2019 Minnesota Statutes

353G.02 PLAN AND FUND CREATION.

Subdivision 1.Retirement plan.

The voluntary statewide volunteer firefighter retirement plan, consisting of a lump-sum retirement division and a monthly benefit retirement division, is created.

Subd. 2.Administration.

The policy-making, management, and administrative functions related to the voluntary statewide volunteer firefighter retirement plan and fund are vested in the board of trustees and the executive director of the Public Employees Retirement Association. Their duties, authority, and responsibilities are as provided in section 353.03. Fiduciary activities of the plan and fund must be undertaken in a manner consistent with chapter 356A.

Subd. 3.Retirement fund.

(a) The voluntary statewide volunteer firefighter retirement fund, consisting of a lump-sum account and a monthly benefit account, is created. The fund contains the assets attributable to the voluntary statewide volunteer firefighter retirement plan.

(b) The State Board of Investment shall invest those portions of the retirement fund not required for immediate purposes in the voluntary statewide lump-sum volunteer firefighter retirement plan in the statewide volunteer firefighter account of the Minnesota supplemental investment fund under section 11A.17.

(c) The commissioner of management and budget is the ex officio treasurer of the voluntary statewide volunteer firefighter retirement fund. The commissioner of management and budget's general bond to the state covers all liability for actions taken as the treasurer of the retirement fund.

(d) The revenues of the retirement plan beyond investment returns are governed by section 353G.08 and must be deposited in the retirement fund. The disbursements of the retirement plan are governed by section 353G.08. The commissioner of management and budget shall transmit a detailed statement showing all credits to and disbursements from the retirement fund to the executive director monthly.

Subd. 4.Audit; actuarial valuation.

(a) The legislative auditor shall periodically audit the voluntary statewide volunteer firefighter retirement fund.

(b) An actuarial valuation of the lump-sum retirement division of the voluntary statewide volunteer firefighter retirement plan may be performed periodically as determined to be appropriate or useful by the board. An actuarial valuation of the monthly benefit retirement division of the voluntary statewide volunteer firefighter retirement plan must be performed as frequently as required by government sector generally accepted accounting standards. An actuarial valuation must be performed by the approved actuary retained under section 356.214 and must conform with section 356.215 and the standards for actuarial work. An actuarial valuation must contain sufficient detail for each participating employing entity to ascertain the actuarial condition of its account in the fund and the contribution requirement towards its account.

Subd. 5.Legal advisor; attorney general.

(a) The legal advisor of the board and the executive director with respect to the voluntary statewide volunteer firefighter retirement plan is the attorney general.

(b) The board may sue, petition, be sued, or be petitioned under this chapter with respect to the plan or the fund in the name of the board.

(c) The attorney general shall represent the board in all actions by the board or against the board with respect to the plan or the fund.

(d) Venue of all actions related to the plan or fund is in the court for the first judicial district unless the action is an appeal to the court of appeals under section 356.96.

Subd. 6.Initial administrative expenses of the monthly benefit retirement division; allocation of reimbursement.

The administration expenses incurred by the Public Employees Retirement Association in the establishment of the monthly benefit retirement division of the voluntary statewide volunteer firefighter retirement plan, including any computer programming expenses and any actuarial consultant expenses, are payable from the assets of the initial monthly benefit volunteer firefighter relief association that elects to transfer its administration to the voluntary statewide volunteer firefighter retirement plan, following the transfer of assets.

History:

2009 c 101 art 2 s 109; 2009 c 169 art 9 s 11; 2015 c 68 art 8 s 11; 2018 c 211 art 16 s 6