March 23, 2021, Pension Commission Meeting

Revised Agenda^*

1. Approval of March 16, 2021, meeting minutes. - Approved


2. SF1303 (Pappas); HF1459 (Nelson,.M.): St. Paul Teachers Retirement Fund Association; Delays the employee contribution rate increase and makes administrative changes. - Passed
   • S1303-H1459 Summary
   • GRS Letter-Impact of Delay
   • Testifiers:
     • Jill Schurtz, Executive Director
     • Christine MacDonald, CFO/Deputy Director
     • SPTRFA Presentation


3. SF2098 (Pratt); HF2188 (Mortensen): MSRS Correctional; Transfers one state employee's service credit from the general plan to the correctional plan. - Passed
   • S2098-H2188 Summary
   • Testifiers:
     • Kenneth Engle, Department of Human Services (DHS) employee
     • Carol Olson, Director of Forensic Services in Direct Care and Treatment, DHS
     • Erin Leonard, Executive Director, Minnesota State Retirement System


4. LCPR21-024: MSRS Unclassified; Extends the grandfather provision for the use of factors effective in 2016 in computing annuities for retirees who are at least age 63 or have at least 26 years of service. - Laid over
   • LCPR21-024 Summary
   • Testifier:
     • Erin Leonard, Executive Director, Minnesota State Retirement System (MSRS Letter)


5. SF1993 (Howe); HF2163 (O'Driscoll): PERA; Extends the time period for purchasing service credit for periods of federally protected military service leave. - Passed as amended
   • S1993-H2163 Summary
   • Amendment S1993-1A - Adopted
   • Testifiers:
     • Doug Anderson, Executive Director, Public Employees Retirement Association
     • Matt Hilgart, Government Relations Manager, Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC‑MICA‑LMC Letter)


6. LCPR21-023: Revises the requirement for bills drafted by commission staff for agencies and pension systems. - Passed as amended (page 1, delete line 12)
   • LCPR21-023 Summary
   • Testifier:
     • State Auditor Julie Blaha


7. SF609 (Goggin); HF419 (Drazkowski): Modifies the allocation formula for supplemental state aid paid to relief associations and the PERA Statewide Volunteer Firefighter Plan. - Tabled
   • S0609-H0419 Summary
     • Appendix A, 2020 Fire state aid and supplemental state aid (Dept. of Revenue)
     • Appendix B, Table comparing supplemental state aid under current law and under the bill, sorted alphabetically (State Auditor)
     • Appendix C, Table comparing supplemental state aid under current law and under the bill, sorted by dollar difference (State Auditor)
     • Appendix D, Excerpt from “2018 Fire in Minnesota” (Minnesota State Fire Marshal)
   • Amendment S0609-1A - Not adopted
     • Summary of Amendment S0609-1A
   • Testifiers:
     • State Auditor Julie Blaha
     • Nyle Zikmund, City Administrator, City of Mounds View
     • Todd Greseth, Volunteer Firefighter, Wanamingo Fire Department
     • Mike Scott, Fire Chief, Eagan Fire Department
     • Brian Rice, representing the Plymouth Firefighters Relief Association
     • BJ Jungmann, Chair, Minnesota Fire Association Coalition
     • Kurt Frison, Assistant Fire Chief, White Bear Lake Fire Department
   • Submitted testimony:
     • Craig Clark, City Administrator, City of Austin
     • Mike Murphy, President, Apple Valley Fire Relief Association
     • Mark Schlangen, Fire Chief, TwoHarbors
     • Allen Lewis, Fire Chief/Emergency Manager, Virginia Fire Department
     • Mark Rosenblum, President, Minnesota State Fire Department Association
     • Joe Carpentier, Assistant Fire Chief, Oakdale Fire Department

PUBLIC VIEWING: The remote meeting may be viewed live on the LCPR YouTube Channel.

TESTIFYING: If you wish to testify or submit written testimony on any of the agenda items, please contact Commission Assistant Lisa Diesslin at lisa.diesslin@lcpr.mn.gov by 6:00 PM on Monday, March 22, and you will receive further instructions.

ACCESSIBILITY: To provide feedback on digital accessibility of meeting information, please submit comments through the Minnesota Legislature Accessibility & Usability Comment Form. To learn more about requesting an accommodation, please visit the FAQs for Disability Access or contact the Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement at lcpr@lcpr.mn.gov.

This meeting is being held in accordance with Minnesota Statutes, Section 13D.021, and Legislative Coordinating Commission guidelines.