LCPR03-252  

                       A bill for an act

          relating to retirement; Public Employees Retirement

          Association; creating a post‑sentencing officers and

          emergency dispatchers retirement plan; amending

          Minnesota Statutes 2002, sections 3.85, subdivisions

          11 and 12; 352.01, subdivision 2b; 353.01, subdivision

          2b; 355.01, subdivisions 2e, 2f, 3j, 3k, 3l; 355.02,

          subdivision 3; 356.20, subdivision 2; 356.215,

          subdivisions 8 and 11; 356.30, subdivision 3; 356.302,

          subdivision 7; 356.303, subdivision 4; 356.315, by

          adding a subdivision; 356.465, subdivision 3; and

          356.555, subdivision 4; and proposing coding for new

          law as Minnesota Statutes, chapter 353G.

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

                           ARTICLE 1

             POST‑SENTENCING OFFICERS AND EMERGENCY

              DISPATCHERS RETIREMENT PLAN CREATION

   Section 1.  353G.01 POST‑SENTENCING OFFICERS AND

EMERGENCY DISPATCHERS RETIREMENT PLAN; DEFINITIONS.

   Subdivision 1.  IN GENERAL. For purposes of this chapter,

unless the language or the context clearly indicates that a

different meaning is intended, each of the following terms has

the meaning ascribed. 

   Subd. 2.  ACCUMULATED CONTRIBUTIONS. "Accumulated

contributions" means the total of member contributions made by

salary deductions or by assessments or payments made in lieu of

salary deductions, if authorized, which are credited by the

retirement plan and entered into the member's individual record.

   Subd. 3.  ACTUARIAL EQUIVALENT. "Actuarial equivalent"

means the condition of one annuity or benefit having an equal

actuarial present value as another annuity or benefit,

determined as of a given date with each actuarial present value

based on the appropriate mortality table adopted by the board of

trustees based on the experience of that retirement fund

association as recommended by the actuary retained by the

legislative commission on pensions and retirement and using the

applicable preretirement or post‑retirement interest rate

assumption specified in section 356.215, subdivision 8.

   Subd. 4.  ALLOWABLE SERVICE. "Allowable service" means

any service rendered by a post‑sentencing officer or an

emergency dispatcher during a period in which the officer or

dispatcher receives salary from a public employer from which

member contribution salary deductions are made to and credited

by the post‑sentencing officers and emergency dispatchers

retirement plan. 

   Subd. 5.  ANNUITY. "Annuity" means the payments made by

the post‑sentencing officers and emergency dispatchers

retirement plan in the form of a retirement annuity or an

optional annuity. 

   Subd. 6.  APPROVED ACTUARY. "Approved actuary" means (1)

any actuary who is either a fellow of the society of actuaries

or who has at least 15 years of service to major public employee

retirement funds; or (2) any firm which retains such an actuary

on its staff.

   Subd. 7.  AVERAGE SALARY. "Average salary" means the

average of the highest five successive years of salary which the

post‑sentencing officer or emergency dispatcher has made

contributions to the retirement fund by payroll deduction.  If

the officer or dispatcher has less than five years of allowable

service, the term means the average of salary for the entire

period of allowable service. 

   Subd. 8.  BENEFIT. "Benefit" means the allowance paid or

payable by the post‑sentencing officers and emergency

dispatchers retirement plan to a surviving spouse, designated

beneficiary, surviving child or estate or in periodic payments

to a member or former member of the retirement plan who is

permanently and totally disabled. 

   Subd. 9.  BOARD. "Board" means the board of trustees of

the Public Employees Retirement Association. 

   Subd. 10.  DEPENDENT CHILD. "Dependent child" means any

biological or adopted child of a deceased post‑sentencing

officer or emergency dispatcher who has not reached the age of

20 and is dependent on the officer or dispatcher for more than

one‑half of the child's support at the time of the death of the

officer or dispatcher.  It also means a child of the officer or

dispatcher conceived during the lifetime of the officer or

dispatcher and born after the death of the officer or the

dispatcher.

   Subd. 11.  DESIGNATED BENEFICIARY. "Designated

beneficiary" means the person who is designated by an active or

retired post‑sentencing officer or emergency dispatcher to

receive the benefits to which a beneficiary is entitled to

receive under this chapter.  A beneficiary designation is valid

only if it is made on the applicable form prescribed by the

director, is properly completed and signed, and is received by

the Public Employees Retirement Association or is postmarked on

or before the date of the death of the officer or dispatcher. 

If no beneficiary is designated or if the designated beneficiary

predeceases the officer or dispatcher, the term means the estate

of the deceased officer or dispatcher.

   Subd. 12.  DIRECTOR OR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. "Director" or

"executive director" means the executive director of the Public

Employees Retirement Association. 

   Subd. 13.  DISABILITY. "Disability" or "total and

permanent disability" means the inability of a post‑sentencing

officer or emergency dispatcher to engage in any substantial

gainful employment activity by reason of a medically

determinable physical or mental impairment which is reasonably

expected to be of a long‑continued and indefinite duration,

which in no event may be less than one year. 

   Subd. 14.  DISPATCHER. "Dispatcher" means an emergency

dispatcher. 

   Subd. 15.  EMERGENCY DISPATCHER. "Emergency dispatcher"

means a governmental employee who is employed at a primary

public safety answering point, whose primary employment

responsibility is receiving emergency "911" telephone

communications from the public which requires the subsequent

contact with and the response by police, fire, or medical

resources, and who is certified by the governmental employer as

regularly and consistently spending at least a majority of the

person's employment time in those duties. 

   Subd. 16.  MEMBER. "Member" means a post‑sentencing

officer or an emergency dispatcher who makes regular member

contributions to the retirement plan in that capacity.

   Subd. 17.  NORMAL RETIREMENT AGE. "Normal retirement age"

means age 55.

   Subd. 18.  NORMAL RETIREMENT ANNUITY. "Normal retirement

annuity" means a retirement annuity computed under section 7,

subdivision 2, that is paid or is payable to a member upon

meeting the age and service requirements specified in section 7,

subdivision 1. 

   Subd. 19.  OFFICER. "Officer" means a post‑sentencing

officer.

   Subd. 20.  OPTIONAL ANNUITY FORM. "Optional annuity form"

means an alternate means for the receipt of an annuity

established by the board under section 7, subdivision 5. 

   Subd. 21.  POST‑SENTENCING OFFICER. "Post‑sentencing

officer" means a governmental employee who is responsible for

the control, supervision, and care of convicted offenders on

probation in lieu of imprisonment or of offenders conditionally

released on parole after imprisonment and who is certified by

the governmental employer as regularly and consistently spending

at least a majority of the person's employment time in the

direct control, supervision, and care of convicted offenders who

represent a risk of violence or physical harm to the employee. 

   Subd. 22.  PRIMARY PUBLIC SAFETY ANSWERING

POINT. "Primary public safety answering point" is a

communications facility that is operated by a governmental

entity and that is operated on a 24‑hour basis to be the initial

emergency "911" telephone communications from persons in a 911

service area and that is authorized, as appropriate, to directly

dispatch public safety services or to extend, transfer, or relay

the communications to the appropriate public safety agency. 

   Subd. 23.  REDUCED RETIREMENT ANNUITY. "Reduced

retirement annuity" means an annuity paid between age 50 and age

55 under section 7, subdivision 3. 

   Subd. 24.  RETIREMENT. "Retirement" means the time after

the date of the cessation of active service by a post‑sentencing

officer or emergency dispatcher who is thereafter entitled to an

accrued retirement annuity which is payable under an application

filed by the former officer or dispatcher.  The provisions of

law in effect on the date that the officer or dispatcher ceases

rendering active service in that capacity thereafter determines

the rights of the person with respect to the plan. 

   Subd. 25.  RETIREMENT ANNUITY. "Retirement annuity" means

an annuity computed under section 7 and paid by the director to

the retired post‑sentencing officer or emergency dispatcher or

to the specified remainder recipient under an optional annuity

form. 

   Subd. 26.  SALARY OR COVERED SALARY. (a) "Salary" or

"covered salary" means: 

   (1) the wages paid to a post‑sentencing officer or an

emergency dispatcher before deductions for deferred

compensation, supplemental retirement plans, or other voluntary

salary reductions; or

   (2) other periodic compensation, paid to an officer or

dispatcher before deductions for deferred compensation,

supplemental retirement plans, or other voluntary salary

reductions; and

   (3) during a period of receipt of worker's compensation

while on a leave of absence, the differential between the salary

that the officer or dispatcher would normally receive during the

leave and the salary received, if any, on which the officer or

dispatcher makes a member contribution equivalent amount. 

   (b) "Salary" or "covered salary" does not mean: 

   (1) lump sum sick leave payments;

   (2) severance payments;

   (3) lump sum annual leave payments;

   (4) overtime payments made at the time of separation from

state service;

   (5) payments in lieu of employer‑paid group insurance

coverage, including the difference between single rates and

family rates for an officer or dispatcher with single coverage;

   (6) employer contributions to a deferred compensation or

tax‑sheltered annuity program; and

   (7) amounts contributed under a benevolent vacation or sick

leave donation program. 

   Subd. 27.  SPOUSE. "Spouse" means the person who was

legally married to the post‑sentencing officer or the emergency

dispatcher immediately prior to the death of the officer or

dispatcher. 

   Sec. 2.  353G.02 RETIREMENT PLAN AND FUND.

   Subdivision 1.  ESTABLISHMENT. The post‑sentencing

officers and emergency dispatchers retirement plan is

established. 

   Subd. 2.  FUND. (a) A post‑sentencing officers and

emergency dispatchers retirement fund is established within the

state treasury.

   (b) Member contributions under section 5, subdivision 1,

employer contributions under section 5, subdivision 2, and

revenue derived from the investment of fund assets must be

deposited in the post‑sentencing officers and emergency

dispatchers retirement fund. 

   (c) Payable from the post‑sentencing officers and emergency

dispatchers retirement fund are refunds of member contributions

under section 5, retirement annuities under section 7,

disability benefits under section 9, survivorship benefits under

section 10, and necessary and reasonable expenses of

administering the plan and fund. 

   Subd. 3.  AUDIT. The legislative auditor shall audit the

plan and fund. 

   Sec. 3.  353G.03 ADMINISTRATION.

   The post‑sentencing officers and emergency dispatchers

retirement plan and fund must be administered by the board of

trustees and the executive director of the Public Employees

Retirement Association.  Fiduciary activities regarding the plan

and the fund must be undertaken in a manner consistent with

chapter 356A. 

   Sec. 4.  353G.04 INVESTMENTS; PARTICIPATION IN THE POST

RETIREMENT INVESTMENT FUND.

   Subdivision 1.  INVESTMENTS. The State Board of

Investment shall invest and reinvest the post‑sentencing

officers and emergency dispatchers retirement fund under

chapters 11A and 356A. 

   Subd. 2.  TREASURER. The commissioner of finance is the

ex officio treasurer of the post‑sentencing officers and

emergency dispatchers retirement fund.  The treasurer shall

provide the executive director of the Public Employees

Retirement Association with a detailed statement of revenues and

disbursements.

   Subd. 3.  POST RETIREMENT INVESTMENT FUND. (a) The

post‑sentencing officers and emergency dispatchers retirement

plan must participate in the Minnesota post retirement

investment fund.  Assets representing the retirement annuities

payable by the plan must be deposited in the investment fund and

necessary amounts must be withdrawn to pay annuity amounts due

and payable.  The amounts necessary are annually appropriated

for this purpose. 

