MNCORA thanks those who supported our effort to get a dedicated seat for a PERA Correctional Plan member. Once again the Bill died in the LCPR Pension Committee but MNCORA wishes to thank those who authored the Bill and those who supported it. Thank you Bill Authors Rep. Peggy Scott, Rep. Harry Niska, Senator Cal Bahr and Senator Jim Abeler. MNCORA thanks all of you who emailed and called your representatives to support the Bill. MNCORA gives a special thanks to MNPEA President Dave Deal. MNPEA was the only Union with PERA Correctional Officers to call, write and testify on behalf of our bid for a PERA Correctional seat. Not just this year but every year we have tried.

Another Legislative Session is passing and our Bill to add a PERA Correctional Plan seat to the PERA Board has once again not made it out of the Pension Committee! HF708 and SF1556 was authored by Rep. Peggy Scott, Rep. Harry Niska, Sen. Cal Bahr (who introduced the Bill) and Sen. Jim Abeler.  The Bill was opposed last session by PERA because they objected to an even numbered board.  So this year we had Rep. Peggy Scott amend the Bill so that one of the existing elected seats would be a dedicated PERA Correctional Plan member. Pension Commission Chair Nick Frentz shot it down.  Rep. Scott's Office emailed MNCORA after contacting Sen. Frentz stating:  " He has indicated that granting an exception in this case could lead to similar requests from other entities seeking the same considerations." MNCORA thanks Rep. Peggy Scott, Rep. Harry Niska, Sen. Cal Bahr and Sen. Jim Abeler for authoring the Bill. This is an election year. Remember those who supported us and ...

MNCORA says thank you to Representative Peggy Scott, Representative Harry Niska, Senator Cal Bahr and Senator Jim Abeler for authoring our Bill to add a CO seat to the PERA Board.  While it didn't pass this session we will be back next session to take another bite at the apple. The Bill is not dead. It was laid over by the Pension Commission so is very much alive for next session. Special thanks to Susan Lenczewski Executive Director of the LCPR for her help crafting the Bill. And of course thanks to all of you for your emails and phone calls to the Legislature in support of this!

  We are sad to report that our Bill to add a CO to the PERA Board is not going to be added to the Pension Omnibus Bill. We are told  it's due to PERA's opposition. We are thankful to those who authored the Bill-Representative Peggy Scott,  Representative Harry Niska, Senator Cal Bahr and Senator Jim Abeler.  The Bill is still good  next session and we have a couple of paths forward. PERA's main opposition is that adding another seat would make it an even numbered board. Disregarding the fact the largest pension board, the Teacher's TRA is even numbered. That can be remedied one of two ways. We can amend our bill to say one of the 3 existing General PERA Board seats will become a Correctional Plan member seat or because we are now Federally recognized as Public Safety Officers we make a bill to have the Police and Fire seat become Police, Fire and Corrections. There are after all more CO's than Firefighters and we are all now Public Safety Officers. Big decision...

The Pension Commission heard our bill to add a CO to PERA's Board on 3/25/25. Senator and Author Cal Bahr introduced the bill and MNCORA President Wade Laszlo testified in support. The Bill was "laid over" and SF1556 moves on to the State and Local Government Commission and HF708 moves on to the State Government and Finance Committee. MNCORA thanks Sen. Cal Bahr for authoring the Bill and introducing it. We also thank authors Sen. Jim Abeler and Rep. Peggy Scott and Harry Niska for authoring in the House. MNCORA thanks  the Pension Commission for hearing the Bill. Sen. Cal Bahr and MNCORA President Wade Laszlo Testimony at the Pension Committee

MNCORA thanks Representatives Peggy Scott and House Leader Harry Niska for Authoring HF708 in the House and senators Cal Bahr and Jim Abeler for authoring the bill in the Senate SF1556 . Next step is for the LCPR to hear this Bill. Here's a link to the Pension Committee (LCPR). It's very important to contact them and ask them to give it a hearing for it to move on. https://www.lcpr.mn.gov/members.htm

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 Se...