HF 4455

HF4455 SECOND ENGROSSMENT  REVISOR  MS  H4455-2
This Document can be made available  Printed
in alternative formats upon request  State of Minnesota  Page No.      344
  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
  NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
  H. F. No.  4455
03/18/2026     Authored by Lee, K.,
  The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Elections Finance and Government Operations
04/09/2026     Adoption of Report: Placed on the General Register as Amended
  Read for the Second Time
04/27/2026     Calendar for the Day, Amended
  Read Third Time as Amended
  Passed by the House as Amended and transmitted to the Senate to include Floor Amendments
1.1A bill for an act
1.2relating to local government; updating terminology related to Ramsey County
1.3human resources personnel structure; adjusting certain positions to unclassified
1.4service for consistency with other similar positions; repealing obsolete language;
1.5making technical changes; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 383A.281,
1.6subdivision 13; 383A.283, subdivisions 2, 3; 383A.284, subdivisions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5;
1.7383A.285, subdivisions 2, 3, 4, 5, 10; 383A.286, subdivisions 2, 3; 383A.288,
1.8subdivisions 5, 6; 383A.289, subdivisions 1, 3; 383A.291, subdivision 1a;
1.9383A.292, subdivisions 1, 2; 383A.294, subdivision 6; 383A.295, subdivisions 1,
1.102; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 383A.298; 383A.301.
1.11BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.12Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.281, subdivision 13, is amended to
1.13read:
1.14Subd. 13. County personnel system. "County personnel system" means all employees
1.15in the departments or agencies of county government or joint city and county agencies which
1.16receive their funding in whole or in part from the county board, including employees of the
1.17following, but excluding other employees not subject to a county personnel system because
1.18of state law:
1.19(a) (1) elected officials;
1.20(b) (2) the Saint Paul-Ramsey Medical Center Commission; and
1.21(c) (3) the court administrator of district court; Examiner of Titles.
1.22but not including:
1.23(1) district court judges;
Section 1.  1
HF4455 SECOND ENGROSSMENT  REVISOR  MS  H4455-2
2.1      (2) court reporters, law clerks, referees employed by the district court, and the Second
2.2  Judicial District administrator's office;
2.3      (3) court commissioners;
2.4      (4) the public defender;
2.5      (5) employees of the Examiner of Titles, Agricultural Extension Service, Humane Society,
2.6  Historical Society, and Soil and Water Conservation District; and
2.7      (6) other employees not subject to a county personnel system because of state law.
2.8    Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.283, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
2.9      Subd. 2. Director Chief human resources officer. The director chief human resources
2.10 officer shall be appointed by the Ramsey County executive director county manager, on
2.11 the basis of merit and fitness as a result of a competitive examination, subject to the approval
2.12 of the county board. The director chief human resources officer shall be in the classified
2.13 unclassified service and shall report directly to and be supervised by the Ramsey County
2.14 executive director.
2.15   Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.283, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
2.16     Subd. 3. Responsibilities. The chief human resources director officer shall provide
2.17 personnel management services and assistance to all county departments, enforce any
2.18 personnel rules and regulations adopted by the county board, and carry out the responsibilities
2.19 set forth in sections 383A.281 to 383A.301.
2.20   Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.284, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
2.21     Subdivision 1. Rulemaking. The chief human resources director officer shall prepare
2.22 rules to implement the provisions of sections 383A.281 to 383A.301. The rules shall be
2.23 effective upon approval by the county board. Prior to approval, the county board shall hold
2.24 a public hearing on the proposed rules after giving notice to county departments, employees,
2.25 affected labor organizations, and the public. The rules approved by the county board shall
2.26 have the force and effect of law. The rules may be amended or repealed in the same manner
2.27 as originally adopted.
2.28   Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.284, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
2.29     Subd. 2. Collective bargaining. The executive director county manager or the director's
2.30 county manager's designee shall be the chief labor negotiator for the county. The executive
Sec. 5.  2
HF4455 SECOND ENGROSSMENT  REVISOR  MS  H4455-2
3.1  director county manager may, as necessary and at discretion, include department heads of
3.2  affected departments in the labor negotiation process. The executive director county manager
3.3  shall recommend to the county board for its final approval all collective bargaining
3.4  agreements. To the extent they are covered by a collective bargaining agreement, the
3.5  compensation, term, and conditions of employment for all employees represented by an
3.6  exclusive representative certified pursuant to chapter 179A shall be governed by the collective
3.7  bargaining agreement executed by the county board and the parties and it shall supersede
3.8  any rule or administrative procedure adopted pursuant to sections 383A.281 to 383A.301,
3.9  unless a provision of the agreement is found to violate other state or federal law.