   (b) For former plan members beginning the receipt of

annuities, the required reserves must be determined in

accordance with the appropriate mortality table based on the

experience of the plan as recommended by the actuary retained by

the legislative commission on pensions and retirement and

approved by the commission under section 356.215 and using the

applicable post‑retirement interest rate assumption specified in

section 356.215, subdivision 8.  Assets representing the

required reserves for those annuities must be transferred to the

Minnesota post retirement investment fund as of the last

business day of the month in which the retirement annuity begins

as specified in section 11A.18.

   Sec. 5.  353G.05 CONTRIBUTION RATES.

   Subdivision 1.  MEMBER CONTRIBUTION; SALARY

DEDUCTION. (a) A member of the post‑sentencing officers and

emergency dispatchers retirement plan shall pay an amount equal

to ... percent of the salary of the member, which constitutes

the member contribution to the fund. 

   (b) Member contribution amounts must be deducted from the

salary payable to the member each pay period by the department

head.  The employing agency shall have the deduction paid to the

fund treasurer for deposit into the post‑sentencing officers and

emergency dispatchers retirement fund and shall make a detailed

report of deductions made each pay period to the executive

director of the Public Employees Retirement Association.

   Subd. 2.  EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTION. The employer of a member

of the post‑sentencing officers and emergency dispatchers

retirement plan shall pay an amount equal to ... percent of the

salary of the member, which constitutes the employer

contribution to the fund.

   Subd. 3.  OMITTED DEDUCTIONS. (a) If the employer fails

to take deductions which are past due for a period of less than

61 days, those deductions must be taken from a later member

salary payment.

   (b) If the employer fails to take deductions which are past

due for a period longer than 60 days or if the plan member is no

longer employed in covered employment, the employer must pay the

amount of the omitted deduction, the amount of any unpaid

employer contribution, plus an amount equal to 8.5 percent of

the total amount due if the failure to make a payment is of less

than one year in duration and plus annual compound interest at

the rate of 8.5 percent per annum if the failure to make a

payment is a period of 12 months or greater. 

   Sec. 6.  353G.06 PLAN MEMBERSHIP; SOCIAL SECURITY

COVERAGE.

   (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), a post‑sentencing

officer or an emergency dispatcher, by accepting employment in

that capacity or by continuing employment in that capacity,

accepts coverage by the post‑sentencing officers and emergency

dispatchers retirement plan in lieu of any other Minnesota

public pension plan coverage. 

   (b) A person who was employed in a post‑sentencing officer

position or in an emergency dispatcher position on July 1, 2005,

and who is at least 45 years of age on that date, may make a

one‑time election to retain the person's existing retirement

coverage and to decline a transfer to coverage by the

post‑sentencing officers and emergency dispatchers retirement

plan.  The election must be made in writing on a form prescribed

by the executive director and is irrevocable. 

   (c) Members of the post‑sentencing officers and emergency

dispatchers retirement plan must be covered by the federal old

age, survivors, disability and health insurance program under

chapter 355 by virtue of employment covered by the plan. 

   Sec. 7.  353G.07 RETIREMENT ANNUITY.

   Subdivision 1.  ELIGIBILITY. (a) After terminating

employment, a former post‑sentencing officer or a former

emergency dispatcher who has attained the age of 55 years and

who has credit for three years of allowable service under

section 1, subdivision 4, is entitled, upon application, to a

normal retirement annuity.

   (b) In lieu of a normal retirement annuity, a retiring

former post‑sentencing officer or emergency dispatcher may elect

to receive an optional annuity form under subdivision 5.

   Subd. 2.  ANNUITY AMOUNT. The retirement annuity amount

is the average salary under section 1, subdivision 4, of the

retiring post‑sentencing officer or the retiring emergency

dispatcher multiplied by the percentage amount specified in

section 356.315, subdivision 5b, for each year of allowable

service of the person and the appropriate fractional amount for

the number of months of allowable service less than a full year.

   Subd. 3.  EARLY RETIREMENT. A former post‑sentencing

officer or a former emergency dispatcher who has attained the

age of at least 50 years and has credit for not less than three

years of allowable service credit under section 1, subdivision

4, is entitled, upon application, to a reduced retirement

annuity.  The reduced retirement annuity is an amount equal to

the annuity calculated under subdivision 2 reduced so that the

subsequent reduced annuity is the actuarial equivalent at that

age of the annuity that would be payable if the person deferred

receipt of the annuity from the day that the annuity begins to

accrue until age 55. 

   Subd. 4.  ACCRUAL AND DURATION. The retirement annuity

under this section accrues on the first day of the first

calendar month after the date on which the former

post‑sentencing officer or the former emergency dispatcher

terminates covered service.  The annuity must be paid in equal

monthly installments each year and does not accrue beyond the

end of the month in which entitlement to the annuity ends or is

terminated.  If the annuitant dies prior to negotiating the

check for the month in which the annuitant's death occurs,

payment must be made to the person's surviving spouse, or if

none, to the designated beneficiary of the person, or if none,

to the estate of the person.  The retirement annuity is payable

for the life of the recipient or in accord with the terms of any

optional annuity form that was selected by the retiring plan

member. 

   Subd. 5.  OPTIONAL ANNUITY FORMS. (a) The board of

trustees shall establish optional annuity forms, including a

joint and survivor annuity.  Except as provided in paragraph

(b), the optional annuity forms must be the actuarial equivalent

to the normal retirement annuity, the early reduced retirement

annuity, or the disability benefit, whichever applies.  In

establishing the optional annuity forms, the board shall obtain

the written recommendation of the consulting actuary retained by

the legislative commission on pensions and retirement and must

retain those recommendations as part of the permanent records of

the board.  A retiring plan member may select an optional

annuity form in lieu of any other available annuity or benefit

form. 

   (b) If a retiring plan member or a disabilitant selects a

joint and survivor optional annuity form under paragraph (a),

the retiring plan member or disabilitant must receive a normal

single life annuity if the designated optional annuity

beneficiary dies before the primary annuity receipt.  No

reduction under this option may be made in the person's annuity

to provide for the restoration of the normal single life annuity

in the event of the death of the designated optional annuity

beneficiary.

   Sec. 8.  353G.08 AUGMENTATION OF CERTAIN ANNUITIES.

   (a) Unless a combined service annuity under section 356.30

has been elected, a person who becomes a member of this plan

after having been a member of the general employees retirement

plan of the Public Employees Retirement Association, of the

public employees police and fire retirement plan, of the local

government correctional service retirement plan of the public

employee retirement association, of the general state employees

retirement plan of the Minnesota State Retirement System, or of

the correctional state employees retirement plan of the

Minnesota State Retirement System is covered under section

352.72, subdivision 2, or 353.71, subdivision 2, whichever

applies, with respect to that prior service.

   (b) A person who becomes a member of one of the retirement

plans cited in paragraph (a) after having been a member of this

plan is also covered under section 352.72, subdivision 2, or

353.71, subdivision 2, whichever applies, with respect to that

prior service, unless the annuity is calculated under section

356.30. 

   Sec. 9.  353G.09 DISABILITY BENEFITS.

   Subdivision 1.  AGE AND SERVICE REQUIREMENTS. A

post‑sentencing officer or an emergency dispatcher who is

covered by the plan, who is less than normal retirement age, and

who becomes totally and permanently disabled after rendering

three or more years of allowable service is entitled to a

disability benefit in an amount provided in subdivision 3.  If

the disabled officer or dispatcher's allowable service has

terminated at any time, the officer or dispatcher must have

rendered at least two years of allowable service after last

becoming an officer or dispatcher covered by the plan.  Refunds

may be repaid under section 11 before the effective accrual date

of the disability benefit under subdivision 2. 

   Subd. 2.  APPLICATION; ACCRUAL OF BENEFITS. A

post‑sentencing officer or an emergency dispatcher making claim

for a total and permanent disability benefit, or someone acting

on behalf of the officer or dispatcher upon proof of authority

satisfactory to the executive director of the Public Employees

Retirement Association, shall file a written application for

benefits in the office of the Public Employees Retirement

Association.  The application must be in a form and manner

prescribed by the executive director of the Public Employees

Retirement Association.  The benefit begins to accrue on the day

following the start of disability or on the day following the

last day paid, whichever is later, but not earlier than 180 days

before the date the application is filed with the director.

   Subd. 3.  COMPUTATION OF BENEFITS. The total and

permanent disability benefit must be computed in the manner

provided in section 6.  The disability benefit is an amount

equal to the normal annuity without reduction for each month the

post‑sentencing officer or emergency dispatcher is under the

normal retirement age at the time of becoming disabled.  A

disabled officer or dispatcher may choose to receive the normal

disability benefit or an optional annuity as provided in section

7, subdivision 5.  This choice must be made before the start of

payment of the disability benefit and is effective the date on

which the disability begins to accrue as provided in subdivision

2. 

   Subd. 4.  MEDICAL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMINATIONS;

AUTHORIZATION FOR PAYMENT OF BENEFIT. (a) An applicant shall

provide medical or psychological evidence to support an

application for total and permanent disability.  The executive

director of the Public Employees Retirement Association shall

have the post‑sentencing officer or emergency dispatcher

examined by at least one additional licensed chiropractor,

physician, or psychologist designated by the medical adviser. 

The examining chiropractors, physicians, or psychologists shall

make written reports to the director concerning the officer or

dispatcher's disability, including medical opinions as to

whether the officer or dispatcher is permanently and totally

disabled within the meaning of section 1, subdivision 13. 

   (b) The director shall also obtain written certification

from the employer stating whether the employment has ceased or

whether the officer or dispatcher is on a sick leave of absence

because of a disability that will prevent further service to the

employer and as a consequence the officer or dispatcher is not

entitled to compensation from the employer. 

   (c) The medical adviser shall consider the reports of the

physicians, psychologists, and chiropractors and any other

evidence supplied by the officer or dispatcher or other

interested parties.  If the medical adviser finds the officer or

dispatcher totally and permanently disabled, the adviser shall

make the appropriate recommendation to the director in writing

together with the date from which the officer or dispatcher has

been totally disabled.  The director shall then determine if the

disability occurred within 180 days of filing the application,

if the disability occurred while still in covered employment,

and the propriety of authorizing payment of a disability benefit

as provided in this section.  A terminated officer or dispatcher

may apply for a disability benefit within 180 days of the

termination of covered employment as long as the disability

occurred while in covered employment.  The fact that the officer

or dispatcher is placed on a leave of absence without

compensation because of disability does not bar that officer or

dispatcher from receiving a disability benefit. 

   Subd. 5.  DISABILITY BENEFIT TERMINATION. Unless payment

of a disability benefit has terminated because the

post‑sentencing officer or the emergency dispatcher is no longer

totally disabled, or because the officer or dispatcher has

reached normal retirement age as provided in this section, the

disability benefit must cease with the last payment which was

received by the disabilitant or which had accrued during the

lifetime of the disabilitant unless there is a spouse

surviving.  If there is a surviving spouse, the surviving spouse

is entitled to the disability benefit payment for the calendar

month in which the disabilitant died.

   Subd. 6.  REGULAR MEDICAL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMINATIONS.

