Senator Jeff Howe (R-Rockville) yesterday presented legislation that precludes pattern bargaining for state law enforcement officer salaries. This bill requires that when the Commissioner of Management and Budget is negotiating a collective bargaining agreement, they must consider compensation for state law enforcement officers based on a salary survey conducted by the Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA). 

As directed by the Legislature, the OLA conducted a Law Enforcement Compensation review in 2020, using wage rates from 2019. It was found that base wages for Minnesota state troopers in 2019 were lower than median base wages of police officers. Starting wages were 5% lower, and maximum wages were 16% lower. Proposed bill language requires that the salary survey data be used when establishing compensation, instead of using internal equity data. The salary surveys will be conducted every 3 years until 2030, and the bill’s language will sunset in 2032.  

“We want to give our state law enforcement officer agencies the ability to recruit, retain, and retire the officers working in their departments, and we can accomplish that by providing a good system for determining compensation for state troopers and law enforcement officers,” said Howe. “Our state troopers consistently put service over self, and now it’s time to ensure that the state negotiates in good faith so that we keep the officers we have by giving them the compensation they deserve.”

The bill passed the Senate State Government Committee and now awaits a final vote on the Senate Floor.