Pension commission

The Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement would grow larger and more bipartisan under a bill approved by a House committee Jan. 27.

Sponsored by Rep. Phyllis Kahn (DFL-Mpls), HF110 would expand the commission’s total membership from 10 to 14. It would also grow the proportion of committee membership from the minority parties of the House and Senate.

The House Government Operations and Elections Committee approved the bill and referred it to the House State Government Finance Committee. There is no Senate companion.

The commission’s current membership comprises five members each from the House and Senate. Its job is to make recommendations to the Legislature on managing the state’s pension funds.

Minority party representation on the commission has been traditionally limited to one member each from the House and Senate. Kahn argued that requiring at least four commission members to be from the minority would give the commission some continuity of knowledge when majority control changes hands.

“Pensions are one of the most difficult issues that the legislature deals with,” Kahn said.

Chairwoman Joyce Peppin (R-Rogers) praised the bill and called it a good idea to include more minority members on the commission.

“I think it’s important that we have more people who are knowledgeable about pensions,” Peppin said.