At least once each year during the first five years following

the allowance of a disability benefit to any post‑sentencing

officer or emergency dispatcher, and at least once in every

three‑year period thereafter, the executive director of the

Public Employees Retirement Association may require the

disability benefit recipient to undergo a medical or

psychological examination. The examination must be made at the

place of residence of the disabilitant, or at any place mutually

agreed upon by the disabilitant and the director, and must be

made by a physician or physicians designated by the medical

adviser and engaged by the director. If any examination

indicates to the medical adviser that the disability benefit

recipient is no longer permanently and totally disabled, or is

engaged in or can engage in a gainful occupation, payments of

the disability benefit by the plan must be discontinued.  The

payments must discontinue as soon as the officer or dispatcher

is reinstated to the payroll following the sick leave, but in no

case may the payment be made for more than 60 days after the

medical adviser finds that the officer or dispatcher is no

longer permanently and totally disabled.

   Subd. 7.  PARTIAL REEMPLOYMENT. If the disabilitant

resumes a gainful occupation from which earnings are less than

the salary of the post‑sentencing officer or emergency

dispatcher at the date of disability or the salary currently

paid for similar positions, the director shall continue the

disability benefit in an amount which when added to earnings

does not exceed the salary at the date of disability, provided

that the disability benefit in this case does not exceed the

disability benefit originally allowed.  Deductions for the

retirement fund must not be taken from the salary of a

disabilitant who is receiving a disability benefit as provided

in this subdivision.

   Subd. 8.  REFUSAL OF EXAMINATION. If a disability benefit

recipient refuses to submit to a medical examination as

required, disability benefit payments must be discontinued and

the director shall revoke all rights of the post‑sentencing

officer or emergency dispatcher to any disability benefit.

   Subd. 9.  RETURN TO STATE SERVICE. Any disability benefit

recipient who is restored to active service, except

post‑sentencing officers or emergency dispatchers receiving

benefits as provided in subdivision 7, must have deductions

taken for the retirement fund and, upon retirement, have the

payable retirement annuity based upon all allowable service,

including that allowable service upon which the disability

benefits were based.  No post‑sentencing officer or emergency

dispatcher is entitled to receive disability benefits and a

retirement annuity at the same time.

   Subd. 10.  DISABILITANT AGAIN DISABLED AFTER RESUMING

EMPLOYMENT. If a disabled benefit recipient resumes gainful

employment and is not entitled to continued payment of a

disability benefit as provided in subdivision 7, the right to a

disability benefit ends when the post‑sentencing officer or

emergency dispatcher has been employed for one year thereafter. 

If the officer or dispatcher again becomes totally and

permanently disabled before reaching the normal retirement age,

an application for a disability benefit may again be made.  If

the officer or dispatcher is entitled to a disability benefit,

it must be computed as provided in subdivision 9.

   Subd. 11.  RECOMPUTATION OF BENEFIT. If a disabled

post‑sentencing officer or emergency dispatcher who has resumed

employment as provided in subdivision 10 is reemployed for more

than three months, but cannot continue employment for one year,

the disability benefit must be recomputed allowing additional

service credit for the period of reemployment.  If the period of

reemployment does not exceed three months, the deductions taken

from salary after resuming employment must be returned to the

officer or dispatcher.  The officer or dispatcher is not

entitled to service credit for the period covered by the

returned deductions.

   Subd. 12.  RETIREMENT STATUS AT NORMAL RETIREMENT AGE.

The disability benefit paid to a disability benefit recipient

under this section ends when the post‑sentencing officer or

emergency dispatcher reaches normal retirement age.  If the

disabled officer or dispatcher is still totally and permanently

disabled when the officer or dispatcher reaches normal

retirement age, the officer or dispatcher must be considered to

be a retired member.  If the officer or dispatcher had chosen an

optional annuity under subdivision 3, the officer or dispatcher

must receive an annuity in accordance with the terms of the

optional annuity previously chosen.  If the officer or

dispatcher had not chosen an optional annuity under subdivision

3, the officer or dispatcher may then choose to receive either a

normal retirement annuity equal in amount to the disability

benefit paid before the person reached normal retirement age or

an optional annuity as provided in section 6, subdivision 5. 

The choice of an optional annuity must be made before reaching

normal retirement age.  If an optional annuity is chosen, the

choice is effective on the date on which the person attains

normal retirement age and the optional annuity must begin to

accrue the first of the month next following the month in which

the person attains this age.

   Sec. 10.  353G.10 DEATH AND SURVIVORSHIP BENEFITS.

   Subdivision 1.  DEATH BEFORE TERMINATION OF SERVICE. If a

post‑sentencing officer or emergency dispatcher dies before

active employment has terminated and neither a survivor annuity

nor a reversionary annuity is payable, or if a former

post‑sentencing officer or emergency dispatcher who has

sufficient service credit to be entitled to an annuity dies

before the benefit has become payable, the executive director of

the Public Employees Retirement Association shall make a refund

to the last designated beneficiary or, if there is none, to the

surviving spouse or, if none, to the officer or dispatcher's

surviving children in equal shares or, if none, to the officer

or dispatcher's surviving parents in equal shares or, if none,

to the representative of the estate in an amount equal to the

accumulated member contributions, plus interest at the rate of

six percent per annum compounded annually.  Interest must be

computed to the first day of the month in which the refund is

processed.  Upon the death of an officer or dispatcher who has

received a refund that was later repaid in full, interest must

be paid on the repaid refund only from the date of repayment. 

If the repayment was made in installments, interest must be paid

only from the date installment payments began.  The designated

beneficiary, surviving spouse, or representative of the estate

of an officer or dispatcher who had received a disability

benefit is not entitled to interest upon any balance remaining

to the decedent's credit in the fund at the time of death,

unless the death occurred before any payment could be negotiated.

   Subd. 2.  SURVIVING SPOUSE BENEFIT. (a) If a

post‑sentencing officer or emergency dispatcher or former

officer or dispatcher has credit for at least three years

allowable service and dies before an annuity or disability

benefit has become payable, notwithstanding any designation of

beneficiary to the contrary, the surviving spouse of the officer

or dispatcher may elect to receive, in lieu of the refund with

interest under subdivision 1, an annuity equal to the joint and

100 percent survivor annuity which the officer or dispatcher or

former officer or dispatcher could have qualified for on the

date of death.

   (b) If the officer or dispatcher was under age 55 and has

credit for at least 30 years of allowable service on the date of

death, the surviving spouse may elect to receive a 100 percent

joint and survivor annuity based on the age of the officer or

dispatcher and surviving spouse on the date of death.  The

annuity is payable using the full early retirement reduction

under section 6, subdivision 3, to age 55 and one‑half of the

early retirement reduction from age 55 to the age at which

payment begins.

   (c) If the officer or dispatcher was under age 55 and has

credit for at least three years of allowable service credit on

the date of death but did not yet qualify for retirement, the

surviving spouse may elect to receive a 100 percent joint and

survivor annuity based on the age of the person and surviving

spouse at the time of death.  The annuity is payable using the

full early retirement reduction under section 6, subdivision 3,

to age 55 and one‑half of the early retirement reduction from

age 55 to the age payment begins. 

   (d) The surviving spouse eligible for benefits under

paragraph (a) may apply for the annuity at any time after the

date on which the officer or dispatcher or former officer or

dispatcher would have attained the required age for retirement

based on the allowable service earned.  The surviving spouse

eligible for surviving spouse benefits under paragraph (b) or

(c) may apply for the annuity at any time after the officer or

dispatcher's death.  The annuity must be computed under section

6.  Section 7 applies to a deferred annuity or surviving spouse

benefit payable under this subdivision.  The annuity must cease

with the last payment received by the surviving spouse in the

lifetime of the surviving spouse, or upon expiration of a term

certain benefit payment to a surviving spouse under subdivision

2a.  An amount equal to the excess, if any, of the accumulated

contributions credited to the account of the deceased officer or

dispatcher in excess of the total of the benefits paid and

payable to the surviving spouse must be paid to the last

designated beneficiary of the officer or the dispatcher or of

the former officer or former dispatcher or, if none, as

specified under subdivision 1.

   (e) An officer or former officer or a dispatcher or former

dispatcher may request in writing that this subdivision not

apply and that payment be made only to a designated beneficiary

as otherwise provided by this chapter.

   Subd. 2a.  SURVIVING SPOUSE COVERAGE TERM CERTAIN. (a) In

lieu of the 100 percent optional annuity under subdivision 2, or

refund under subdivision 1, the surviving spouse of a deceased

officer or dispatcher or former officer or dispatcher may elect

to receive survivor coverage in a term certain of five, ten, 15,

or 20 years, but monthly payments must not exceed 75 percent of

the average high‑five monthly salary of the decedent.  The

monthly term certain annuity must be actuarially equivalent to

the 100 percent optional annuity under subdivision 2.

   (b) If a survivor elects a term certain annuity and dies

before the expiration of the specified term certain period, the

commuted value of the remaining annuity payments must be paid in

a lump sum to the survivor's estate.

   Subd. 2b.  DEPENDENT CHILD SURVIVOR COVERAGE. If there is

no surviving spouse eligible for benefits under subdivision 2, a

dependent child or children as defined in section 1, subdivision

10, is eligible for monthly payments.  Payments to a dependent

child must be paid from the date of the post‑sentencing officer

or emergency dispatcher's death to the date on which the

dependent child attains age 20 if the child is under age 15 on

the date of death.  If the child is 15 years or older on the

date of death, payment must be made for five years.  The payment

to a dependent child is an amount actuarially equivalent to the

value of a 100 percent optional annuity under subdivision 2

using the age of the officer or dispatcher and age of the

dependent child at the date of death in lieu of the age of the

surviving spouse.  If there is more than one dependent child,

each dependent child shall be entitled to receive a

proportionate share of the actuarial value of the account of the

officer or dispatcher. 

   Subd. 3.  REFUND OF $3,000 OR LESS. If a post‑sentencing

officer or emergency dispatcher or a former officer or

dispatcher dies without having designated a beneficiary, or if

the beneficiary dies before applying for refund of the sum to

the credit of the deceased officer or dispatcher or former

officer or dispatcher, and there is no surviving spouse, and the

amount of the refund does not exceed $3,000, exclusive of

interest, the executive director of the Public Employees

Retirement Association may refund the amount to the deceased

person's next of kin.  The amount may be refunded 90 days after

the date of death of the person in the absence of probate

proceedings, and upon proper application.  The next of kin must

be determined by the director with the concurrence of the board

and is entitled to the refund consistent with the laws of

descent.  A determination and payment without notice are

conclusive and final and are a bar against claims of all other

persons. 

   Subd. 4.  REFUND TO MINOR BENEFICIARY. If a

post‑sentencing officer or emergency dispatcher or former

officer or dispatcher dies having named as a beneficiary a

person who is a minor at the time of the application for refund,

and the amount of the refund does not exceed $3,000, exclusive

of interest, the executive director of the Public Employees

Retirement Association in the absence of guardianship or probate

proceedings may make payment to the natural guardian having

custody of the minor beneficiary, for the benefit of the child. 

Any annuity, retirement allowance, or disability benefit accrued

at the time of death of a disabled or retired person, payable to

a minor beneficiary, may similarly be paid.  Payment is a bar to

recovery by any other person or persons. 

   Subd. 5.  RECOVERY BAR. A determination and a payment

under subdivision 3 or a payment under subdivision 4 is a bar to

a recovery by any other person, whether the person had notice or

otherwise. 

   Subd. 6.  DEATH AFTER SERVICE TERMINATION. Except as

provided in subdivision 1, if a former post‑sentencing officer

or emergency dispatcher covered by the plan dies and has not

received an annuity or a disability benefit, a refund must be

made to the last designated beneficiary or, if there is none, to

the surviving spouse or, if none, to the person's surviving

children in equal shares or, if none, to the person's surviving

parents in equal shares or, if none, to the representative of

the estate in an amount equal to accumulated member

contributions.  The refund must include interest at the rate of

six percent per year compounded annually.  The interest must be

computed as provided in section 352.22, subdivision 2.

