State Patrol compensation study requirements modified, and volunteer chaplains allowed within the state patrol.

A bill for an act

relating to public safety; modifying requirements for State Patrol compensation

study; allowing for volunteer chaplains within the state patrol; amending Minnesota

Statutes 2024, section 299D.03, subdivisions 2, 2a; Laws 2024, chapter 104, article

1, section 2; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 299D.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 299D.03, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Salary and reimbursement.

(a) Each employee other than the chief supervisor,

lieutenant colonel, majors, captains,
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lieutenants,
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corporals, and sergeants hereinafter

designated shall be known as patrol troopers.

(b) There may be appointed one lieutenant colonel; and such majors, captains,
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lieutenants,
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corporals, sergeants, and troopers as the commissioner deems necessary to carry out the

duties and functions of the State Patrol. Persons in above-named positions shall be appointed

by law and have such duties as the commissioner may direct and, except for troopers, shall

be selected from the patrol troopers, corporals, sergeants, captains,
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lieutenants,
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and majors

who shall have had at least five years' experience as either patrol troopers, corporals,

sergeants, or supervisors.

(c) The salary rates for all State Patrol troopers, corporals, and sergeants shall be deemed

to include $6 per day reimbursement for shift differential, meal and business expenses

incurred by State Patrol troopers, corporals, and sergeants in the performance of their

assigned duties in their patrol areas; business expenses include, but are not limited to:

uniform costs, home garaging of squad cars, and maintenance of home office.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 299D.03, subdivision 2a, is amended to read:

Subd. 2a.

Salary
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and benefits
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survey.

(a) By January 1 of 2021, 2024, 2027, and
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2030
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every odd-numbered year thereafter through 2037
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, the legislative auditor must conduct a

compensation
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and benefit
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survey of law enforcement officers in every police department:

(1) in a city with a population in excess of 25,000, located in a metropolitan county, as

defined in section
473.121, subdivision 4
, that is represented by a union certified by the

Bureau of Mediation Services; or

(2) in a city of the first class.

The State Patrol must also be included in the survey.

(b) The legislative auditor must base the survey on compensation
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and benefits
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for the

past completed calendar year. The survey must be based on full-time equivalent employees.

The legislative auditor must calculate compensation using base salary, overtime wages, and

premium pay. Premium pay is payment that is received by a majority of employees and

includes but is not limited to education pay and longevity pay. The legislative auditor must

not include any payments made to officers or troopers for work performed for an entity

other than the agency that employs the officer or trooper, regardless of who makes the

payment.
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The legislative auditor must also include in the survey all benefits, including

insurance, retirement, and pension benefits. The legislative auditor must include contributions

from both the employee and employer when determining benefits.
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(c) The legislative auditor must compile the survey results into a report. The report must

show each department separately. For each department, the survey must include
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:
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(1)
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an explanation of the salary structure, and include minimum and maximum salaries

for each range or step
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; and
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.
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(2) an explanation of benefits offered, including the options that are offered and the

employee and employer contribution for each option.

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Wherever possible, the report must be designed so that the data for each department is in

the same table or grid format to facilitate easy comparison.

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(d) By January 15 of
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2021, 2024, 2027, and 2030,
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each year in which a survey is required

under paragraph (a) and 2039,
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the legislative auditor must transmit the survey report to the

chairs and ranking minority members of the house of representatives and senate committees

with jurisdiction over the State Patrol budget.

(e) It is the legislature's intent to use the information in this study to compare salaries

between the identified police departments and the State Patrol and to make appropriate

increases to patrol trooper
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, captain, and lieutenant
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salaries.
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Nothing in this subdivision

precludes the collective bargaining of salaries or compensation in excess of salaries or

compensation supported by the salary survey. Salary adjustments for supervisory ranks,

including corporals, sergeants, lieutenants, and captains, must be proportionate to the salary

adjustments made for patrol troopers resulting from the survey. This subdivision does not

expand the scope of the salary survey beyond patrol troopers.
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For purposes of this paragraph,

"patrol troopers" has the meaning given in subdivision 2, paragraph (a).

Sec. 3.

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[299D.14] VOLUNTEER CHAPLAINS.

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Subdivision 1.

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Volunteers permitted.

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The commissioner or the chief supervisor of the

State Patrol may recruit, train, and accept, without regard to personnel laws or rules, the

services of individuals without compensation as volunteer chaplains for or in aid of activities

and programs under this chapter.

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Subd. 2.

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Incidental expenses.

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The chief supervisor may provide for the incidental

expenses of a volunteer chaplain, including transportation, lodging, and subsistence.

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Subd. 3.

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Application of law.

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Except as otherwise provided in this section, a volunteer

chaplain is not a state employee and is not subject to the provisions of law relating to state

employment, including but not limited to those governing hours of work, rates of

compensation, leave, unemployment benefits, and state employee benefits.

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Sec. 4.

Laws 2024, chapter 104, article 1, section 2, the effective date, is amended to read:

EFFECTIVE DATE; APPLICATION.

This section is effective the day following

final enactment and expires January 1,
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2032
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2039
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. This section applies to contracts entered

into on or after the effective date but before January 1,
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2032
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2039
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.