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House suspends rules and passes pension bill (Senate File 2884) after bipartisan debate
Summary
The Minnesota House suspended the rules to consider Senate File 2884 and passed the pension bill 133-1 after floor debate praising bipartisan commission work, creating a work group for probation and related positions, and modifying retirement-access options for several worker groups.
The Minnesota House suspended the rules to give Senate File 2884 its third reading and placed the bill on final passage, then passed the bill by a roll-call vote of 133 yeas and 1 nay.
Representative Niska moved to suspend the rules under Article IV, Section 19 of the Minnesota Constitution so the chamber could take up the pension bill; she described it as "the bipartisan pension bill from the pension commission." The motion to suspend the rules carried.
Several members described the bill as the product of long, bicameral and bipartisan work on pension commission recommendations. Representative Lilly, a co-chair of the pension commission, and Representative O'Driscoll, among others, praised the commission's work and said the bill includes cost-of-living adjustments and policy changes intended to strengthen pension funds and improve retirement outcomes for public employees including teachers, public safety personnel and other state workers.
Floor speakers discussed several provisions and related items:
- A task force/work group will study pension coverage for probation officers and related public-safety-adjacent positions, with a report back by Jan. 15, 2026.
- The bill includes modifications to allow certain personal care attendants (PCAs) to use Secure Choice retirement savings options.
- Members described changes affecting duty-disability benefits for police and firefighters and noted that some of the funding adopted in prior biennia was one-time and will need continued attention.
- Several speakers raised concerns that Saint Paul teachers did not receive allocations comparable to other teacher retirement adjustments; Representative Herr asked that the omission be addressed in the next biennium.
Representative Nadeau noted, "we have $8,080,000,000 in each biennium moving forward," characterizing the scale of committed funding described by supporters on the floor. Representative Baker and others walked through choices lawmakers faced about different pension options and relative fiscal costs.
Opposition was limited on the floor; Representative Roach registered a no vote and read a letter from a constituent criticizing limits on health-insurance coverage for duty-disabled officers in the bill as "atrocious and inhumane." The final roll call showed 133 yays and 1 nay, and the House agreed to the bill's title.
Action taken: the House suspended rules and passed Senate File 2884 on third reading; recorded vote 133-1.
