State auditor's fire relief association work group recommendations implementation

SF 3588 implements recommendations from the state auditor's fire relief association working group by updating definitions and rules for firefighter retirement benefits. It revises key terms like "firefighting service" (now including fire prevention and volunteer emergency medical personnel), "separate from active service" (permanent departure), and "break in service" (temporary pause). The bill establishes new rules allowing firefighters who leave service without receiving a pension to return and combine their original and new service time for pension calculations, subject to association bylaws. This directly affects firefighters in Minnesota's fire relief associations who transition between active duty and leave.