Subdivision 1. Scope. For the purposes of this chapter, the words or terms defined in this section have the meanings given to them unless the context of the word or term clearly indicates otherwise.
Subd. 2. Advisory board. "Advisory board" means the board established by section 353G.03.
Subd. 3. Board. "Board" means the board of trustees of the Public Employees Retirement Association operating under section 353.03.
Subd. 4. Commissioner of management and budget. "Commissioner of management and budget" means the state official appointed and qualified under section 16A.01.
Subd. 5. Executive director; director. "Executive director" or "director" means the person appointed under section 353.03, subdivision 3a.
Subd. 6. Fund. "Fund" means the statewide volunteer firefighter fund established under section 353G.02, subdivision 3.
Subd. 6a. Governing body. "Governing body" means the governing body of a municipality or independent nonprofit firefighting corporation or, in the case of a joint powers entity, the governing bodies of the municipalities associated with the joint powers entity.
Subd. 7. Service credit. "Service credit" means the length of service credit for an active firefighter that is reported by the applicable fire chief based on the minimum firefighter activity standards of the fire department. The credit may be reported on an annual or monthly basis.
Subd. 7a. Lump-sum account. "Lump-sum account" means that portion of the retirement fund that contains the assets applicable to the lump-sum retirement division.
Subd. 7b. Lump-sum retirement division. "Lump-sum retirement division" means the division of the plan governed by section 353G.11.
Subd. 8. Member. "Member" means a volunteer firefighter who provides active service to a municipal fire department or an independent nonprofit firefighting corporation where the applicable municipality or corporation has elected coverage by the retirement plan under section 353G.05, and which service is covered by the retirement plan.
Subd. 8a. Monthly benefit account. "Monthly benefit account" means that portion of the retirement fund that contains the assets applicable to the monthly benefit retirement division.
Subd. 8b. Monthly benefit retirement division. "Monthly benefit retirement division" means the division of the plan governed by section 353G.112.
Subd. 9. Municipality. "Municipality" means a governmental entity specified in section 477B.01, subdivision 10, a city or township that has entered into a contract with an independent nonprofit firefighting corporation, or a city or township that has entered into a contract with a joint powers entity established under section 471.59.
Subd. 9a. Relief association. "Relief association" means a volunteer firefighter relief association established under chapter 424A, including a volunteer firefighter relief association to which records, assets, and liabilities related to lump-sum or monthly benefits for active and former firefighters will be transferred from the retirement fund upon satisfaction of the requirements of section 353G.17.
Subd. 10. Plan. "Plan" means the retirement plan established by this chapter.
Subd. 10a. Retirement benefit plan document. "Retirement benefit plan document," for an account in the monthly benefit retirement division, means the articles of incorporation and bylaws of the prior former volunteer firefighter relief association in effect on the day before the date on which the retirement coverage transfer under section 353G.05 occurred or as provided in the most recent modification under section 353G.121.
Subd. 11. Retirement fund. "Retirement fund" means the statewide volunteer firefighter fund established under section 353G.02, subdivision 3.
Subd. 12. Retirement plan. "Retirement plan" means the retirement plan, either the lump-sum retirement division or the monthly benefit retirement division, established by this chapter.
Subd. 13. Standards for actuarial work. "Standards for actuarial work" means the standards adopted by the Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement under section 3.85, subdivision 10.
Subd. 14. State Board of Investment. "State Board of Investment" means the board created by article XI, section 8, of the Minnesota Constitution and governed by chapter 11A.
Subd. 15. Volunteer firefighter. "Volunteer firefighter" means a person who is an active member of a municipal fire department or independent nonprofit firefighting corporation and who, in that capacity, engages in fire suppression activities, provides emergency response services, or delivers fire education or prevention services on an on-call basis.
2009 c 101 art 2 s 109; 2009 c 169 art 9 s 10; 2015 c 68 art 8 s 2-10; 2018 c 211 art 16 s 4,5; 2019 c 50 art 1 s 112; 1Sp2019 c 6 art 22 s 4; 2020 c 108 art 7 s 1,9; 2022 c 65 art 4 s 1,2
Structure Minnesota Statutes
Chapters 352 - 356B — Retirement
Chapter 353G — Volunteer Firefighters; Retirement
Section 353G.01 — Definitions.
Section 353G.02 — Plan And Fund Creation.
Section 353G.03 — Statewide Volunteer Firefighter Plan Advisory Board.
Section 353G.04 — Information From Municipalities And Fire Departments.
Section 353G.05 — Plan Coverage Election.
Section 353G.07 — Certification Of Service Credit.
Section 353G.08 — Retirement Plan Funding; Disbursements.
Section 353G.09 — Retirement Benefit Eligibility.
Section 353G.10 — Deferred Service Pension Amount.
Section 353G.11 — Lump-sum Retirement Division Service Pension Levels.
Section 353G.112 — Monthly Benefit Retirement Division Service Pension Levels.
Section 353G.115 — Disability Benefit Coverage; Authority For Casualty Insurance.
Section 353G.12 — Survivor Benefit.
Section 353G.13 — Lump-sum Retirement Division; Portability.
Section 353G.14 — Purchase Of Annuity Contracts.
Section 353G.16 — Exemption From Process.
Section 353G.17 — Transfer Authorized.
Section 353G.18 — Termination Of Participation And Distribution Of Benefits.