   Subd. 7.  ABSENCE OF OPTIONAL OR REVERSIONARY ANNUITY.

Upon the death of a retired post‑sentencing officer or emergency

dispatcher who selected neither an optional annuity or a

reversionary annuity, a refund must be paid in an amount equal

to the excess, if any, of the accumulated contributions to the

credit of the former officer or dispatcher immediately before

retirement in excess of the sum of (1) all annuities and

disability benefits that had been received and had accrued in

the lifetime of the decedent, and (2) the annuity or disability

benefit, if not negotiated, payable to the surviving spouse

under section 6, for the calendar month in which the retired

officer or dispatcher died.  The refund must be paid to the

named beneficiary or, if there be none, to the surviving spouse

or, if none, to the person's surviving children in equal shares

or, if none, to the person's surviving parents in equal shares

or, if none, to the representative of the estate.

   Subd. 8.  OPTIONAL OR REVERSIONARY ANNUITY. If the last

eligible recipient of an optional annuity dies and the total

amounts paid under it are less than the accumulated

contributions to the credit of the retired post‑sentencing

officer or emergency dispatcher immediately before retirement,

the balance of accumulated contributions must be paid to the

person designated by the retired officer or dispatcher in

writing to receive payment.  If no designation has been made by

the retired officer or dispatcher, the remaining balance of

accumulated contributions must be paid to the surviving children

of the deceased recipient of the optional annuity in equal

shares.  If there are no surviving children, payment must be

made to the deceased recipient's parents or, if none, to the

representative of the deceased recipient's estate. 

   Subd. 9.  BENEFICIARY DESIGNATION. The designation of a

beneficiary or person to receive any accumulated contributions

remaining to the credit of a post‑sentencing officer or

emergency dispatcher, a former officer or dispatcher, or a

retired officer or dispatcher, at the time of death, as provided

in this section, must be in writing and must be filed with the

director before the death of the officer or dispatcher, former

officer or dispatcher, or retired officer or dispatcher. 

   Subd. 10.  DEATH OF BENEFICIARY BEFORE REFUND. If the

last designated beneficiary or beneficiaries and the surviving

spouse of a deceased officer or dispatcher, former officer or

dispatcher, or retired officer or dispatcher dies before

receiving a refund of the sum to the credit of the deceased

person at the time of death, the refund must be made to the

estate of the deceased person or as provided in subdivision 3 if

the amount of the refund does not exceed $3,000, exclusive of

interest. 

   Subd. 11.  DEATH OF DISABILITY ANNUITANT. If a

post‑sentencing officer or emergency dispatcher who has received

a disability benefit dies, a payment must be made of an amount

equal to the excess, if any, of the accumulated contributions to

the credit of the officer or dispatcher at the time the

disability benefit began to accrue over and above the aggregate

of (1) all disability benefits received and which had accrued

during the person's life, and (2) the benefit for the month in

which the disabled person died, payable, if applicable, to the

surviving spouse under section 8.  The payment must be paid,

upon a written application, to the last designated beneficiary

or, if there be none, to the surviving spouse, or if none, to

the officer or dispatcher's surviving children in equal shares

or, if none, to the officer or dispatcher's surviving parents in

equal shares or, if none, to the representative of the estate. 

   Subd. 12.  REFUND, FAILURE TO REQUEST. If the last

designated beneficiary, surviving spouse, legal representative,

or next of kin, as determined by the executive director of the

Public Employees Retirement Association, with the concurrence of

the board, fails to claim the refund as provided in this section

(1) within five years from the date of death of a retired

post‑sentencing officer or emergency dispatcher or the disabled

officer or dispatcher, or (2) within five years after the last

deduction was taken from the salary of a deceased officer or

dispatcher or deceased former officer or dispatcher, the

accumulated contributions of the deceased person must be

credited to the retirement fund.  However, if the claim to

refund is made within ten years after the transfer of

accumulated contributions to the fund or within ten years after

the date of death, whichever is later, and the amount

transferred to the fund is over $25, the sum must be restored to

the account of the deceased person.  The refund must then be

paid, upon a written application, to the surviving spouse or, if

none, to the legal representative of the estate irrespective of

any designation of beneficiary made by the deceased person. 

   Subd. 13.  REFUND, BENEFICIARY. If upon death a former

post‑sentencing officer or emergency dispatcher has in

possession a commissioner of finance's warrant which does not

exceed $1,000, covering a refund of accumulated contributions in

the retirement fund, in the absence of probate proceedings the

commissioner of finance's warrant may be returned for

cancellation, and then, upon application made by the last

designated beneficiary of the deceased former officer or

dispatcher, a refund of the accumulated contributions must be

paid, upon a written application, to the last designated

beneficiary.  Payments made under this subdivision are a bar to

recovery by any other person or persons.

   Sec. 11.  353G.11 EXEMPTION FROM PROCESS AND TAXATION.

   Subdivision 1.  EXEMPTION; EXCEPTIONS. None of the money,

annuities, or other benefits mentioned in this chapter is

assignable either in law or in equity or subject to state estate

tax, or to execution, levy, attachment, garnishment, or other

legal process, except as provided in subdivision 1a or section

518.58, 518.581, or 518.6111. 

   Subd. 1a.  AUTOMATIC DEPOSITS. The executive director may

remit, through an automatic deposit system, annuity, benefit, or

refund payments only to a financial institution associated with

the National Automated Clearinghouse Association or a comparable

successor organization that is trustee for a person eligible to

receive the annuity, benefit, or refund.  Upon the request of

the retiree, disabilitant, survivor, or former officer or

dispatcher, the executive director may remit the annuity,

benefit, or refund check to the applicable financial institution

for deposit in the person's account or joint account.  The board

of trustees may prescribe the conditions under which payments

will be made. 

   Sec. 12.  353G.12 REFUND OR DEFERRED ANNUITY.

   Subdivision 1.  REFUND. A post‑sentencing officer or an

emergency dispatcher who terminates that employment or who is

laid off from that employment is entitled, upon application, to

a refund if the person is not reemployed by the person's prior

employer, by another employer covered by the retirement plan, or

by the state.  The refund is an amount equal to the accumulated

member contributions of the officer or the dispatcher, plus

interest at an annual compound rate of six percent per year. 

The refund must include the interest that was paid as part of a

previous repayment of a prior refund, plus interest from the

date of that repayment.  Interest must be computed to the first

day of the month in which the refund is processed and must be

based on fiscal year or monthly balances, whichever applies. 

Acceptance of a refund under this subdivision terminates all

allowable service and salary credit of the person in the

retirement plan and terminates all entitlement to rights or

benefits under this chapter. 

   Subd. 2.  DEFERRED ANNUITY. A post‑sentencing officer or

an emergency dispatcher who terminates that employment may elect

to have the accumulated member contributions in the retirement

fund and to remain entitled to a deferred retirement annuity. 

The deferred retirement annuity must be computed under the law

in effect when the employment of the officer or dispatcher

terminated on the basis of the allowable service credited before

the termination of employment.  No application for a deferred

retirement annuity may be made more than 60 days before the date

when the former officer or the former dispatcher reaches the

required age for annuity entitlement.  The deferred annuity

begins to accrue no earlier than 60 days before the date when

the retirement annuity application is filed with the executive

director of the Public Employees Retirement Association, but not

before the date on which the officer or dispatcher reaches the

annuity entitlement required age or before the termination of

employment. 

   Sec. 13.  353G.13 SERVICE IN MORE THAN ONE RETIREMENT

PLAN.

   (a) A post‑sentencing officer or emergency dispatcher who

also has been a member of one retirement plan or a combination

of retirement plans listed in paragraph (b) is entitled, when

qualified, to an annuity from each plan if the total allowable

service credit in all retirement plans totals at least three

years.

   (b) Applicable retirement plans are any retirement plan

administered by the Minnesota State Retirement System, any

retirement plan administered by the Public Employees Retirement

Association, the teachers retirement association, the

Minneapolis employees retirement fund, the Duluth teachers

retirement fund association, the Minneapolis teachers retirement

fund association, or the St. Paul teachers retirement fund

association. 

   (c) No portion of the allowable service upon which the

retirement annuity from one retirement plan is based may be

again used in the computation for benefits from another

retirement plan.  No refund may have been taken from any one of

these retirement plans since service entitling the person to

coverage under the plan or the person's membership in any of the

plans last terminated.  The annuity from each retirement plan

must be determined by the appropriate provisions of the law

except that the requirement that a person must have at least

three years allowable service in the respective retirement plan

does not apply for the purposes of this section if the combined

service in two or more of these retirement plans equals three or

more years.

   Sec. 14.  353G.14 DEFERRED ANNUITY AUGMENTATION.

   (a) The deferred annuity must be computed as provided in

section 7 on the basis of allowable service rendered before the

termination of covered service and augmented as provided in

paragraph (b). 

   (b) The required reserves applicable to a deferred annuity,

to an annuity for which a former post‑sentencing officer or

emergency dispatcher was eligible but had not applied, or to any

deferred segment of an annuity must be determined as of the date

the benefit begins to accrue and augmented by interest

compounded annually from the first day of the month following

the month in which the officer or dispatcher ceased to be an

officer or dispatcher to the first day of the month in which the

annuity begins to accrue.  The rates of interest used for this

purpose must be three percent compounded annually until January

1 of the year following the year in which the former officer or

dispatcher attains age 55.  From that date to the effective date

of retirement, the rate is five percent compounded annually.  If

a person has more than one period of uninterrupted service, the

required reserves related to each period must be augmented by

interest under this subdivision.  The sum of the augmented

required reserves so determined is the present value of the

annuity.  "Uninterrupted service" for the purpose of this

subdivision means periods of covered employment during which the

officer or dispatcher has not been separated from covered

employment for more than two years.  If a person repays a

refund, the service restored by the repayment must be considered

continuous with the next period of service for which the officer

or dispatcher has credit with this system.  The formula

percentages used for each period of uninterrupted service must

be those applicable to a new officer or dispatcher.  The

mortality table and interest assumption used to compute the

annuity must be those in effect when the officer or dispatcher

files application for annuity.  This section may not cause a

reduction in the annuity otherwise payable under this chapter. 

   Sec. 15.  EFFECTIVE DATE.

   Sections 1 to 14 are effective on July 1, 2005.

                           ARTICLE 2

                       CONFORMING CHANGES

   Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 3.85,

subdivision 11, is amended to read:

   Subd. 11.  VALUATIONS AND REPORTS TO LEGISLATURE. (a) The

commission shall contract with an established actuarial

consulting firm to conduct annual actuarial valuations for the

retirement plans named in paragraph (b).  The contract must

include provisions for performing cost analyses of proposals for

changes in benefit and funding policies. 

   (b) The contract for actuarial valuation must include the

following retirement plans: 

   (1) the teachers retirement plan, teachers retirement

association;

   (2) the general state employees retirement plan, Minnesota

state retirement system;

   (3) the correctional employees retirement plan, Minnesota

state retirement system;

   (4) the state patrol retirement plan, Minnesota state

retirement system;

   (5) the judges retirement plan, Minnesota state retirement

system;

   (6) the Minneapolis employees retirement plan, Minneapolis

employees retirement fund;

   (7) the public employees retirement plan, public employees

retirement association;

   (8) the public employees police and fire plan, public

employees retirement association;

   (9) the Duluth teachers retirement plan, Duluth teachers

retirement fund association;

   (10) the Minneapolis teachers retirement plan, Minneapolis

teachers retirement fund association;

   (11) the St. Paul teachers retirement plan, St. Paul

teachers retirement fund association;

   (12) the legislators retirement plan, Minnesota state

retirement system;

   (13) the elective state officers retirement plan, Minnesota

state retirement system; and

   (14) the local government correctional service retirement

plan, public employees retirement association; and

   (15) the post‑sentencing officers and emergency dispatchers

retirement plan, Public Employees Retirement Association.

