2004 Minnesota Statutes

     353B.02 Definitions. 

    Subdivision 1.    Terms.  Unless the language or content 
 clearly indicates otherwise, each of the following terms shall 
 have the meaning ascribed to it in this section.  

    Subd. 2.    Accumulated contributions.  "Accumulated 
 contributions" means the amount of member contributions to the 
 credit of a covered employee made before the effective date of 
 the consolidation as indicated in the records of the 
 consolidating local relief association transferred to the public 
 employees police and fire fund and the amount of member 
 contributions made by the covered employee after the effective 
 date of the consolidation.  

    Subd. 3.    Allowable service.  "Allowable service" 
 means any service rendered by a covered employee before the 
 effective date of the consolidation as indicated in the records 
 of the consolidating local relief association transferred to the 
 public employees police and fire fund and any service rendered 
 by a covered employee as a police officer or a firefighter, 
 whichever applies, in the municipality in which the local relief 
 association is located.  

    Subd. 4.    Covered employee.  "Covered employee" means 
 a person who elects to retain benefit coverage in the local 
 relief association benefit plan under section 353A.08 and who 
 remains employed in the position of a police officer or 
 firefighter, whichever applies, after the effective date of the 
 consolidation. 

    Subd. 5.    Disability.  "Disability" means the 
 inability by virtue of any medically determinable injury or 
 illness to perform the employment duties of a police officer or 
 firefighter, whichever applies, in the municipality in which the 
 consolidating relief association was located.  

    Subd. 6.    Fund.  "Fund" means the public employees 
 police and fire fund established by and operating under chapter 
 353. 

    Subd. 7.    Prior service.  "Prior service" means any 
 period of military service rendered in between periods of 
 service as a police officer or firefighter, whichever applies, 
 in the municipality in which the consolidating relief 
 association was located.  

    Subd. 8.    Retired member.  "Retired member" means any 
 person who is receiving a service pension or disability benefit 
 following termination of active employment as a police officer 
 or firefighter, whichever applies, in the municipality in which 
 the consolidating relief association was located.  

    Subd. 9.    Retirement.  "Retirement" means the period 
 following the termination of active employment as a police 
 officer or firefighter, whichever applies, in the municipality 
 in which the consolidating relief association was located and 
 commencement of the payment of a service pension or disability 
 benefit to the person. 

    Subd. 10.    Salary.  (a) "Salary" for benefit 
 computation and contribution purposes means the salary of a 
 first class or first grade firefighter or patrol officer, 
 whichever applies, for the former members of the following 
 consolidating relief associations:  

    (1) Anoka Police Relief Association; 

    (2) Austin Firefighters Relief Association; 

    (3) Austin Police Relief Association; 

    (4) Columbia Heights Fire Department Relief Association, 
 Paid Division; 

    (5) Fairmont Police Benefit Association; 

    (6) Faribault Fire Department Relief Association; 

    (7) Mankato Fire Department Relief Association; 

    (8) Minneapolis Fire Department Relief Association; 

    (9) Minneapolis Police Relief Association; 

    (10) Richfield Fire Department Relief Association; 

    (11) Rochester Fire Department Relief Association; 

    (12) Rochester Police Relief Association; 

    (13) St. Cloud Fire Department Relief Association; 

    (14) St. Cloud Police Relief Association; 

    (15) St. Paul Fire Department Relief Association; 

    (16) South St. Paul Firefighters Relief Association; 

    (17) West St. Paul Firefighters Relief Association; 

    (18) West St. Paul Police Relief Association; and 

    (19) Winona Fire Department Relief Association. 

    (b) "Salary" for benefit computation purposes means the 
 salary of a first grade patrol officer for the second month of 
 the previous fiscal year and for contribution purposes means the 
 current salary of a first grade patrol officer, for the former 
 members of the following consolidating relief associations:  

    (1) Bloomington Police Relief Association; 

    (2) Crystal Police Relief Association; 

    (3) Fridley Police Pension Association; 

    (4) Richfield Police Relief Association; 

    (5) St. Louis Park Police Relief Association; and 

    (6) Winona Police Relief Association.  

    (c) "Salary" for benefit computation purposes means the 
 final salary and for contribution purposes means the current 
 salary for the former members of the following consolidating 
 relief associations:  

    (1) Albert Lea Firefighters Relief Association; 

    (2) Albert Lea Police Relief Association; 

    (3) Buhl Police Relief Association; 

    (4) Chisholm Firefighters Relief Association; 

    (5) Crookston Fire Department Relief Association; 

    (6) Crookston Police Relief Association; 

    (7) Faribault Police Benefit Association; 

    (8) Red Wing Police Relief Association; and 

    (9) Virginia Fire Department Relief Association.  

    (d) "Salary" for benefit computation purposes means the 
 average earnings or salary for the final six months of 
 employment before retirement and for contribution purposes means 
 the current salary for the former members of the following 
 consolidating relief associations:  

    (1) Chisholm Police Relief Association; 

    (2) Hibbing Firefighters Relief Association; and 

    (3) Hibbing Police Relief Association.  

    (e) "Salary" for benefit computation purposes means the 
 greater of the final salary at retirement or the highest salary 
 of a patrol officer and for contribution purposes means the 
 greater of the current salary or the current highest salary of a 
 patrol officer for the former members of the following 
 consolidating relief associations:  

    (1) Brainerd Police Benefit Association; and 

    (2) New Ulm Police Relief Association.  

    (f) "Salary" for benefit computation and contribution 
 purposes means the following for the former members of the 
 consolidating relief associations as indicated:  

    (1) salary of a top grade patrol officer, including 
 longevity pay and education incentive pay in an amount not to 
 exceed $235 per month, Columbia Heights Police Relief 
 Association; 

    (2) maximum pay of a firefighter, including overtime 
 payments for a regular workweek of a firefighter mandated by the 
 federal Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended, Duluth 
 Firefighters Relief Association; 

    (3) salary of a first class patrol officer with 16 years of 
 service, Duluth Police Pension Association; 

    (4) base salary for the rank currently held, plus longevity 
 pay, pay for eligibility for next higher rank and pay for first 
 aid care, Mankato Police Benefit Association; 

    (5) average annual salary for highest three paid years for 
 benefit computation purposes and current salary for contribution 
 purposes, Red Wing Fire Department Relief Association; 

    (6) pay of the highest grade full-time firefighter, St. 
 Louis Park Fire Department Relief Association; 

    (7) maximum monthly pay of a patrol officer, St. Paul 
 Police Relief Association; 

    (8) prevailing base pay of rank held at retirement for 
 benefit computation purposes and current salary for contribution 
 purposes, South St. Paul Police Relief Association; and 

    (9) prevailing pay for rank held for at least six months 
 before retirement for benefit computation purposes and current 
 salary for contribution purposes, Virginia Police Relief 
 Association.  

    Subd. 11.    Salary base.  "Salary base" means the 
 salary amount as defined in subdivision 10 to which a specified 
 percentage rate or rates shall be applied in determining a 
 service pension, disability benefit, or survivor benefit.  

    Subd. 12.    Year of allowable service.  "Year of 
 allowable service" means any 12 calendar months, not necessarily 
 consecutive, in which a member of a consolidating relief 
 association received compensation for being a police officer or 
 firefighter, whichever applies, from the municipality in which 
 the consolidating relief association was located and was 
 eligible to credit for service. 

    HIST: 1987 c 296 s 19; 1993 c 126 art 2 s 1; 1994 c 474 art 2 
 s 1