HF3456

Purpose

• The bill aims to implement recommendations from the state auditors’ fire relief association working group.
• It updates retirement-related provisions for fire relief associations and reorganizes how firefighting-related personnel are defined and treated under Minnesota law.
• It proposes codifying the changes in Minnesota Statutes chapter 424A and repealing a specific older subdivision.

Main Provisions

• Defines and expands “Firefighting service” to include:
  • Duties performed by firefighters.
  • If approved by the applicable municipality under section 424A.01, duties performed by fire prevention personnel and by volunteer emergency medical personnel.
• Makes amendments to multiple sections tied to retirement and fire relief associations (424A.001, 424A.014, 424A.016, 424A.05, and related 2025 supplement) to reflect the updated definitions and governance recommended by the working group.
• Codifies the new framework into Minnesota Statutes chapter 424A (proposing new law structure within that chapter).
• Repeals an older provision: Minnesota Statutes 2024 section 424A.01 subdivision 6.1.8.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Expands who can be considered part of “Firefighting service” to include fire prevention personnel and volunteer emergency medical personnel, but only where municipalities approve under current law.
• Aligns retirement and related benefits for fire relief associations with updated definitions and governance standards recommended by the state auditors’ working group.
• Moves from the repealed subdivision to a codified, updated framework in chapter 424A, potentially changing how retirement eligibility, benefits, administration, and reporting are handled.

Relevant context: The bill focuses on retirement related to firefighting personnel and modernizes definitions to reflect broader roles within fire services, as approved by municipalities, in line with audit-driven recommendations.

Relevant Terms firefighting service, firefighters, fire prevention personnel, volunteer emergency medical personnel, Minnesota Statutes 424A.001, 424A.014, 424A.016, 424A.05, Chapter 424A, fire relief association, retirement, municipalities, State Auditors, working group, 424A.01 subdivision 6.1.8