Bill Text: MN SF439 | 2013-2014 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Public pension fund deductions for labor organization membership dues or payments; blind mailings authorization
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-02-13 - Referred to State and Local Government [SF439 Detail]
Download: Minnesota-2013-SF439-Introduced.html
1.2relating to retirement; modifying laws governing voluntary membership dues
1.3deductions from retirement annuities;amending Minnesota Statutes 2012,
1.4section 356.91.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 356.91, is amended to read:
1.7356.91 VOLUNTARY MEMBERSHIP DUES DEDUCTION.
1.8 (a) Upon written authorization of a person receiving an annuity from a public
1.9pension fund administered by the Minnesota State Retirement System or the Public
1.10Employees Retirement Association, the executive director of the public pension fundmay
1.11 shall deduct from the retirement annuity an amount requested by the annuitant to be paid
1.12as membership dues or other payments to any labor organization that is an exclusive
1.13bargaining agent representing public employees or an organization representing retired
1.14public employees of which the annuitant is a member and shall, on a monthly basis, pay
1.15the amount to the organization so designated by the annuitant.
1.16 (b) A pension fund and the plan fiduciaries which authorize or administer deductions
1.17of dues payments under paragraph (a) are not liable for failure to properly deduct or transmit
1.18the dues amounts, provided that the fund and the fiduciaries have acted in good faith.
1.19 (c)The deductions under paragraph (a) may occur no more frequently than two times
1.20per year and may not be used for political purposes. Any labor organization that is an
1.21exclusive bargaining agent representing public employees or an organization representing
1.22retired public employees may conduct blind mailings to the annuitants of a retirement
1.23system specified in paragraph (a) by requesting that the retirement system mail voluntary
1.24membership information and dues deduction cards to annuitants. Such mailings shall not
2.1be for the purpose of supporting or opposing any candidate, political party, or ballot
2.2measure. The organization requesting the blind mailing shall pay all costs associated
2.3with these mailings, including but not limited to copying, labeling, mailing, postage, and
2.4record keeping. In lieu of administering a blind mailing in-house, a retirement system
2.5may transmit annuitant data necessary for conducting a blind mailing to a mail center
2.6pursuant to a secure data share agreement with the mail center which provides that neither
2.7the organization nor any other entity shall have direct access to the data transmitted by
2.8the retirement system. The retirement system shall have no obligation to approve or
2.9disapprove, or otherwise be responsible for, the content of the mailings. No organization
2.10shall conduct more than two blind mailings per calendar year.
2.11(d) Any labor organization specified in paragraph (a) shall reimburse the public
2.12pension fund for the administrative expense of withholding premium amounts.
1.3deductions from retirement annuities;amending Minnesota Statutes 2012,
1.4section 356.91.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 356.91, is amended to read:
1.7356.91 VOLUNTARY MEMBERSHIP DUES DEDUCTION.
1.8 (a) Upon written authorization of a person receiving an annuity from a public
1.9pension fund administered by the Minnesota State Retirement System or the Public
1.10Employees Retirement Association, the executive director of the public pension fund
1.11 shall deduct from the retirement annuity an amount requested by the annuitant to be paid
1.12as membership dues or other payments to any labor organization that is an exclusive
1.13bargaining agent representing public employees or an organization representing retired
1.14public employees of which the annuitant is a member and shall, on a monthly basis, pay
1.15the amount to the organization so designated by the annuitant.
1.16 (b) A pension fund and the plan fiduciaries which authorize or administer deductions
1.17of dues payments under paragraph (a) are not liable for failure to properly deduct or transmit
1.18the dues amounts, provided that the fund and the fiduciaries have acted in good faith.
1.19 (c)
1.20
1.21exclusive bargaining agent representing public employees or an organization representing
1.22retired public employees may conduct blind mailings to the annuitants of a retirement
1.23system specified in paragraph (a) by requesting that the retirement system mail voluntary
1.24membership information and dues deduction cards to annuitants. Such mailings shall not
2.1be for the purpose of supporting or opposing any candidate, political party, or ballot
2.2measure. The organization requesting the blind mailing shall pay all costs associated
2.3with these mailings, including but not limited to copying, labeling, mailing, postage, and
2.4record keeping. In lieu of administering a blind mailing in-house, a retirement system
2.5may transmit annuitant data necessary for conducting a blind mailing to a mail center
2.6pursuant to a secure data share agreement with the mail center which provides that neither
2.7the organization nor any other entity shall have direct access to the data transmitted by
2.8the retirement system. The retirement system shall have no obligation to approve or
2.9disapprove, or otherwise be responsible for, the content of the mailings. No organization
2.10shall conduct more than two blind mailings per calendar year.
2.11
2.12