3.10   Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.284, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
3.11     Subd. 3. Payroll voucher certification Payrolls approved. The director of chief human
3.12 resources officer or the director's officer's authorized agent shall be responsible for
3.13 certification of the payroll vouchers that the payment of salary or compensation of persons
3.14 named in them have been appointed and employed in accordance with the provisions of
3.15 sections 383A.281 to 383A.301 and the rules under sections 383A.281 to 383A.301. No
3.16 Ramsey County disbursing or auditing The chief human resources officer or the officer's
3.17 authorized agent shall make or approve or take part in making or approving payment for
3.18 personal service to not certify a payroll item for a person holding a position in county service
3.19 unless the payroll voucher or account for the amount bears the certification of the director
3.20 or the authorized agent person has been appointed and employed in accordance with the
3.21 provisions of sections 383A.281 to 383.301 and the rules under sections 383A.281 to
3.22 383A.301.
3.23   Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.284, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
3.24     Subd. 4. Evaluation; report. The county board shall establish performance indicators
3.25 and annually monitor the performance of the personnel management system in the county.
3.26 The chief human resources director officer shall periodically review and evaluate current
3.27 and future staff needs of all county departments, job classes and descriptions, training and
3.28 development, and internal and market comparability of all classification and salary schedules
3.29 and report to the county board on these and other personnel management areas, as requested.
3.30   Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.284, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
3.31     Subd. 5. Review appointments. Prior to each new appointment to the county personnel
3.32 system, the chief human resources director officer shall certify that the person has been
Sec. 8.  3
HF4455 SECOND ENGROSSMENT  REVISOR  MS  H4455-2
4.1  appointed in accordance with sections 383A.281 to 383A.301 and applicable rules and
4.2  regulations.
4.3    Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.285, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
4.4      Subd. 2. Classification plan. The chief human resources director officer shall maintain,
4.5  revise, and administer a classification and salary plan.
4.6    Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.285, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
4.7      Subd. 3. Classification of positions. The chief human resources director officer shall
4.8  place each position in the classified service in an appropriate class in the classification plan
4.9  or in a new class to be created, if appropriate. If a class is unique to a department, the chief
4.10 human resources director officer shall consult the head of that department before classifying
4.11 the unique positions.
4.12   Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.285, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
4.13     Subd. 4. Appeal from classification or reclassification. An appointing authority or an
4.14 employee affected by a classification or reclassification of a position may protest the action
4.15 in writing to the human resources director. The chief human resources director officer shall
4.16 review the classification or reclassification and may change the decision. Neither the
4.17 appointing authority nor the employee shall have any further right to appeal a decision
4.18 regarding a classification or reclassification to the Personnel Review Board.
4.19   Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.285, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
4.20     Subd. 5. Study; implementation. The chief human resources director officer shall
4.21 complete a reclassification study within 60 days after receiving a reclassification request.
4.22 The appointing authority shall implement the personnel changes required by the
4.23 reclassification decision in a timely manner and qualifications for reclassified positions
4.24 shall be reasonably commensurate with the requirements of the position.
4.25   Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.285, subdivision 10, is amended to read:
4.26     Subd. 10. Unclassifying positions. An employee in the classified service with permanent
4.27 tenure, who is an incumbent of a position which becomes unclassified and is not appointed
4.28 to or is removed from the unclassified position, shall be transferred by the chief human
4.29 resources director officer to a classified position within the same department comparable
4.30 to the unclassified position. If a comparable position is unavailable, the person shall be
Sec. 13.  4
HF4455 SECOND ENGROSSMENT  REVISOR  MS  H4455-2
5.1  transferred by the director chief human resources officer to a classified position comparable
5.2  to that held immediately prior to being appointed to the position which was unclassified. If
5.3  the employee held an unclassified position with the same agency before being appointed to
5.4  the classified position that is unclassified, the person shall be transferred by the director
5.5  chief human resources officer to a classified position comparable to the classified position
5.6  next in rank below the position that is unclassified. The employee's salary shall not be less
5.7  than it was in the position which was unclassified, but it may be frozen until it is
5.8  commensurate with the class and grade of the position to which the employee was transferred.