   (c) The contract must specify completion of annual

actuarial valuation calculations on a fiscal year basis with

their contents as specified in section 356.215, and the

standards for actuarial work adopted by the commission. 

   The contract must specify completion of annual experience

data collection and processing and a quadrennial published

experience study for the plans listed in paragraph (b), clauses

(1), (2), and (7), as provided for in the standards for

actuarial work adopted by the commission.  The experience data

collection, processing, and analysis must evaluate the following:

   (1) individual salary progression;

   (2) rate of return on investments based on current asset

value;

   (3) payroll growth;

   (4) mortality;

   (5) retirement age;

   (6) withdrawal; and

   (7) disablement. 

   (d) The actuary retained by the commission shall annually

prepare a report to the legislature, including the commentary on

the actuarial valuation calculations for the plans named in

paragraph (b) and summarizing the results of the actuarial

valuation calculations.  The commission‑retained actuary shall

include with the report the actuary's recommendations concerning

the appropriateness of the support rates to achieve proper

funding of the retirement funds by the required funding dates. 

The commission‑retained actuary shall, as part of the

quadrennial published experience study, include recommendations

to the legislature on the appropriateness of the actuarial

valuation assumptions required for evaluation in the study. 

   (e) If the actuarial gain and loss analysis in the

actuarial valuation calculations indicates a persistent pattern

of sizable gains or losses, as directed by the commission, the

actuary retained by the commission shall prepare a special

experience study for a plan listed in paragraph (b), clause (3),

(4), (5), (6), (8), (9), (10), (11), (12), (13), (14), or

(14) (15), in the manner provided for in the standards for

actuarial work adopted by the commission.

   (f) The term of the contract between the commission and the

actuary retained by the commission is four years.  The contract

is subject to competitive bidding procedures as specified by the

commission.

   Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 3.85, subdivision

12, is amended to read:

   Subd. 12.  ALLOCATION OF ACTUARIAL COST. (a) The

commission shall assess each retirement plan specified in

subdivision 11, paragraph (b), its appropriate portion of the

compensation paid to the actuary retained by the commission for

the actuarial valuation calculations, quadrennial projection

valuations, and quadrennial experience studies.  The total

assessment is 100 percent of the amount of contract compensation

for the actuarial consulting firm retained by the commission for

actuarial valuation calculations, including any public employees

police and fire plan consolidation accounts of the public

employees retirement association established before March 2,

1999, for which the municipality declined merger under section

353.665, subdivision 1, or established after March 1, 1999,

annual experience data collection and processing, and

quadrennial experience studies and quadrennial projection

valuations. 

   The portion of the total assessment payable by each

retirement system or pension plan must be determined based on

each plan's proportion of the actuarial services required, as

determined by the commission's retained actuary, to complete the

actuarial valuation calculations, annual experience data

collection and processing, and quadrennial experience studies

for all plans. 

   (b) The assessment must be made within 30 days following

the end of the fiscal year and must be reported to the executive

director of the legislative commission on pensions and

retirement and to the chief administrative officers of the

applicable retirement plans.  The amount of the assessment is

appropriated from the retirement fund applicable to the

retirement plan.  Receipts from assessments must be transmitted

to the executive director of the legislative commission on

pensions and retirement and must be deposited in the state

treasury and credited to the general fund. 

   Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 352.01,

subdivision 2b, is amended to read:

   Subd. 2b.  EXCLUDED EMPLOYEES. "State employee" does not

include:

   (1) students employed by the University of Minnesota, or

the state colleges and universities, unless approved for

coverage by the Board of Regents or the Board of Trustees of the

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, as the case may be;

   (2) employees who are eligible for membership in the state

Teachers Retirement Association, except employees of the

Department of Children, Families, and Learning Education who

have chosen or may choose to be covered by the general state

employees retirement plan of the Minnesota State Retirement

System instead of the Teachers Retirement Association;

   (3) employees of the University of Minnesota who are

excluded from coverage by action of the Board of Regents;

   (4) officers and enlisted personnel in the National Guard

and the naval militia who are assigned to permanent peacetime

duty and who under federal law are or are required to be members

of a federal retirement system;

   (5) election officers;

   (6) persons who are engaged in public work for the state

but who are employed by contractors when the performance of the

contract is authorized by the legislature or other competent

authority;

   (7) officers and employees of the senate, or of the house

of representatives, or of a legislative committee or commission

who are temporarily employed;

   (8) receivers, jurors, notaries public, and court employees

who are not in the judicial branch as defined in section 43A.02,

subdivision 25, except referees and adjusters employed by the

Department of Labor and Industry;

   (9) patient and inmate help in state charitable, penal, and

correctional institutions including the Minnesota Veterans Home;

   (10) persons who are employed for professional services

where the service is incidental to their regular professional

duties and whose compensation is paid on a per diem basis;

   (11) employees of the Sibley House Association;

   (12) the members of any state board or commission who serve

the state intermittently and are paid on a per diem basis; the

secretary, secretary‑treasurer, and treasurer of those boards if

their compensation is $5,000 or less per year, or, if they are

legally prohibited from serving more than three years; and the

board of managers of the State Agricultural Society and its

treasurer unless the treasurer is also its full‑time secretary;

   (13) state troopers;

   (14) temporary employees of the Minnesota state fair who

are employed on or after July 1 for a period not to extend

beyond October 15 of that year; and persons who are employed at

any time by the state fair administration for special events

held on the fairgrounds;

   (15) emergency employees who are in the classified service;

except that if an emergency employee, within the same pay

period, becomes a provisional or probationary employee on other

than a temporary basis, the employee shall be considered a

"state employee" retroactively to the beginning of the pay

period;

   (16) persons who are described in section 352B.01,

subdivision 2, clauses (2) to (6);

   (17) temporary employees in the classified service, and

temporary employees in the unclassified service who are

appointed for a definite period of not more than six months and

who are employed less than six months in any one‑year period;

   (18) trainee employees, except those listed in subdivision

2a, clause (10);

   (19) persons whose compensation is paid on a fee basis;

   (20) state employees who are employed by the Board of

Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities in

unclassified positions enumerated in section 43A.08, subdivision

1, clause (9);

   (21) state employees who in any year have credit for 12

months service as teachers in the public schools of the state

and as teachers are members of the Teachers Retirement

Association or a retirement system in St. Paul, Minneapolis, or

Duluth;

   (22) employees of the adjutant general who are employed on

an unlimited intermittent or temporary basis in the classified

or unclassified service for the support of army and air national

guard training facilities;

   (23) chaplains and nuns who are excluded from coverage

under the federal Old Age, Survivors, Disability, and Health

Insurance Program for the performance of service as specified in

United States Code, title 42, section 410(a)(8)(A), as amended,

if no irrevocable election of coverage has been made under

section 3121(r) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended

through December 31, 1992;

   (24) examination monitors who are employed by departments,

agencies, commissions, and boards to conduct examinations

required by law;

   (25) persons who are appointed to serve as members of

fact‑finding commissions or adjustment panels, arbitrators, or

labor referees under chapter 179;

   (26) temporary employees who are employed for limited

periods under any state or federal program for training or

rehabilitation, including persons who are employed for limited

periods from areas of economic distress, but not including

skilled and supervisory personnel and persons having civil

service status covered by the system;

   (27) full‑time students who are employed by the Minnesota

Historical Society intermittently during part of the year and

full‑time during the summer months;

   (28) temporary employees who are appointed for not more

than six months, of the Metropolitan Council and of any of its

statutory boards, if the board members are appointed by the

Metropolitan Council;

   (29) persons who are employed in positions designated by

the Department of Employee Relations as student workers;

   (30) members of trades who are employed by the successor to

the Metropolitan Waste Control Commission, who have trade union

pension plan coverage under a collective bargaining agreement,

and who are first employed after June 1, 1977;

   (31) persons who are employed in subsidized on‑the‑job

training, work experience, or public service employment as

enrollees under the federal Comprehensive Employment and

Training Act after March 30, 1978, unless the person has as of

the later of March 30, 1978, or the date of employment

sufficient service credit in the retirement system to meet the

minimum vesting requirements for a deferred annuity, or the

employer agrees in writing on forms prescribed by the director

to make the required employer contributions, including any

employer additional contributions, on account of that person

from revenue sources other than funds provided under the federal

Comprehensive Employment and Training Act, or the person agrees

in writing on forms prescribed by the director to make the

required employer contribution in addition to the required

employee contribution state employees who, in the capacity of

post‑sentencing officers or emergency dispatchers, are members

of the post‑sentencing officers and emergency dispatchers

retirement plan;

   (32) off‑duty peace officers while employed by the

Metropolitan Council;

   (33) persons who are employed as full‑time police officers

by the Metropolitan Council and, as police officers, are members

of the public employees police and fire fund;

   (34) persons who are employed as full‑time firefighters by

the Department of Military Affairs and as firefighters are

members of the public employees police and fire fund;

   (35) foreign citizens with a work permit of less than three

years, or an H‑1b/JV visa valid for less than three years of

employment, unless notice of extension is supplied which allows

them to work for three or more years as of the date the

extension is granted, in which case they are eligible for

coverage from the date extended; and

   (36) persons who are employed by the Board of Trustees of

the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and who elect to

remain members of the Public Employees Retirement Association or

the Minneapolis employees retirement fund, whichever applies,

under section 136C.75. 

   Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 353.01,

subdivision 2b, is amended to read:

   Subd. 2b.  EXCLUDED EMPLOYEES. The following public

employees are not eligible to participate as members of the

association with retirement coverage by the public employees

retirement plan, the local government correctional employees

retirement plan under chapter 353E, or the public employees

police and fire retirement plan:

   (1) public officers, other than county sheriffs, who are

elected to a governing body, or persons who are appointed to

fill a vacancy in an elective office of a governing body, whose

term of office first commences on or after July 1, 2002, for the

service to be rendered in that elective position.  Elected

governing body officials who were active members of the

association's coordinated or basic retirement plans as of June

30, 2002, continue participation throughout incumbency in office

until termination of public service occurs as defined in

subdivision 11a;

   (2) election officers or election judges;

   (3) patient and inmate personnel who perform services for a

governmental subdivision;

   (4) employees who are hired for a temporary position under

subdivision 12a, and employees who resign from a nontemporary

position and accept a temporary position within 30 days in the

same governmental subdivision.  An employer must not apply the

definition of temporary position so as to exclude employees who

are hired to fill positions that are permanent or that are for

an unspecified period but who are serving a probationary period

at the start of the employment.  If the period of employment

extends beyond six consecutive months and the employee earns

more than $425 from one governmental subdivision in any calendar

month, the department head shall report the employee for

membership and require employee deductions be made on behalf of

the employee under section 353.27, subdivision 4.

