Purpose

• To modify how State Patrol compensation and related expenses are set and studied, and to expand the scope and use of compensation surveys for law enforcement staffing in Minnesota.

Main Provisions

• Section 1: Salary and reimbursement (Minnesota Statutes 2024 § 299D.03, subd. 2)

  • Defines who is a State Patrol employee titled “patrol troopers,” and notes that higher ranks (e.g., lieutenant colonel, majors, captains, lieutenants, corporals, sergeants) may be appointed as needed to carry out duties.
  • Establishes selection and qualification rules for those ranks (generally requiring at least five years of relevant experience for supervisory ranks).
  • Requires the salary structure for State Patrol troopers, corporals, and sergeants to include a daily reimbursement of $6 for shift differential, meals, and other business expenses incurred while performing duties. The definition of “business expenses” covers items like uniform costs, home garaging of squad cars, and maintenance of a home office.

• Section 2: Salary and benefits survey (Minnesota Statutes 2024 § 299D.03, subd. 2a)

  • By January 1 in the years 2021, 2024, 2027, 2030, and every odd-numbered year after, the state legislative auditor must conduct a compensation and benefits survey of law enforcement officers in:
  • cities with more than 25,000 people that are in a metropolitan county and are represented by a union certified by the Bureau of Mediation Services; and
  • cities of the first class.
  • The State Patrol must be included in the survey.
  • The survey must use data from the most recently completed calendar year and be based on full-time equivalent employees. It must include:
  • Base salary, overtime wages, and premium pay (e.g., education pay, longevity pay).
  • All benefits (insurance, retirement, and pension benefits), including both employee and employer contributions.
  • Payments to officers for work performed for any entity other than the employing agency must not be included.
  • The auditor must present results department-by-department, including:
  • An explanation of each department’s salary structure and the minimum/maximum salaries for each range or step.
  • An explanation of benefits offered and the employee and employer contribution for each option.
  • A consistent table or grid format to facilitate comparison.
  • By January 15 in the same set of years (2021, 2024, 2027, 2030, and every odd-numbered year thereafter), the auditor must transmit the report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the House and Senate committees with jurisdiction over the State Patrol budget.
  • Legislative intent: Use the survey data to compare salaries between the identified local departments and the State Patrol and to determine appropriate salary increases for patrol troopers and supervisory ranks (captains and lieutenants). The bill clarifies that this does not preclude collective bargaining for salaries beyond what the survey states.
  • Salary adjustments for supervisory ranks (corporals, sergeants, lieutenants, captains) should be proportionate to adjustments for patrol troopers resulting from the survey. The survey’s scope is limited to patrol troopers unless otherwise specified.
  • For purposes of the supervisory-pay provision, “patrol troopers” means the position defined in subd. 2, paragraph a.

• Section 3: Effective date

  • The bill adjusts the effective date referenced in Laws 2024, chapter 104, article 1, section 2 (date to be determined by the amendment).

Significant Changes to Law

• Expands the universe of departments included in the compensation and benefits survey to cover:
  • Certain large-city police departments in metropolitan counties (population > 25,000, with union representation).
  • City of the first class.
  • The State Patrol itself.
• Codifies a specific daily reimbursement (6 per day) to cover shift differential, meals, and other business expenses for troopers, corporals, and sergeants.
• Strengthens the audit/reporting process by requiring detailed, department-specific salary and benefit data, with standardized formats to facilitate cross-department comparison.
• Ties survey results to potential salary increases for patrol troopers and supervisory ranks, while preserving the right to bargain salaries beyond the survey framework.
• Clarifies that adjustments for supervisory ranks should be proportional to trooper adjustments, and keeps the scope focused on patrol troopers unless explicitly expanded.
• Adds a recurring, multiyear survey cadence (every odd-numbered year, in specified years) and mandatory annual reporting to legislative leadership.

Relevant Dates and Reporting Cadence (as written) - Surveys required: by January 1 of 2021, 2024, 2027, 2030, and every odd-numbered year thereafter. - Reports transmitted: by January 15 of those same years to the appropriate House and Senate chairs and ranking minority members.

Note on terminology - Key terms from the bill include: State Patrol, patrol troopers, lieutenant colonel, majors, captains, lieutenants, corporals, sergeants, shift differential, per diem, business expenses, home garaging, home office, premium pay, education pay, longevity pay, base salary, overtime, insurance benefits, retirement/pension benefits, employee contributions, employer contributions, metropolitan county, city of the first class, union certified by the Bureau of Mediation Services, compensation and benefits survey, legislative auditor, minimum/maximum salaries, salary structure, and salary adjustments.

Relevant Terms - State Patrol - patrol troopers - shift differential - per diem - home garaging of squad cars - maintenance of home office - base salary - overtime wages - premium pay - education pay - longevity pay - insurance benefits - retirement benefits - pension benefits - employee contributions - employer contributions - metropolitan county - city of the first class - union certified by the Bureau of Mediation Services - compensation and benefits survey - legislative auditor - salary structure - minimum and maximum salaries - salary adjustments - collective bargaining - department-by-department reporting - reporting to legislative committees