5.9    Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.286, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
5.10     Subd. 2. Unclassified positions. The following positions shall be in the unclassified
5.11 service:
5.12     (a) (1) positions held by elected officials or persons appointed to fill an elected office;
5.13     (b) (2) one assistant for each elected official;
5.14     (c) (3) the director or principal administrative officer of a department of county
5.15 government or agency created by law, except that the affirmative action officer, human
5.16 resources director, internal auditor, and director of budgeting and accounting shall be
5.17 positions in the classified service;
5.18     (d) doctors, residents, and student nurses employed by the county or county agency;
5.19     (e) (4) members of a board or commission appointed by the county, or the county and
5.20 the city, and acting in an advisory capacity;
5.21     (f) (5) weed inspectors, election judges, or election clerks;
5.22     (g) special police officers or special deputy sheriffs serving without pay;
5.23     (h) judges, court administrators, court reporters, receivers, referees, the examiner or
5.24 assistant examiners of titles, public defenders, arbiters, jurors, court administrator of district
5.25 court, or persons appointed by the district court to make or conduct a special inquiry of a
5.26 judicial or temporary character;
5.27     (i) (6) all positions in the Second Judicial District administrator's office;
5.28     (j) (7) the executive director county manager and eight principal assistants;
5.29     (k) the chief executive officer of the medical center and seven principal assistants;
5.30     (l) interns, student workers, law clerks, or (8) other employees employed for a limited
5.31 duration as determined by the county board;
Sec. 14.  5
HF4455 SECOND ENGROSSMENT  REVISOR  MS  H4455-2
6.1(m) (9) positions designated by the county board as unclassified pursuant to subdivision
6.2  3;
6.3(n) (10) the sheriff, the sheriff's chief deputy, three principal assistants, and a personal
6.4  secretary; and
6.5(o) (11) the county attorney, the county attorney's first assistant, one principal assistant,
6.6  and a personal secretary.
6.7    Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.286, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
6.8Subd. 3. Unclassified positions authorized by county board. (a) The county board
6.9  may designate additional positions in the unclassified service if the following criteria are
6.10 met:
6.11(a) (1) designation of the position is not contrary to the provisions of other law relating
6.12 specifically to that department;
6.13(b) (2) the person occupying the position of supervisor or a department assistant would
6.14 report directly to the department head and would be designated as part of the department
6.15 head's management team; and
6.16(c) (3) the duties of the position involve significant discretion and substantial involvement
6.17 in the development, interpretation, and implementation of department policy.
6.18(b) The chief human resources director officer shall certify whether the designation is
6.19 consistent or inconsistent with the standards and criteria in this section. The county board
6.20 may appeal certification decisions to the Personnel Review Board.
6.21   Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.288, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
6.22Subd. 5. Waiver of competitive examinations. The chief human resources director
6.23 officer shall establish a procedure and a definition of the criteria for the selection and referral
6.24 of qualified applicants to fill positions in routine service classifications involving unskilled
6.25 tasks. Applicants to fill vacancies in the classifications shall be exempt from ranking and
6.26 certification. The director chief human resources officer shall refer all qualified applicants
6.27 to the appointing authority having vacancies in the appropriate classifications.
6.28   Sec. 17. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.288, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
6.29Subd. 6. Classified managerial positions. The chief human resources director officer
6.30 shall establish criteria for the designation of positions in the classified service as managerial
6.31 positions where the duties involve significant discretion and substantial involvement in the
Sec. 17.  6
HF4455 SECOND ENGROSSMENT  REVISOR  MS  H4455-2
7.1  development, interpretation, and implementation of departmental and county policy. The
7.2  chief human resources director officer shall designate those classified positions that meet
7.3  these criteria in consultation with interested parties, including bargaining units certified
7.4  pursuant to chapter 179A representing Ramsey County employees. Classified positions, so
7.5  designated, shall be exempt from the examination and certification requirements of this
7.6  section, and the provisions of section 383A.289, and shall be filled by means of an open
7.7  application and screening process.
7.8    Sec. 18. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.289, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
7.9      Subdivision 1. General. The chief human resources director officer shall prepare eligible
7.10 lists as provided in this section.
7.11   Sec. 19. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.289, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
7.12     Subd. 3. Term of eligibility. The term of eligibility of eligibles on lists shall be
7.13 determined by the chief human resources director officer.
