
be selected at the election of coverage:

(1) a minimum service pension level of $500 per year;

(2) a maximum service pension level deleted text begin of $7,500 per yeardeleted text end new text begin equal to the largest amount
permitted under section 424A.02, subdivision 3, paragraph (d), as a maximum lump-sum
service pension amount payable for each year of service
new text end ; and

(3) deleted text begin 69deleted text end service pension levels between the minimum level and the maximum level in
$100 increments.

Sec. 6.

new text begin [353G.17] TRANSFER AUTHORIZED.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Entity to initiate transfer. new text end

new text begin (a) An entity operating a fire department with
firefighters who are covered by the retirement plan may initiate the transfer of records,
assets, and liabilities related to the firefighters' lump-sum or monthly benefits under the
retirement plan to a relief association that, at the time of the transfer, will be associated with
the entity. The entity may be a municipality, an independent nonprofit firefighting
corporation, or a joint powers entity.
new text end

new text begin (b) A transfer is initiated by filing with the executive director the following:
new text end

new text begin (1) a notice of intent to initiate a transfer;
new text end

new text begin (2) a copy of the resolutions of the entity approving the transfer of records, assets, and
liabilities from the retirement plan to a relief association; and
new text end

new text begin (3) for each firefighter, the firefighter's name, address, telephone number, and e-mail
address, if any.
new text end

new text begin (c) The notice shall inform the executive director of the following:
new text end

new text begin (1) the transfer effective date, which shall comply with paragraph (d);
new text end

new text begin (2) the name of the relief association and the municipality, independent nonprofit
firefighting corporation, or joint powers entity with which the relief association is associated;
and
new text end

new text begin (3) a summary of the type and level of pension or retirement benefits, including any
ancillary benefits, provided by the relief association or, in the case of a new relief association,
to be provided, and related terms and conditions.
new text end

new text begin (d) A transfer takes effect on the next January 1 that is at least 120 days after the filing
of the notice, but not later than one year after the filing of the notice.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Approval by the relief association. new text end

new text begin (a) Before a transfer of records, assets,
and liabilities from the retirement plan to a relief association may occur, the board of trustees
of the relief association shall adopt resolutions as follows:
new text end

new text begin (1) approving and accepting the transfer of records, assets, and liabilities from the
retirement plan; and
new text end

new text begin (2) amending the bylaws of the relief association as necessary to add the firefighters
whose benefits are being transferred from the retirement plan and to provide that each benefit
being transferred retains vesting, distribution, and other rights to which the firefighter, for
whom the benefit is being transferred, is entitled under the terms of the retirement plan to
the date of the transfer.
new text end

new text begin The board of trustees shall file a copy of the resolutions with the executive director.
new text end

new text begin (b) The board of trustees of the relief association shall file with the state auditor the
following:
new text end

new text begin (1) a copy of the resolutions required under paragraph (a);
new text end

new text begin (2) a copy of the bylaws of the relief association and any bylaw amendments;
new text end

new text begin (3) a copy of the relief association's investment policy;
new text end

new text begin (4) a statement that a board of trustees has been duly elected and each trustee's name,
address, telephone number, and e-mail address, if any;
new text end

new text begin (5) a copy of the most recent annual financial, investment, and plan administration report
filed under section 69.051, unless the due date for the first such report has not yet occurred;
and
new text end

new text begin (6) a copy of the documentation indicating that a special fund has been established with
a financial institution to receive a transfer of assets from the retirement plan.
new text end

new text begin (c) Upon receipt of the information and documents required under paragraph (b), the
state auditor shall issue to the relief association and the executive director written
confirmation of receipt of all required information and documents.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Approval by the firefighters. new text end

new text begin (a) A transfer under subdivision 1 shall not occur
unless the active firefighters whose benefits are to be transferred from the retirement plan
to a relief association approve the transfer by a vote of the firefighters conducted by the
executive director.
new text end