   The membership eligibility of an employee who resigns or is

dismissed from a temporary position and within 30 days accepts

another temporary position in the same governmental subdivision

is determined on the total length of employment rather than on

each separate position.  Membership eligibility of an employee

who holds concurrent temporary and nontemporary positions in one

governmental subdivision is determined by the length of

employment and salary of each separate position;

   (5) employees who are employed by reason of work emergency

caused by fire, flood, storm, or similar disaster;

   (6) employees who by virtue of their employment in one

governmental subdivision are required by law to be a member of

and to contribute to any of the plans or funds administered by

the Minnesota State Retirement System, the Teachers Retirement

Association, the Duluth Teachers Retirement Fund Association,

the Minneapolis Teachers Retirement Association, the St. Paul

Teachers Retirement Fund Association, the Minneapolis employees

retirement fund, or any police or firefighters relief

association governed by section 69.77 that has not consolidated

with the Public Employees Retirement Association, or any local

police or firefighters consolidation account but who have not

elected the type of benefit coverage provided by the public

employees police and fire fund under sections 353A.01 to

353A.10, or any persons covered by section 353.665, subdivision

4, 5, or 6, who have not elected public employees police and

fire plan benefit coverage.  This clause must not be construed

to prevent a person from being a member of and contributing to

the Public Employees Retirement Association and also belonging

to and contributing to another public pension fund for other

service occurring during the same period of time.  A person who

meets the definition of "public employee" in subdivision 2 by

virtue of other service occurring during the same period of time

becomes a member of the association unless contributions are

made to another public retirement fund on the salary based on

the other service or to the Teachers Retirement Association by a

teacher as defined in section 354.05, subdivision 2;

   (7) persons who are members of a religious order and are

excluded from coverage under the federal Old Age, Survivors,

Disability, and Health Insurance Program for the performance of

service as specified in United States Code, title 42, section

410(a)(8)(A), as amended through January 1, 1987, if no

irrevocable election of coverage has been made under section

3121(r) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended;

   (8) employees of a governmental subdivision who have not

reached the age of 23 and are enrolled on a full‑time basis to

attend or are attending classes on a full‑time basis at an

accredited school, college, or university in an undergraduate,

graduate, or professional‑technical program, or a public or

charter high school;

   (9) resident physicians, medical interns, and pharmacist

residents and pharmacist interns who are serving in a degree or

residency program in public hospitals;

   (10) students who are serving in an internship or residency

program sponsored by an accredited educational institution;

   (11) persons who hold a part‑time adult supplementary

technical college license who render part‑time teaching service

in a technical college;

   (12) except for employees of Hennepin County, foreign

citizens working for a governmental subdivision with a work

permit of less than three years, or an H‑1b visa valid for less

than three years of employment.  Upon notice to the association

that the work permit or visa extends beyond the three‑year

period, the foreign citizens are to be reported for membership

from the date of the extension;

   (13) public hospital employees who elected not to

participate as members of the association before 1972 and who

did not elect to participate from July 1, 1988, to October 1,

1988;

   (14) except as provided in section 353.86, volunteer

ambulance service personnel, as defined in subdivision 35, but

persons who serve as volunteer ambulance service personnel may

still qualify as public employees under subdivision 2 and may be

members of the Public Employees Retirement Association and

participants in the public employees retirement fund or the

public employees police and fire fund, whichever applies, on the

basis of compensation received from public employment service

other than service as volunteer ambulance service personnel;

   (15) except as provided in section 353.87, volunteer

firefighters, as defined in subdivision 36, engaging in

activities undertaken as part of volunteer firefighter duties;

provided that a person who is a volunteer firefighter may still

qualify as a public employee under subdivision 2 and may be a

member of the Public Employees Retirement Association and a

participant in the public employees retirement fund or the

public employees police and fire fund, whichever applies, on the

basis of compensation received from public employment activities

other than those as a volunteer firefighter;

   (16) pipefitters and associated trades personnel employed

by Independent School District No. 625, St. Paul, with coverage

under a collective bargaining agreement by the pipefitters local

455 pension plan who were either first employed after May 1,

1997, or, if first employed before May 2, 1997, elected to be

excluded under Laws 1997, chapter 241, article 2, section 12;

   (17) electrical workers, plumbers, carpenters, and

associated trades personnel employed by Independent School

District No. 625, St. Paul, or the city of St. Paul, who have

retirement coverage under a collective bargaining agreement by

the electrical workers local 110 pension plan, the United

Association Plumbers Local 34 pension plan, or the Carpenters

Local 87 pension plan who were either first employed after May

1, 2000, or, if first employed before May 2, 2000, elected to be

excluded under Laws 2000, chapter 461, article 7, section 5;

   (18) bricklayers, allied craftworkers, cement masons,

glaziers, glassworkers, painters, allied tradesworkers, and

plasterers employed by the city of St. Paul or Independent

School District No. 625, St. Paul, with coverage under a

collective bargaining agreement by the bricklayers and allied

craftworkers local 1 pension plan, the cement masons local 633

pension plan, the glaziers and glassworkers local L‑1324 pension

plan, the painters and allied trades local 61 pension plan, or

the Twin Cities plasterers local 265 pension plan who were

either first employed after May 1, 2001, or if first employed

before May 2, 2001, elected to be excluded under Laws 2001,

First Special Session chapter 10, article 10, section 6;

   (19) plumbers employed by the metropolitan airports

commission, with coverage under a collective bargaining

agreement by the plumbers local 34 pension plan, who either were

first employed after May 1, 2001, or if first employed before

May 2, 2001, elected to be excluded under Laws 2001, First

Special Session chapter 10, article 10, section 6;

   (20) employees who are hired after June 30, 2002, to fill

seasonal positions under subdivision 12b which are limited in

duration by the employer to 185 consecutive calendar days or

less in each year of employment with the governmental

subdivision;

   (21) persons who are provided supported employment or

work‑study positions by a governmental subdivision and who

participate in an employment or industries program maintained

for the benefit of these persons where the governmental

subdivision limits the position's duration to three years or

less, including persons participating in a federal or state

subsidized on‑the‑job training, work experience, senior citizen,

youth, or unemployment relief program where the training or work

experience is not provided as a part of, or for, future

permanent public employment;

   (22) independent contractors and the employees of

independent contractors; and

   (23) local governmental employees who, in the capacity of

post‑sentencing officers or emergency dispatchers, are members

of the post‑sentencing officers and emergency dispatchers

retirement plan; and

   (24) reemployed annuitants of the association during the

course of that reemployment.

   Sec. 5.  Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 355.01,

subdivision 2e, is amended to read:

   Subd. 2e.  EMERGENCY DISPATCHER. "Emergency dispatcher"

means a full‑time employee of the state or of a local

governmental unit who is employed at a primary public safety

answering point, whose primary employment responsibility is

receiving emergency "911" telephone communications from the

public which requires the subsequent contact with and the

response by police, fire, or medical resources, who is certified

by the governmental employer as regularly and consistently

spending at least 75 percent of the person's employment time in

these duties, and who, in that capacity, is a member of the

post‑sentencing officers and emergency dispatchers retirement

plan under chapter 353G.

   Subd. 2f. EMPLOYEE. "Employee" means a person employed by

the state of Minnesota or by a political subdivision of the

state and includes an officer of the state of Minnesota or of a

political subdivision of the state.

   Sec. 6.  Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 355.01,

subdivision 2f, is amended to read:

   Subd. 2f 2g.  EMPLOYEE TAX. "Employee tax" means the tax

imposed by section 3101 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

   Sec. 7.  Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 355.01,

subdivision 3j, is amended to read:

   Subd. 3j.  POST‑SENTENCING OFFICER. "Post‑sentencing

officer" means a full‑time employee of the state or of a local

governmental unit who is responsible for the control,

supervision, and care of convicted offenders on probation in

lieu of imprisonment or of offenders conditionally released on

parole after imprisonment where the employee is certified by the

governmental employer as regularly and consistently spending at

least 75 percent of the person's employment time in the direct

control, supervision, and care of convicted offenders who

represent a risk of violence or physical harm to the employee

and who, in that capacity, is a member of the post‑sentencing

officers and emergency dispatchers retirement plan under chapter

353G. 

   Subd. 3k.  PUBLIC EMPLOYEE. "Public employee" means an

officer or an employee of a local governmental subdivision of

the state who performs services in a position covered by the

Public Employees Retirement Association established under

chapter 353.

   Sec. 8.  Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 355.01,

subdivision 3k, is amended to read:

   Subd. 3k 3l.  PUBLIC HOSPITAL. "Public hospital" means a

hospital that is owned or operated by a governmental employer or

a combination of governmental employers, or a hospital that is

an integral part of a governmental employer or of a combination

of governmental employers.

   Sec. 9.  Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 355.01,

subdivision 3l, is amended to read:

   Subd. 3l 3m.  ST. PAUL TEACHER. "St. Paul teacher" means

a person employed by Independent School District No. 625, St.

Paul, who holds a position covered by the St. Paul teachers

retirement fund association established under chapter 354A.

   Sec. 10.  Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 355.02,

subdivision 3, is amended to read:

   Subd. 3.  GROUPS COVERED BY SOCIAL SECURITY. The

following groups must be covered by an agreement or a

modification to an agreement between the director and the

federal Secretary of Health and Human Services:

   (1) constitutional officers;

   (2) Duluth teachers;

   (3) educational employees;

   (4) higher education employees;

   (5) hospital employees;

   (6) judges;

   (7) legislators;

   (8) Minneapolis teachers;

   (9) public employees, including members of the local

government correctional service retirement plan;

   (10) St. Paul teachers;

   (11) special authority or district employees; and

   (12) state employees;

   (13) emergency dispatchers; and

   (14) post‑sentencing officers.

   Sec. 11.  Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 356.20,

subdivision 2, is amended to read:

   Subd. 2.  COVERED PUBLIC PENSION PLANS AND FUNDS. This

section applies to the following public pension plans:

   (1) the general state employees retirement plan of the

Minnesota State Retirement System;

   (2) the general employees retirement plan of the Public

Employees Retirement Association;

   (3) the Teachers Retirement Association;

   (4) the state patrol retirement plan;

   (5) the Minneapolis Teachers Retirement Fund Association;

   (6) the St. Paul Teachers Retirement Fund Association;

   (7) the Duluth Teachers Retirement Fund Association;

   (8) the Minneapolis employees retirement fund;

   (9) the University of Minnesota faculty retirement plan;

   (10) the University of Minnesota faculty supplemental

retirement plan;

   (11) the judges retirement fund;

   (12) a police or firefighter's relief association specified

or described in section 69.77, subdivision 1a, or 69.771,

subdivision 1;

   (13) the public employees police and fire plan of the

Public Employees Retirement Association;

   (14) the correctional state employees retirement plan of

the Minnesota State Retirement System; and

   (15) the local government correctional service retirement

plan of the Public Employees Retirement Association; and

   (16) the post‑sentencing officers and emergency dispatchers

retirement plan of the Public Employees Retirement Association.

