Legislative UpdateWith the Legislature back in session and committees moving forward, we are working hard to ensure that key priorities are addressed. Many bills are now being heard for the second time after the Supreme Court’s ruling on quorum forced us to reset. As a member of the State Government Finance and Policy Committee, I have been actively engaged in shaping legislation to stop fraud, protect Minnesotans from government overreach, and make our state more affordable. Stopping Fraud & Protecting Taxpayer DollarsFraud and waste in state government have cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars, and House Republicans are taking action to prevent future abuse. We had the opportunity to hear several bills in the State Government Finance and Policy Committee to strengthen oversight, improve accountability, and protect your hard-earned money earlier this week. - HF2 – Strengthening Fraud Reporting & Accountability: This bill requires state agency employees to report suspected fraud and establishes stricter grants management requirements to ensure that taxpayer funds are properly distributed and monitored. Additionally, HF2 introduces a criminal penalty for those who knowingly participate in fraudulent activities, sending a clear message that fraud will not be tolerated in Minnesota.
- HF3 – Strengthening Internal Controls & Legislative Oversight: This bill requires the Legislative Auditor to submit a report to the legislature on how well state agencies are implementing internal control and fiscal management recommendations. Too often, agencies ignore critical recommendations that could prevent fraud and mismanagement. HF3 ensures that legislators have the information needed to hold agencies accountable and demand corrective action.
- HF23 – Strengthening Whistleblower Protections: To stop fraud before it happens, we need to empower those who witness wrongdoing to come forward. HF23 enhances protections for whistleblowers, preventing retaliation and ensuring that state employees and grant managers can safely report fraud and abuse.
These bills take meaningful steps to restore trust in state government, close loopholes that allow fraud, and prioritize responsible use of taxpayer dollars. All three bills passed through committee on Tuesday. Protecting Minnesotans from Government OverreachOne of the most important lessons we learned from the COVID-19 pandemic is that emergency powers should never be abused to bypass the legislative process and impose unchecked mandates on Minnesotans. House Republicans are taking action to ensure that no governor—Republican or Democrat—can ever unilaterally control the state for months or years without legislative approval. - HF21 – Requiring Legislative Approval to Extend Emergencies: This bill prevents the governor from extending a peacetime emergency beyond 14 days without a supermajority vote from both the House and Senate. This ensures that emergency powers cannot be used indefinitely without bipartisan agreement from the Legislature.
- HF26 – Restoring Checks and Balances on Emergency Powers: This bill goes even further by repealing the governor’s authority to declare an emergency on their own. Instead, the Legislature would be responsible for declaring and extending emergencies, ensuring that emergency decisions are made by elected representatives—not by executive decree. This bill also protects the rights of Minnesota citizens, preventing overreach that could infringe on personal freedoms.
Minnesotans should never again have to endure prolonged, unilateral mandates from the governor. These bills are to restore the constitutional balance of power, strengthen legislative oversight, and ensure that future emergency measures are made with full public accountability. Empowering State Workers to Help Prevent Waste Fraud & Abuse to Bring Back more Responsible Government Spending My original SAVI (Strategic Allocation and Value Initiative) bill from 2011 passed with bipartisan support, with only 6 out of 201 legislators voting no, and empowered state workers to prevent waste. Unfortunately, last session, the DFL majority spent the entire $18 billion surplus, and put the state on track for a $5.1 billion deficit. SAVI is a tool that could have prevented much of that surplus from being used on waste, fraud, and abuse thus saving the taxpayers millions. It would have also ensured that the budget was responsibly managed and would have prevented many of the financial challenges we are currently facing. I presented this bill (HF289) in the State Government Finance and Policy Committee on Thursday, and was passed out to the general registry. You can watch my opening statement for the bill hearing below:  Meetings and VisitorsThis week, I was grateful to meet with several groups and individuals to hear their perspectives on key issues impacting our communities including Dr. Roger Marquardt, DC, Duluth Public Schools, Kasson-Mantorville Telecom, Women’s Shelter and Support Center representatives, and the Minnesota Catholic Conference. It’s always a privilege to connect with those I represent and hear their insights. Thank you to everyone who took the time to meet with me! |