Purpose of the Bill

This bill aims to update and modify the Minnesota State Retirement System (MSRS) for correctional employees. It seeks to implement changes regarding eligibility, employment positions, procedures, and appeals, based on recommendations from an MSRS correctional plan eligibility work group.

Main Provisions

• Eligibility Changes: The bill modifies who is eligible for the correctional employee retirement plan, updating definitions and classifications of eligible employment positions.

• New Definitions: Definitions for terms such as "Direct Care and Treatment," "Direct contact," "Custody," and others are clarified to ensure precise application within the retirement plan context.

• Retirement Plan Membership: Introduces criteria for who qualifies for retirement benefits without requiring direct contact with inmates or clients, expanding the categories of covered correctional service positions.

• Plan Coverage Process: Establishes a system for adding or removing employment positions from the correctional plan coverage, including periodic reviews and updates by a newly established membership committee.

• Right to Appeal: Provides a formal process for employees to appeal decisions regarding their retirement plan coverage status.

• Correction of Errors: Introduces guidelines to correct errors in plan coverage if an employee was mistakenly enrolled in the wrong retirement plan.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• The bill revises and adds multiple sections to Minnesota Statutes, ensuring the new eligibility criteria and classifications are legally recognized.

• The inclusion of new titles and positions reflects a broader range of employment categories eligible for correctional plan benefits.

• Establishes a formal membership committee to oversee plan coverage changes and the appeals process, introducing an additional layer of oversight.

• Repeals several existing statute subdivisions related to the older framework of the correctional employee retirement plan, effectively replacing them with this updated structure.

Relevant Terms

• Correctional employee retirement plan
• Direct Care and Treatment
• Direct contact
• Custody
• MSRS correctional plan eligibility
• Plan coverage errors
• Plan membership committee
• Rehabilitation and treatment services
• Appeal process
• Eligible facilities and programs