   Sec. 12.  Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 356.215,

subdivision 8, is amended to read:

   Subd. 8.  INTEREST AND SALARY ASSUMPTIONS. (a) The

actuarial valuation must use the applicable following

preretirement interest assumption and the applicable following

postretirement interest assumption:

                                   preretirement  postretirement

                                   interest rate  interest rate

            plan                      assumption     assumption

     general state employees

         retirement plan                  8.5%          6.0%

     correctional state employees

         retirement plan                  8.5           6.0

     state patrol retirement plan         8.5           6.0

     legislators retirement plan          8.5           6.0

     elective state officers

         retirement plan                  8.5           6.0

     judges retirement plan               8.5           6.0

     general public employees

         retirement plan                  8.5           6.0

     public employees police and fire

         retirement plan                  8.5           6.0

     local government correctional

         service retirement plan          8.5           6.0

     post‑sentencing officers and

         emergency dispatchers

         retirement plan                  8.5           6.0

     teachers retirement plan             8.5           6.0

     Minneapolis employees

         retirement plan                  6.0           5.0

     Duluth teachers retirement plan      8.5           8.5

     Minneapolis teachers retirement

         plan                             8.5           8.5

     St. Paul teachers retirement

         plan                             8.5           8.5

     Minneapolis Police Relief

         Association                      6.0           6.0

     Fairmont Police Relief

         Association                      5.0           5.0

     Minneapolis Fire Department

         Relief Association               6.0           6.0

     Virginia Fire Department

         Relief Association               5.0           5.0

     local monthly benefit volunteer

         firefighters relief associations 5.0           5.0

   (b) The actuarial valuation must use the applicable

following single rate future salary increase assumption, the

applicable following modified single rate future salary increase

assumption, or the applicable following graded rate future

salary increase assumption:

   (1) single rate future salary increase assumption

                                            future salary

            plan                          increase assumption

     legislators retirement plan                  5.0%

     elective state officers retirement

         plan                                     5.0

     judges retirement plan                       5.0

     Minneapolis Police Relief Association        4.0

     Fairmont Police Relief

         Association                              3.5

     Minneapolis Fire Department Relief

         Association                              4.0

     Virginia Fire Department

         Relief Association                       3.5

   (2) modified single rate future salary increase assumption

                                            future salary

               plan                       increase assumption

         Minneapolis employees        the prior calendar year

           retirement plan            amount increased first by

                                      1.0198 percent to prior

                                      fiscal year date and

                                      then increased by 4.0

                                      percent annually for

                                      each future year

   (3) select and ultimate future salary increase assumption

or graded rate future salary increase assumption

                                             future salary

               plan                       increase assumption

     general state employees             select calculation and

         retirement plan                      assumption A

     correctional state employees

         retirement plan                      assumption H

     state patrol retirement plan             assumption H

     general public employees            select calculation and

         retirement plan                      assumption B

     public employees police and fire

         fund retirement plan                 assumption C

     local government correctional service

         retirement plan                      assumption H

     post‑sentencing officers and

         emergency dispatchers

         retirement plan                      assumption H

     teachers retirement plan                 assumption D

     Duluth teachers retirement plan          assumption E

     Minneapolis teachers retirement plan     assumption F

     St. Paul teachers retirement plan        assumption G

    

     The select calculation is:

     during the ten‑year select period, a designated percent

     is multiplied by the result of ten minus T, where T is

     the number of completed years of service, and is added

     to the applicable future salary increase assumption.  The

     designated percent is 0.2 percent for the correctional state

     employees retirement plan, the state patrol retirement

     plan, the public employees police and fire plan, and the

     local government correctional service plan, and the post‑

     sentencing officers and emergency dispatchers retirement

     plan; 0.3 percent for the general state employees

     retirement plan, the general public employees retirement

     plan, the teachers retirement plan, the Duluth Teachers

     Retirement Fund Association, and the St. Paul Teachers

     Retirement Fund Association; and 0.4 percent for the

     Minneapolis Teachers Retirement Fund Association.

    

          The ultimate future salary increase assumption is:

    

     age  A     B      C     D     E     F     G      H

     16  6.95% 6.95% 11.50% 8.20% 8.00% 6.50% 6.90% 7.7500

     17  6.90  6.90  11.50  8.15  8.00  6.50  6.90  7.7500

     18  6.85  6.85  11.50  8.10  8.00  6.50  6.90  7.7500

     19  6.80  6.80  11.50  8.05  8.00  6.50  6.90  7.7500

     20  6.75  6.40  11.50  6.00  6.90  6.50  6.90  7.7500

     21  6.75  6.40  11.50  6.00  6.90  6.50  6.90  7.1454

     22  6.75  6.40  11.00  6.00  6.90  6.50  6.90  7.0725

     23  6.75  6.40  10.50  6.00  6.85  6.50  6.85  7.0544

     24  6.75  6.40  10.00  6.00  6.80  6.50  6.80  7.0363

     25  6.75  6.40   9.50  6.00  6.75  6.50  6.75  7.0000

     26  6.75  6.36   9.20  6.00  6.70  6.50  6.70  7.0000

     27  6.75  6.32   8.90  6.00  6.65  6.50  6.65  7.0000

     28  6.75  6.28   8.60  6.00  6.60  6.50  6.60  7.0000

     29  6.75  6.24   8.30  6.00  6.55  6.50  6.55  7.0000

     30  6.75  6.20   8.00  6.00  6.50  6.50  6.50  7.0000

     31  6.75  6.16   7.80  6.00  6.45  6.50  6.45  7.0000

     32  6.75  6.12   7.60  6.00  6.40  6.50  6.40  7.0000

     33  6.75  6.08   7.40  6.00  6.35  6.50  6.35  7.0000

     34  6.75  6.04   7.20  6.00  6.30  6.50  6.30  7.0000

     35  6.75  6.00   7.00  6.00  6.25  6.50  6.25  7.0000

     36  6.75  5.96   6.80  6.00  6.20  6.50  6.20  6.9019

     37  6.75  5.92   6.60  6.00  6.15  6.50  6.15  6.8074

     38  6.75  5.88   6.40  5.90  6.10  6.50  6.10  6.7125

     39  6.75  5.84   6.20  5.80  6.05  6.50  6.05  6.6054

     40  6.75  5.80   6.00  5.70  6.00  6.50  6.00  6.5000

     41  6.75  5.76   5.90  5.60  5.90  6.50  5.95  6.3540

     42  6.75  5.72   5.80  5.50  5.80  6.50  5.90  6.2087

     43  6.65  5.68   5.70  5.40  5.70  6.50  5.85  6.0622

     44  6.55  5.64   5.60  5.30  5.60  6.50  5.80  5.9048

     45  6.45  5.60   5.50  5.20  5.50  6.50  5.75  5.7500

     46  6.35  5.56   5.45  5.10  5.40  6.40  5.70  5.6940

     47  6.25  5.52   5.40  5.00  5.30  6.30  5.65  5.6375

     48  6.15  5.48   5.35  5.00  5.20  6.20  5.60  5.5822

     49  6.05  5.44   5.30  5.00  5.10  6.10  5.55  5.5404

     50  5.95  5.40   5.25  5.00  5.00  6.00  5.50  5.5000

     51  5.85  5.36   5.25  5.00  5.00  5.90  5.45  5.4384

     52  5.75  5.32   5.25  5.00  5.00  5.80  5.40  5.3776

     53  5.65  5.28   5.25  5.00  5.00  5.70  5.35  5.3167

     54  5.55  5.24   5.25  5.00  5.00  5.60  5.30  5.2826

     55  5.45  5.20   5.25  5.00  5.00  5.50  5.25  5.2500

     56  5.35  5.16   5.25  5.00  5.00  5.40  5.20  5.2500

     57  5.25  5.12   5.25  5.00  5.00  5.30  5.15  5.2500

     58  5.25  5.08   5.25  5.10  5.00  5.20  5.10  5.2500

     59  5.25  5.04   5.25  5.20  5.00  5.10  5.05  5.2500

     60  5.25  5.00   5.25  5.30  5.00  5.00  5.00  5.2500

     61  5.25  5.00   5.25  5.40  5.00  5.00  5.00  5.2500

     62  5.25  5.00   5.25  5.50  5.00  5.00  5.00  5.2500

     63  5.25  5.00   5.25  5.60  5.00  5.00  5.00  5.2500

     64  5.25  5.00   5.25  5.70  5.00  5.00  5.00  5.2500

     65  5.25  5.00   5.25  5.70  5.00  5.00  5.00  5.2500

     66  5.25  5.00   5.25  5.70  5.00  5.00  5.00  5.2500

     67  5.25  5.00   5.25  5.70  5.00  5.00  5.00  5.2500

     68  5.25  5.00   5.25  5.70  5.00  5.00  5.00  5.2500

     69  5.25  5.00   5.25  5.70  5.00  5.00  5.00  5.2500

     70  5.25  5.00   5.25  5.70  5.00  5.00  5.00  5.2500

     71  5.25  5.00         5.70

   (c) The actuarial valuation must use the applicable

following payroll growth assumption for calculating the

amortization requirement for the unfunded actuarial accrued

liability where the amortization retirement is calculated as a

level percentage of an increasing payroll:

                                                 payroll growth

                  plan                             assumption

     general state employees retirement plan          5.00%

     correctional state employees retirement plan     5.00

     state patrol retirement plan                     5.00

     legislators retirement plan                      5.00

     elective state officers retirement plan          5.00

     judges retirement plan                           5.00

     general public employees retirement plan         6.00

     public employees police and fire

         retirement plan                              6.00

     local government correctional service

         retirement plan                              6.00

     post‑sentencing officers and emergency

         dispatchers retirement plan                  5.00

     teachers retirement plan                         5.00

     Duluth teachers retirement plan                  5.00

     Minneapolis teachers retirement plan             5.00

     St. Paul teachers retirement plan                5.00

   Sec. 13.  Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 356.215,

subdivision 11, is amended to read:

   Subd. 11.  AMORTIZATION CONTRIBUTIONS. (a) In addition to

the exhibit indicating the level normal cost, the actuarial

valuation must contain an exhibit indicating the additional

annual contribution sufficient to amortize the unfunded

actuarial accrued liability.  For funds governed by chapters 3A,

352, 352B, 352C, 353, 353G, 354, 354A, and 490, the additional

contribution must be calculated on a level percentage of covered

payroll basis by the established date for full funding in effect

when the valuation is prepared.  For funds governed by chapter

3A, sections 352.90 through 352.951, chapters 352B, 352C,

sections 353.63 through 353.68, and chapters 353C, 353G, 354A,

and 490, the level percent additional contribution must be

calculated assuming annual payroll growth of 6.5 percent.  For

funds governed by sections 352.01 through 352.86 and chapter

354, the level percent additional contribution must be

calculated assuming an annual payroll growth of five percent. 

For the fund governed by sections 353.01 through 353.46, the

level percent additional contribution must be calculated

assuming an annual payroll growth of six percent.  For all other

funds, the additional annual contribution must be calculated on

a level annual dollar amount basis.

   (b) For any fund other than the Minneapolis employees

retirement fund and the Public Employees Retirement Association

general plan, if there has not been a change in the actuarial

assumptions used for calculating the actuarial accrued liability

of the fund, a change in the benefit plan governing annuities

and benefits payable from the fund, a change in the actuarial

cost method used in calculating the actuarial accrued liability

of all or a portion of the fund, or a combination of the three,

which change or changes by itself or by themselves without

inclusion of any other items of increase or decrease produce a

net increase in the unfunded actuarial accrued liability of the

fund, the established date for full funding is the first

actuarial valuation date occurring after June 1, 2020. 

