SF 4244

as introduced - 91st Legislature (2019 - 2020) Posted on 03/11/2020 03:50pm

A bill for an act
relating to retirement; volunteer firefighter relief associations; vesting credit for
full-time firefighters; amending Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 424A.015, by
adding a subdivision.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 424A.015, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:

new text begin Subd. 8. new text end

new text begin Vesting credit for full-time firefighters under a relief association. new text end

new text begin (a) If a
volunteer firefighter who is a member of a relief association discontinues providing services
as a volunteer firefighter for the fire department affiliated with the relief association and
becomes a full-time employee of the fire department who is covered by the public employees
police and fire retirement plan, the full-time employee shall continue to receive service
credit toward vesting in the employee's retirement benefit under the relief association, as
provided in this subdivision.
new text end

new text begin (b) For the purpose of this subdivision, a "retirement benefit" means the lump sum or
monthly pension benefit to which a member of a defined benefit relief association or defined
contribution relief association is entitled under the terms of the retirement plan administered
by the relief association.
new text end

new text begin (c) The fire chief of the fire department shall certify the service credit of the full-time
employee under section 424A.003 following the same procedure that would apply if the
full-time employee were a volunteer firefighter of the fire department.
new text end

new text begin (d) The relief association shall credit the full-time employee with a completed year of
active service toward vesting under section 424A.016, subdivision 3, or 424A.02, subdivision
2, as applicable, for each year the relief association receives the certification under paragraph
(c).
new text end

new text begin (e) The bylaws of a relief association must permit the crediting of service toward vesting
as required by this subdivision if a volunteer firefighter who is a member of the relief
association becomes a full-time employee of the affiliated fire department as described in
paragraph (a).
new text end

new text begin (f) The full-time employee shall receive service credit toward vesting in the employee's
retirement benefit under the relief association even though the year of service is the same
year for which the employee receives service credit under the public employees police and
fire retirement plan, notwithstanding section 424A.01, subdivision 4a, and the receipt of
service credit toward vesting in the employee's retirement benefit under the relief association
shall not cause the employee to be considered a volunteer firefighter under section 353.01,
subdivision 36.
new text end

new text begin (g) An employee of a fire department may receive credit toward vesting in the employee's
retirement benefit under a relief association only if the relief association is the relief
association affiliated with the fire department.
new text end

new text begin (h) The certification requirement under paragraph (c) shall cease when the employee
has become 100 percent vested in the employee's retirement benefit under the relief
association.
new text end

new text begin (i) The relief association shall credit service only for vesting purposes under this
subdivision and not for any other purpose.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective January 1, 2021, and applies retroactively
from March 1, 2020, for volunteer firefighters who were members of the Cloquet Area Fire
District Firefighter's Relief Association on or after March 1, 2020, and who transfer to
full-time employment with the Cloquet Area Fire District after March 1, 2020.
new text end