new text begin (b) The approval of the firefighters shall be determined by a vote of all active firefighters
whose benefits are to be transferred. An affirmative vote of a majority of the firefighters
voting shall constitute approval.
new text end

new text begin (c) The executive director shall provide a voting ballot and the following to each active
firefighter:
new text end

new text begin (1) a summary of the benefits currently provided to the firefighters under the retirement
plan;
new text end

new text begin (2) a copy of the resolutions of the municipality approving the transfer;
new text end

new text begin (3) a copy of the resolutions of the board of trustees approving the transfer;
new text end

new text begin (4) a copy of the notice of intent to transfer required under subdivision 1;
new text end

new text begin (5) a copy of the state auditor's confirmation required under subdivision 2, paragraph
(c); and
new text end

new text begin (6) the instructions and time frame for voting. Firefighters shall be given no less than
30 days in which to vote.
new text end

new text begin (d) The vote of any firefighter, including whether or not the firefighter voted, shall not
be disclosed to any officer or member of the staff of the municipality or to any officer,
trustee, or member of the staff of the relief association.
new text end

new text begin (e) The executive director shall tally the votes and report the results to the relief
association and the municipality.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Transfer process. new text end

new text begin (a) Upon completion of the actions required under
subdivisions 1 to 3, the retirement plan shall transfer to the relief association as of the
effective date identified in the notice under subdivision 1, the records, assets, and liabilities
related to the former and current firefighters with benefits under the retirement plan, along
with any assets in excess of liabilities credited to the lump-sum account or the monthly
benefit retirement account attributable to the firefighters and the municipality.
new text end

new text begin (b) The executive director:
new text end

new text begin (1) shall transfer the assets in cash;
new text end

new text begin (2) shall transfer any accounts receivable associated with the lump-sum account or
monthly benefit retirement account;
new text end

new text begin (3) shall settle any accounts payable from the account before the transfer; and
new text end

new text begin (4) may deduct from the assets to be transferred reasonable costs incurred by the
retirement plan to conduct the voting process and complete the transfer.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Relief association obligations and rights upon transfer from the retirement
plan.
new text end

new text begin (a) Upon transfer of the assets of the lump-sum account or monthly benefit retirement
account, the pension liabilities attributable to the benefits for the former and current
firefighters shall become the obligation of the special fund of the relief association.
new text end

new text begin (b) Upon the transfer of the assets of the lump-sum account or monthly benefit retirement
account, the board of trustees of the relief association has legal title to and management
responsibility for the transferred assets as trustees for persons having a beneficial interest
in those assets arising out of the benefit coverage provided by the account.
new text end

new text begin (c) The relief association is the successor in interest with respect to all claims against
the retirement plan relating to the transferred lump-sum account or monthly benefit retirement
account, except for claims alleging any act or acts by the retirement plan or its fiduciaries
that were not done in good faith or that constituted a breach of fiduciary responsibility under
chapter 356A.
new text end

new text begin (d) The value of each volunteer firefighter's benefit in the retirement plan on the day
before the asset transfer shall be no less than the value of the volunteer firefighter's benefit
on the day after the asset transfer. The relief association shall give credit, with respect to
each firefighter whose benefit is being transferred, for all past service, including service
credit with the retirement plan and with any predecessor relief association, to the extent
credit is given for such service in the records of the retirement plan for that firefighter.
new text end

new text begin (e) Upon completion of the transfer of records, assets, and liabilities, the executive
director shall provide written notice to the state auditor, the commissioner of revenue, and
the secretary of state that the transfer is complete.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Failure to obtain approval, certification, or verification. new text end

new text begin If the municipality,
board of trustees, or firefighters fail to approve the transfer under subdivision 1, 2, or 3 or
the requirements of subdivision 2, paragraph (b), are not met, the transfer of records, assets,
and liabilities from the retirement plan to the relief association shall not occur.
new text end

Sec. 7. new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE.
new text end

new text begin Sections 1 to 6 are effective the day following final enactment.
new text end