   (c) For any fund or plan other than the Minneapolis

employees retirement fund and the Public Employees Retirement

Association general plan, if there has been a change in any or

all of the actuarial assumptions used for calculating the

actuarial accrued liability of the fund, a change in the benefit

plan governing annuities and benefits payable from the fund, a

change in the actuarial cost method used in calculating the

actuarial accrued liability of all or a portion of the fund, or

a combination of the three, and the change or changes, by itself

or by themselves and without inclusion of any other items of

increase or decrease, produce a net increase in the unfunded

actuarial accrued liability in the fund, the established date

for full funding must be determined using the following

procedure: 

   (i) the unfunded actuarial accrued liability of the fund

must be determined in accordance with the plan provisions

governing annuities and retirement benefits and the actuarial

assumptions in effect before an applicable change;

   (ii) the level annual dollar contribution or level

percentage, whichever is applicable, needed to amortize the

unfunded actuarial accrued liability amount determined under

item (i) by the established date for full funding in effect

before the change must be calculated using the interest

assumption specified in subdivision 8 in effect before the

change;

   (iii) the unfunded actuarial accrued liability of the fund

must be determined in accordance with any new plan provisions

governing annuities and benefits payable from the fund and any

new actuarial assumptions and the remaining plan provisions

governing annuities and benefits payable from the fund and

actuarial assumptions in effect before the change;

   (iv) the level annual dollar contribution or level

percentage, whichever is applicable, needed to amortize the

difference between the unfunded actuarial accrued liability

amount calculated under item (i) and the unfunded actuarial

accrued liability amount calculated under item (iii) over a

period of 30 years from the end of the plan year in which the

applicable change is effective must be calculated using the

applicable interest assumption specified in subdivision 8 in

effect after any applicable change;

   (v) the level annual dollar or level percentage

amortization contribution under item (iv) must be added to the

level annual dollar amortization contribution or level

percentage calculated under item (ii);

   (vi) the period in which the unfunded actuarial accrued

liability amount determined in item (iii) is amortized by the

total level annual dollar or level percentage amortization

contribution computed under item (v) must be calculated using

the interest assumption specified in subdivision 8 in effect

after any applicable change, rounded to the nearest integral

number of years, but not to exceed 30 years from the end of the

plan year in which the determination of the established date for

full funding using the procedure set forth in this clause is

made and not to be less than the period of years beginning in

the plan year in which the determination of the established date

for full funding using the procedure set forth in this clause is

made and ending by the date for full funding in effect before

the change; and

   (vii) the period determined under item (vi) must be added

to the date as of which the actuarial valuation was prepared and

the date obtained is the new established date for full funding. 

   (d) For the Minneapolis employees retirement fund, the

established date for full funding is June 30, 2020.

   (e) For the general employees retirement plan of the Public

Employees Retirement Association, the established date for full

funding is June 30, 2031.

   (f) For the retirement plans for which the annual actuarial

valuation indicates an excess of valuation assets over the

actuarial accrued liability, the valuation assets in excess of

the actuarial accrued liability must be recognized as a

reduction in the current contribution requirements by an amount

equal to the amortization of the excess expressed as a level

percentage of pay over a 30‑year period beginning anew with each

annual actuarial valuation of the plan.

   Sec. 14.  Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 356.30,

subdivision 3, is amended to read:

   Subd. 3.  COVERED PLANS. This section applies to the

following retirement plans:

   (1) the general state employees retirement plan of the

Minnesota State Retirement System, established under chapter

352;

   (2) the correctional state employees retirement plan of the

Minnesota State Retirement System, established under chapter

352;

   (3) the unclassified employees retirement program,

established under chapter 352D;

   (4) the state patrol retirement plan, established under

chapter 352B;

   (5) the legislators retirement plan, established under

chapter 3A;

   (6) the elective state officers' retirement plan,

established under chapter 352C;

   (7) the general employees retirement plan of the Public

Employees Retirement Association, established under chapter 353;

   (8) the public employees police and fire retirement plan of

the Public Employees Retirement Association, established under

chapter 353;

   (9) the local government correctional service retirement

plan of the Public Employees Retirement Association, established

under chapter 353E;

   (10) the Teachers Retirement Association, established under

chapter 354;

   (11) the Minneapolis employees retirement fund, established

under chapter 422A;

   (12) the Minneapolis Teachers Retirement Fund Association,

established under chapter 354A;

   (13) the St. Paul Teachers Retirement Fund Association,

established under chapter 354A;

   (14) the Duluth Teachers Retirement Fund Association,

established under chapter 354A; and

   (15) the judges' retirement fund, established by sections

490.121 to 490.132; and

   (16) the post‑sentencing officers and emergency dispatchers

retirement plan established under chapter 353G.

   Sec. 15.  Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 356.302,

subdivision 7, is amended to read:

   Subd. 7.  COVERED RETIREMENT PLANS. This section applies

to the following retirement plans:

   (1) the general state employees retirement plan of the

Minnesota state retirement system, established by chapter 352;

   (2) the unclassified state employees retirement program of

the Minnesota state retirement system, established by chapter

352D;

   (3) the general employees retirement plan of the Public

Employees Retirement Association, established by chapter 353;

   (4) the Teachers Retirement Association, established by

chapter 354;

   (5) the Duluth Teachers Retirement Fund Association,

established by chapter 354A;

   (6) the Minneapolis Teachers Retirement Fund Association,

established by chapter 354A;

   (7) the St. Paul Teachers Retirement Fund Association,

established by chapter 354A;

   (8) the Minneapolis employees retirement fund, established

by chapter 422A;

   (9) the state correctional employees retirement plan of the

Minnesota State Retirement System, established by chapter 352;

   (10) the state patrol retirement plan, established by

chapter 352B;

   (11) the public employees police and fire plan of the

Public Employees Retirement Association, established by chapter

353;

   (12) the local government correctional service retirement

plan of the Public Employees Retirement Association, established

by chapter 353E; and

   (13) the judges' retirement plan, established by sections

490.121 to 490.132; and

   (14) the post‑sentencing officers and emergency dispatchers

retirement plan established under chapter 353G.

   Sec. 16.  Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 356.303,

subdivision 4, is amended to read:

   Subd. 4.  COVERED RETIREMENT PLANS. This section applies

to the following retirement plans:

   (1) the legislators retirement plan, established by chapter

3A;

   (2) the general state employees retirement plan of the

Minnesota State Retirement System, established by chapter 352;

   (3) the correctional state employees retirement plan of the

Minnesota State Retirement System, established by chapter 352;

   (4) the state patrol retirement plan, established by

chapter 352B;

   (5) the elective state officers retirement plan,

established by chapter 352C;

   (6) the unclassified state employees retirement program,

established by chapter 352D;

   (7) the general employees retirement plan of the Public

Employees Retirement Association, established by chapter 353;

   (8) the public employees police and fire plan of the Public

Employees Retirement Association, established by chapter 353;

   (9) the local government correctional service retirement

plan of the Public Employees Retirement Association, established

by chapter 353E;

   (10) the Teachers Retirement Association, established by

chapter 354;

   (11) the Duluth Teachers Retirement Fund Association,

established by chapter 354A;

   (12) the Minneapolis Teachers Retirement Fund Association,

established by chapter 354A;

   (13) the St. Paul Teachers Retirement Fund Association,

established by chapter 354A;

   (14) the Minneapolis employees retirement fund, established

by chapter 422A; and

   (15) the judges' retirement fund, established by sections

490.121 to 490.132; and

   (16) the post‑sentencing officers and emergency dispatchers

retirement plan established under chapter 353G.

   Sec. 17.  Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 356.315, is

amended by adding a subdivision to read:

   Subd. 5b.  POST‑SENTENCING OFFICERS AND EMERGENCY

DISPATCHERS. The applicable benefit accrual rate is 1.9 percent.

   Sec. 18.  Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 356.465,

subdivision 3, is amended to read:

   Subd. 3.  COVERED RETIREMENT PLANS. The provisions of

this section apply to the following retirement plans:

   (1) the general state employees retirement plan of the

Minnesota State Retirement System established under chapter 352;

   (2) the correctional state employees retirement plan of the

Minnesota State Retirement System established under chapter 352;

   (3) the state patrol retirement plan established under

chapter 352B;

   (4) the legislators retirement plan established under

chapter 3A;

   (5) the judges retirement plan established under chapter

490;

   (6) the general employees retirement plan of the Public

Employees Retirement Association established under chapter 353;

   (7) the public employees police and fire plan of the Public

Employees Retirement Association established under chapter 353;

   (8) the teachers retirement plan established under chapter

354;

   (9) the Duluth Teachers Retirement Fund Association

established under chapter 354A;

   (10) the St. Paul Teachers Retirement Fund Association

established under chapter 354A;

   (11) the Minneapolis Teachers Retirement Fund Association

established under chapter 354A;

   (12) the Minneapolis employees retirement plan established

under chapter 422A;

   (13) the Minneapolis Firefighters Relief Association

established under chapter 423C;

   (14) the Minneapolis Police Relief Association established

under chapter 423B; and

   (15) the local government correctional service retirement

plan of the Public Employees Retirement Association established

under chapter 353E; and

   (16) the post‑sentencing officers and emergency dispatchers

retirement plan established under chapter 353G.

   Sec. 19.  Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 356.555,

subdivision 4, is amended to read:

   Subd. 4.  COVERED PENSION PLANS. This section applies to

the following pension plans:

   (1) the general state employees retirement plan governed by

chapter 352;

   (2) the correctional state employees retirement plan

governed by chapter 352;

   (3) the general employees retirement plan of the Public

Employees Retirement Association governed by chapter 353;

   (4) the public employees police and fire plan governed by

chapter 353;

   (5) the teachers retirement plan governed by chapter 354;

   (6) the Minneapolis Teachers Retirement Fund Association

governed by chapter 354A;

   (7) the Saint Paul Teachers Retirement Fund Association

governed by chapter 354A;

   (8) the Duluth Teachers Retirement Fund Association

governed by chapter 354A;

   (9) the Minneapolis employees retirement plan governed by

chapter 422A;

   (10) the Minneapolis Police Relief Association governed by

chapter 423B; and

   (11) the Minneapolis Fire Department Relief Association

governed by chapter 423C; and

   (12) the post‑sentencing officers and emergency dispatchers

retirement plan governed by chapter 353G. 

   Sec. 20.  EFFECTIVE DATE.

   Sections 1 to 19 are effective on July 1, 2005. 

                           ARTICLE 3

           ACTUARIAL COST ESTIMATE; FUNDING OF STUDY

   Section 1.  ACTUARIAL COST ESTIMATE.

   (a) Under the direction of the legislative commission on

pensions and retirement, the consulting actuary retained by the

commission shall prepare an actuarial cost estimate of the

proposed post‑sentencing officers and emergency dispatchers

retirement plan. 

   (b) The actuarial cost estimate must be prepared based on

the plan demographic information assembled by the executive

director of the Minnesota State Retirement System and by the

executive director of the Public Employees Retirement

Association.  The executive directors shall obtain preliminary

plan membership certifications of the applicable post‑sentencing

officers and emergency dispatchers by July 1, 2004, and shall

certify the necessary demographic data in computer‑readable

format to the commission‑retained actuary on or before September

1, 2004. 

   (c) The actuarial cost estimate must be transmitted to the

executive director of the legislative commission on pensions and

retirement, the director of the legislative reference library,

the commissioner of corrections, and chief of the state patrol,

the executive director of the Public Employees Retirement

Association, the executive director of the association of

Minnesota counties, and the executive director of the league of

Minnesota cities on or before February 1, 2005. 

   (d) The director of the legislative reference library shall

make the results of the actuarial cost estimate available on the

legislative reference library's website. 

   (e) The executive director of the legislative commission on

pensions and retirement shall take the steps to amend any

contract with the commission‑retained actuary to accommodate

this project. 

   Sec. 2.  APPROPRIATION.

   $....... is appropriated from the state general fund to the

executive director of the legislative commission on pensions and

retirement to fund the actuarial cost estimate required under

section 1. 

   Sec. 3.  EFFECTIVE DATE.

   Sections 1 and 2 are effective on the day following final

enactment.