Pension Commission Members Appointed

The Commission now consists of seven members of the Senate appointed by the Subcommittee on Committees of the Committee on Rules and Administration and seven members of the House of Representatives appointed by the speaker. No more than five members from each chamber may be from the majority caucus in that chamber.
(Published Jan 15, 2013)

Pension Commission stakeholders and observers were surprised to learn that as of January 15, the 2013-2014 Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement--also known as the Pension Commission--has been appointed. Previous legislatures have waited weeks, sometimes months, to make Pension Commission appointments. The appointments also mark the first time in the Pension Commission’s history that it will consist of 14 members. The 2011 Legislature enacted legislation carried by longtime Pension Commission member Rep. Phyllis Kahn (DFL-Minneapolis) that increased the number from 10 to 14. The provision became effective in January 2013.

Below are the appointed members:

Senate Members

Sen. Barb Goodwin (DFL-Columbia Heights)
Sen. Jeff Hayden (DFL-Minneapolis)
Sen. Alice M. Johnson (DFL-Spring Lake Park)
Sen. Sandra L. Pappas (DFL-St. Paul)
Sen. Julie A. Rosen (R-Fairmont)
Sen. Dave Thompson (R-Lakeville)

House Members

Rep. Mike Benson (R-Rochester)
Rep. Phyllis Kahn (DFL-Minneapolis)
Rep. John Lesch (DFL-St. Paul)
Rep. Will Morgan (DFL-Burnsville)
Rep. Mary Murphy (DFL-Hermantown)
Rep. Michael V. Nelson (DFL-Brooklyn Park)
Rep. Tim O’Driscoll (R-Sartell)

The Pension Commission, which was permanently created in 1967, performs four major functions:

1. Reviews and makes recommendations to standing legislative committees on pending proposed public pension legislation
2. Conducts ongoing research on pension policy issues
3. Provides legislative oversight for Minnesota's system of public employee pension plans
4. Assesses the sufficiency of current public pension plan funding and recommends required modifications

Upon convening, the Commission will elect a chair. The 2013-2014 Pension Commission will be chaired by a member from the Senate. The gavel rotates on a biennial basis between the House and Senate. The 2011-2012 Pension Commission was chaired by Rep. Morrie Lanning (R-Moorhead).

Questions? Contact Anne Finn at afinn@lmc.org or at 651-281-1263.

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