7.14   Sec. 20. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.291, subdivision 1a, is amended to read:
7.15     Subd. 1a. Under county rules. Upon request of the appointing authority, the chief human
7.16 resources director officer shall certify eligibles in accordance with rules adopted under
7.17 section 383A.284, subdivision 1.
7.18   Sec. 21. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.292, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
7.19     Subdivision 1. Temporary appointments. The chief human resources director officer
7.20 may authorize the appointing authority to make a temporary appointment of not more than
7.21 six months in any 12-month period. When practicable, the human resources director may
7.22 certify any qualified eligible from an eligible list for the temporary appointment, but may
7.23 authorize the appointment of any person deemed qualified by the appointing authority.
7.24   Sec. 22. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.292, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
7.25     Subd. 2. Provisional appointments. The chief human resources director officer may
7.26 authorize the appointing authority to make a provisional appointment for a position for
7.27 which there is no eligible list for a period of time determined by the human resources director
7.28 not to exceed six months.
Sec. 22.  7
HF4455 SECOND ENGROSSMENT  REVISOR  MS  H4455-2
8.1    Sec. 23. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.294, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
8.2      Subd. 6. Production of documents. The chief human resources director officer may
8.3  make a written request to an employee to produce relevant documents or to a person to
8.4  appear for the purpose of giving relevant oral statements or testimony relating to a
8.5  disciplinary action of an employee. An employee who is the subject of a disciplinary action
8.6  may make a written request to the chief human resources director officer for the production
8.7  of relevant documents or for the appearance of a person to give relevant oral statements or
8.8  testimony relating to the disciplinary action. The request for the appearance of a person
8.9  may be to appear and testify at a hearing of the Personnel Review Board or to appear at a
8.10 specified place to give an oral statement prior to a hearing of the Personnel Review Board.
8.11 The chief human resources director officer, or the employee upon receipt of a request for
8.12 production of relevant documents, shall furnish the requesting party the documents within
8.13 ten days of receipt of the written request. A person to whom a request for an appearance
8.14 has been made shall appear at the time and place designated in the request. If a party to
8.15 whom a request for relevant documents has been made fails to furnish the documents to the
8.16 requesting party within ten days of receipt of the request, the requesting party may make
8.17 an application to the district court for a determination that the refusal to produce the
8.18 documents was unreasonable. If a person to whom a request for appearance has been made
8.19 fails to appear at the time and place designated in the request, the party making the request
8.20 for appearance may make an application to the district court for a determination that the
8.21 failure to appear was unreasonable. If the district court determines that a failure to produce
8.22 requested documents or to appear was unreasonable, it may assess costs not exceeding $100
8.23 to the requesting party against the refusing party or person.
8.24   Sec. 24. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.295, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
8.25     Subdivision 1. Benefits. The chief human resources director officer shall have the
8.26 authority to set hours of employment, sick leave, vacation leave, leave of absence without
8.27 pay, health insurance, life insurance, and other fringe benefits for employees in the classified
8.28 and unclassified service subject to the approval of the county board and in accordance with
8.29 the law.
8.30   Sec. 25. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 383A.295, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
8.31     Subd. 2. Layoffs. The chief human resources director officer shall adopt rules and
8.32 regulations providing for the layoff and reemployment of employees on the basis of the
8.33 employee's seniority.
Sec. 25.  8
      HF4455 SECOND ENGROSSMENT  REVISOR  MS  H4455-2
9.1   Sec. 26. REPEALER.
9.2     Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 383A.298; and 383A.301, are repealed.
9.3   Sec. 27. EFFECTIVE DATE.
9.4     This act is effective the day after the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners and the
9.5 county's chief clerical officer comply with Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021, subdivisions
9.6 2 and 3.
      Sec. 27.  9
  APPENDIX
  Repealed Minnesota Statutes: H4455-2
   383A.298 TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS.
   All employees of the Civil Service Department shall be transferred to the Human Resources
Department. All members of the Civil Service Commission shall be members of the Personnel
Review Board and serve until their current term expires and a successor is appointed.
   383A.301 STATUS OF PRESENT EMPLOYEES.
    Each person holding a position with the county of Ramsey who has acquired permanent tenure
or who was serving a probationary period on the effective date of sections 383A.281 to 383A.301
retains the position, seniority date, and accrued benefits.
  1R