MNCORA attended the October 10 regular meeting and the Planning Meeting for the upcoming year. Relating to the PERA Correctional plan at the Board meeting- PERA is recommending legislation to clarify disability for Corrections Officers to reflect the change from the 1.9% - 2.2% high five modifier. In other words disability needs to be paid out at the higher rate going forward. MNCORA supports this. Planning Meeting They discussed adding a PERA Correctional Plan member to the PERA Board. This is a result of our legislation last year (which we will push again) to do so.  This was only a planning meeting. No votes were taken, that will happen at the next PERA meeting. The board did not seem in favor of this.  The legitimate point was made that there hasn't been a change to PERA's board since 1995 and the Correctional Plan didn't exist until 1999.  It was downhill from there. Some conversations about opposing the seat were- *Adding a seat would make it a 12 member board-an even

On October 10th PERA will hold their planning meeting. One of the items to be discussed is MNCORA's request for a seat on the PERA Board for a CO. Below is the letter the MNCORA Executive Board sent PERA: PERA Executive Director Doug Anderson and PERA Executive Board members,   The Minnesota Correctional Officer Retirement Association (MNCORA) understands the issue of adding a PERA Correctional Member to the PERA Executive Board is to be discussed at this upcoming planning meeting. Last session a Bill was introduced to that effect, unfortunately it did not get a hearing from the LCPR, but that Bill will be reintroduced this year. (HF4342 and SF4464) The Bill simply adds language to statute 353.03 sub 1…   “ Of the six trustees elected by the membership , one of whom must be a member of the police and fire fund  plan, one must be a member of the local government correctional service retirement plan,  …” Our plan has been in existence since 1999 and is the healthiest and best fund

Last session the following legislators authored HF4342  on the House side, a Bill to add a PERA Correctional Officer to the PERA Board.  Representative Harry Niska was the one who got the ball rolling quickly followed by Rep. Peggy Scott and Rep. Paul Novotny . On the Senate side SF4464 Senator Cal Bahr was the first to Author followed by Senator Jim Abeler  and finally Senator Nick Frentz . The Chair of the Legislative Pension Commission , Rep. Kaohly Her did not allow this Bill to be heard even though it had a sponsor on both the House and Senate side. MNCORA is hoping to get this Bill reintroduced this upcoming session. Each year the Chair of the  Pension Commission rotates. We are hoping the next Chair is more amenable to a Correctional Officer on the PERA Board. This is an election year and MNCORA wants our members to know who has supported our efforts. Supporting this Bill were Representatives Harry Niska, Peggy Scott and Paul Novotny. In the Senate were Senators Cal Bahr, Ji

  The MNCORA Executive Board met on 9/17/27. Discussed-PERA's planning meeting is October 10th. Being discussed is adding a Corrections Officer seat to the PERA Board. MNCORA will be stating our support. This is the result of MNCORA approaching the PERA Board last session. They didn't support us or oppose. They tabled it until this years planning meeting. Big things are coming this session, Watch this site to keep up.  Last session ended with a bill to to add dispatchers to our pension. While this didn't move forward they stated it wasn't dead. They are supposed to be doing an actuarial about an improved pension for dispatch and probation. Hopefully it doesn't include a raid on our pension. MNCORA will be watching.

Last session LELS Legislator of the Year Rep. Dan Wolgamott put forward Bill HF 4796   to add Dispatchers to the PERA Correctional Plan. MNCORA fought this. The Bill didn't pass last session but resulted in a study that is to explore a better pension for Dispatch and Probation. We hope that doesn't include another swing at our Corrections Plan. As of today it's not listed on the LCPR's Workgroup page so we don't know. We were told the issue is not over. Last session LELS Executive Director Jim Mortenson was very upset MNCORA was collecting petitions opposing HF4796. LELS CO's were blindsided by their Union's support of this threat to the Correctional Plan. MNCORA has members statewide. We're hearing from some CO's LELS doesn't support adding Dispatch to our plan and from other groups they're telling dispatch they do.  LELS has a history of treating Correctional members different than others. For instance they collect dues for the MPPOA, but

 A CO working in the Hubbard County jail was shanked by an inmate. He was able to fight off the inmate until help arrived. The officer was treated at the hospital for wounds to his face and head. Th inmate who has a history of violence was charged with First, Second, Third and Fourth degree assault. Bail is $900,000. We wish the CO a speedy and full recovery. Full story KROC This is the press release from Hubbard County Sheriff Cory Aukes: