Transcript Highlights:

• are looking at at at OIG. are looking at at at OIG.
• So when OIG staff they are lengthy.
• was the final negotiated OIG bill? was the final negotiated OIG bill?
• OIG and the DHS. Thank you. OIG and the DHS. Thank you.
• OIG has a limited number of investigators.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Our reports to HHS OIG are public.
• Our reports to HHS OIG are public.
• Our reports to HHS OIG are public.
• Our reports to HHS OIG are public.
• , to HHS OIG, to HHS OIG, and<00:27:03.480> we're<00:27:03.600> required<00:27:04.040

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So that's the value of having an independent OIG as is proposed in the underlying bill.
• as is proposed in the an independent OIG as is proposed in the underlying<00:37:56.560> bill.
• <00:44:20.240> takes fraud section from DPS to the OIG takes fraud section from DPS to the
• Thank you. even though the DHS has primary OIG has even though the DHS has primary OIG has primary<01
• There may be situations where the OIG has to step in when the agency doesn't, or maybe even the

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You talk a little about the specific differences between your bill and the OIG bill we saw from Senator
• Some of the recommendations to that delineation of OIG and legislative auditor have been provided and
• Outside of the OIG bill, which I know there's two of right now, are there any bills that we heard about
• bill which I know outside of the oig bill which I know there's<00:47:00.880> two<00:47:01.200
• Whistleblower protections and the oig Whistleblower protections and the oig package<00:48:38.200

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You work with Senator Gustafson on the OIG, and you talked about working on a library bill across the
• Does that replace the need for your OIG, or how are they different? >> Yeah, absolutely not.
• Does that replace the need for your OIG, or how are they different? >> Yeah, absolutely not.
• Does that replace the need for your OIG, or how are they different? >> Yeah, absolutely not.
• Does that replace the need for your OIG, or how are they different? >> Yeah, absolutely not.

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: The segment focused heavily on affordability and fraud prevention in the Minnesota Senate. Senator Michael Kreun discussed his proposal to cap city and county property tax growth at the rate of inflation, with a small allowance for population growth, and to require voter approval by referendum for increases above the cap. He said property taxes rose by nearly $1 billion statewide last year, blamed part of the increase on unfunded state mandates, and said the bill would curb surprise double-digit hikes. Kreun said the proposal has been well received by constituents and homeowners, while cities and counties are concerned about losing revenue; he also said relief could begin as soon as the next property tax statement if the bill passes this year. He noted related affordability ideas, including increasing disabled-veteran exemptions and deferring property taxes for seniors, and said he is open to bipartisan work on other measures such as ending taxes on tips and overtime and reducing tab fees. The program also highlighted climate and infrastructure funding. Senator Ann Johnson Stewart argued that worsening weather is driving costly infrastructure damage and said a proposed climate superfund would shift some of those costs from taxpayers to major polluters. She said the fund could support storm sewer upgrades, pavement reinforcement, and erosion prevention, and noted that Senate File 4126 is awaiting a hearing in the Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy Committee. On fraud prevention, Senator Julia Coleman’s bipartisan bill would require at least one unannounced, on-site inspection for state grants over $10,000, with recurring check-ins for grants lasting more than a year. The bill is pending in the Senate State and Local Government Committee. Senator Heather Gustafson then discussed her push for an independent Office of Inspector General, saying it would provide oversight over any public or private entity receiving public dollars. She said the Senate previously backed the idea with 60 votes, that the governor’s coordinated council is only an interim step, and that she has not yet seen a Republican fraud package to review. The segment also noted that the Senate unanimously passed Senator Johnson Stewart’s school bus safety bill, Senate File 3623, by a 67-0 vote, clarifying that drivers must stop when school bus lights flash even if the stop arm is only partially extended; the bill now awaits House action.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, I have House Bill 388, which is a cleanup bill for Casper that was requested from the OIG office.
• bill for Casper that was requested<00:06:16.160> from<00:06:16.319> the<00:06:16.560> OIG
• <00:06:18.000> Um,<00:06:18.639> this requested from the OIG office.
• Um, this requested from the OIG office.

Keywords: 00:00 - Call to Order/Roll Call 01:28 - Discussion of 26RS HB 393 03:05 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 393 04:11 - Discussion of 26RS HB 385 04:44 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 385 05:44 - Discussion of 26RS HB 388 06:39 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 388 08:00 - Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The House Standing Committee on Health Services met with a quorum and heard three bills. House Bill 393, sponsored by Rep. Rebecca Raymer with testimony from Mackenzie Wallace of the Alzheimer’s Association, would clean up statutes governing the Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders council, add another caregiver seat, and require the council to develop and distribute an early detection/diagnosis toolkit for health care providers. Wallace said the bill mainly resolves duplicative language and conflicting deadlines and aligns the statute with current Office of Dementia Services work. The committee took a motion and second, asked no questions, and passed the bill with favorable expression. House Bill 385, sponsored by Rep. Marianne Proctor, was described as a simple cleanup bill changing a statutory definition from “institution” to “facility.” The committee moved and seconded the bill, asked no questions, and approved it with favorable expression. House Bill 388, sponsored by Rep. Robert Duval, was presented as a cleanup bill for Casper requested by the OIG office and related to prescription drugs; Duval noted it had previously passed the House 90-4. The committee again took a motion and second, had no substantive discussion, and passed the bill with favorable expression, with one member briefly registering a vote after the roll call. At the close of the meeting, the chair noted that consensus had been reached on all three bills in advance and that a lot of work had gone into them. The committee announced its next meeting for February 5 at noon in Annex Room 149 and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, this the OIG uh policy bill.
• And that is the OIG policy bill.
• Happy And that is the OIG policy bill.
• ,<01:37:29.240> I'm or have a debate between the OIG, I'm or have a debate between the OIG
• finally see your agency and the OIG finally see your agency and the OIG prosecute<01:39:48.920><

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Yeah, so the OIG bill that passed was a bipartisan win both in the House and the Senate.
• Not only the OIG bill, but there was a number of bills that passed and we used a lot of our leverage
• Yeah, so the OIG bill that that that.
• Yeah, so the OIG bill that that passed<00:14:16.960> was<00:14:17.160> a<00:14:17.320><
• Not only the OIG bill, but way here.

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: The program reviewed the end of Minnesota’s 94th Legislature and featured interviews with Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy and Minority Leader Mark Johnson about the session’s major outcomes. Murphy said Senate Democrats used their one-seat advantage to advance priorities including emergency rental assistance, immigration enforcement, stabilization of HCMC, gun violence prevention, and a $1.2 billion infrastructure/bonding bill. She also highlighted a one-year reduction in vehicle tab fees, some property tax and business tax relief, and the creation of an independent Office of Inspector General, while saying more should have been done on lead pipe replacement and that some work was delayed by House inaction and federal policy changes. Murphy argued the session was shaped by a divided legislature and by negotiations that often happened late and behind closed doors, which she said made the process frustrating and left some Senate proposals without House counterparts. She said the Senate also worked on protecting Medicaid and SNAP from federal cuts and on stabilizing hospitals, especially HCMC and rural facilities. She described the gun violence and immigration debates as examples where bipartisan demands did not match what she saw as the needs of Minnesotans, and said the state should return to more public conference committee negotiations next session. Johnson said Senate Republicans focused on fraud prevention, affordability, and education. He pointed to the Inspector General bill and the “Take It Back Act” as major bipartisan wins, and said Republicans used their leverage to secure the tab fee reduction and other tax relief. He also said the caucus wanted stronger protections against fraud without harming legitimate service providers, and criticized DFL priorities on government growth and education outcomes. Both leaders said relationships across the aisle improved over the session, though they differed sharply on how much was accomplished and what should be prioritized next year.

Transcript Highlights:

• File 856, a taxpayer watchdog bill, would establish an independent Office of the Inspector General, or OIG
• The OIG would proactively prevent fraud by independently overseeing agencies and working with law enforcement
• The bill's authors, Senator Inspector General, or OIG, passed out of Inspector General, or OIG, passed
• The OIG<00:15:55.960> would<00:15:56.200> proactively<00:15:56.960> prevent<00:15
• :57.480> fraud<00:15:57.960> by OIG would proactively prevent fraud by OIG would proactively

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• then the OIG steps in and is able to look at those claims.
• We do, if anybody had a question, we have the OIG here, but it doesn't...
• Madam Chair, could we call up the OIG? Yeah, no, I'm calling. Yeah, I'm so sorry. With the OIG.
• Could the OIG handle it? And can you just kind of speak to that? Yeah, absolutely.
• Any other questions for the OIG? Thank you very much for being here today. Thank you.

Bills: SB500, SB719, SB912, SB1232, SB1467, SB1777, SB1864, SB2023, SB2119, SB2458

Keywords: SB 500, Texas adoption law, Family Code, DFPS, Department of Family and Protective Services, child-placing agency, prospective adoptive parents, adoption records, confidential information, nondisclosure agreement, child history report, health history, social history, educational history, genetic history, termination of parental rights, permanency plan, single source continuum contractor, privacy, redaction

Summary: The committee first took up several pending bills and reported them favorably: SB 968, SB 636 as substituted, SB 1137, and SB 1138 as substituted. Each was advanced by roll call vote, and the committee also recommended the approved bills for the local and uncontested calendar. The chair then moved to the posted agenda and heard SB 719, a mental health bed-capacity study bill by Senator Eckhart, with a committee substitute that refined the data collection to distinguish state and non-state beds, child and adult beds, include two point-in-time counts, and capture jail diversion data. Testimony on SB 719 was largely supportive from Integral Care, NAMI Texas, and the Children’s Hospital Association of Texas, all of whom said Texas needs better data on inpatient psychiatric capacity, workforce needs, and future demand. Several witnesses described long waits for beds, especially for forensic restoration, and argued the study would help target future investments. Senator Perry and others noted the state has already made major investments in new beds and urged the bill to account for beds already coming online; the committee ultimately withdrew the substitute and left SB 719 pending after public testimony closed. The committee then heard SB 1864, which would allow small egg producers to sell ungraded eggs more broadly, including to restaurants and retailers, with the substitute increasing the weekly sales threshold and addressing sanitation and labeling. Supporters said grading is about size, not safety, and that the bill would help small farms reach new markets; opponents from the Texas Poultry Federation argued grading and candling help identify cracks and defects that can affect safety and quality. The committee adopted the substitute and left the bill pending. It also heard SB 1467, requiring DSHS to share death record information with hospitals for record accuracy and quality review, and SB 912, which would modernize continuing education tracking for health licensing agencies; both bills drew supportive testimony and were left pending. Finally, the committee heard SB 2023, which would create an HHSC grant program to help counties pay for indigent burial costs, with county representatives testifying in support.

Transcript Highlights:

• Specifically with DHS, because of the fact that their OIG currently has almost 500 employees.
• They have employees that aren't really OIG functions, but they're under that OIG head in DHS.
• We're proposing to not move really any of them because they're not OIG, as we think of an OIG.
• I think there's one more discussion we'll be having with DHS about some of their top OIG staff as a final

Transcript Highlights:

• I view this as an acknowledgement of the independence, professionalism, and track record that the OIG
• I want the OIG to be a destination and not a launching pad to other agencies.
• I am proud to say that one of our most important prevention tools is our OIG Academy, where we teach
• In 2025, approximately 2,050 students registered for 135 OIG Academy classes.
• At the municipal level, the OIG continues to be very active.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The joint budget hearing opened the FY27 budget process with remarks from the Senate and House Ways and Means chairs, who described the fiscal outlook as challenging because of slow revenue growth, rising health care and other costs, and uncertainty from federal policy changes. Governor Healey and Secretary of Administration and Finance Matthew Gorzkowicz then presented House 2, a $62.8 billion budget that they said grows by about 1% and does not raise taxes or fees. They emphasized affordability, fiscal discipline, protection of core services, and continued investment in education, transportation, housing, child care, health care, and public safety. The administration also discussed a separate bill to delay and phase in certain federal tax-code changes from the so-called OB3 law, especially research and experimental expense provisions, to reduce immediate budget impacts and preserve competitiveness. A major portion of the hearing focused on education and municipal aid. The administration said House 2 provides about $7.6 billion for Chapter 70 aid, fully funds the final year of the Student Opportunity Act, increases special education circuit breaker funding, and raises rural school aid. Senators and representatives from both parties raised concerns that Chapter 70 and other aid formulas are not equitable for small, rural, and low-wealth communities and are not keeping pace with inflation, and several called for broader review of the formula and related funding streams. The governor and secretary said they are open to further discussion, pointed to additional support through rural aid, special education, transportation reimbursements, and minimum aid, and said total Student Opportunity Act investment would reach about $2.1 billion over the life of the law. Transportation, housing, and fair share spending were also central topics. The administration said fair share revenues are being used holistically, with education-heavy spending in the operating budget and transportation-heavy spending in the supplemental budget, and estimated the overall split to date at roughly 57% education and 43% transportation. They highlighted MBTA stabilization, regional transit authority support, microtransit, fare-free regional transit, and bridge and commuter rail investments, while noting the MBTA remains a major fiscal concern. On housing, the governor stressed production, permitting reform, ADUs, down-payment assistance, and support for public housing authorities, while lawmakers pressed for more funding for local housing authorities and for ways to address out-migration, energy costs, and affordability. The governor also said the administration will not withhold fire safety grants from communities over MBTA Communities Act noncompliance and will handle such issues case by case. No votes were taken at the hearing; it was an informational presentation and question-and-answer session.

Transcript Highlights:

• to specifically was probably referring to specifically is<00:10:45.680> the<00:10:45.920> OIG
• c> that<00:10:47.440> the<00:10:47.839> Senate<00:10:48.280> passed is the OIG
• bill that the Senate passed is the OIG bill that the Senate passed almost<00:10:49.000> bipartisan
• had Almost bipartisan last year, and he had said in the State of the State last year, "Pass the OIG
• We voted at least four times on the OIG bill this year, and House Democrats have blocked it every time

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: Republican legislative leaders reacted critically to Governor Walz’s speech, saying it was divisive and focused too heavily on Democratic priorities rather than unity or bipartisan work. Speaker Daudt and Majority Leader Liska argued the governor ignored the state’s affordability problems, including high property taxes, rising business costs, and what they described as mandates imposed under full Democratic control. They also said the speech downplayed poor educational outcomes and failed to offer a unifying vision for the final weeks of session. A major theme was fraud and accountability. Leaders said the governor waited too long to address the state’s large fraud scandal and then deflected blame to other states. They said Minnesotans want accountability and affordability, and they pointed to the House Fraud Committee and the Senate’s OIG bill as examples of anti-fraud work Republicans say Democrats have blocked. They also criticized the governor’s tax proposals as a “bait and switch,” arguing that promised tax cuts would be offset by new taxes on services and banking fees. The discussion also touched on school safety, gun policy, child care credits, and the HCMC bailout. Republicans said they were willing to work on bipartisan school safety measures, including mental health supports and funding for public, private, and charter schools, but believed gun-control proposals lacked the votes. On the child care credit, leaders said they would keep evaluating it but were concerned about future deficits and the need for a pay-for. In response to questions, they said they were not surprised HCMC was not mentioned and said conversations were continuing. One leader also objected to the governor’s comments about voting access for people of color, calling them disrespectful.

Transcript Highlights:

• The first, the governor recommends adding the OIG in the application of comprehensive law enforcement
• <01:04:56.160> data recommendation also makes all OIG data recommendation also makes all OIG
• <01:05:26.800> proposals the final bucket of the OIG proposals the final bucket of the OIG
• And then I did want to head on over to the OIG provisions and I want to thank uh Mr.
• provisions and I want to thank uh uh OIG provisions and I want to thank uh Mr.<01:21:10.400> Uni<

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 80% of the time the FBI HHS oig 80% of the time the referrals<01:29:29.159> came<01:29:29.440
• Second, we are proposing one investigator added to the OIG team, and this position will increase the
• capacity of the OIG to investigate fraud, waste, and abuse and more quickly address complaints.
• We are also proposing policy for our OIG and charter school program oversight.
• are also proposing policy for our oig are also proposing policy for our oig and<01:40:18.199>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The OIG detects fraud, waste, abuse, and error and takes action when they find it.
• has a variety also data analysis the oig has a variety of<00:45:08.599> tools<00:45:09.000>
• has many tools to criminal the DHS oig has many tools to deal<00:45:36.680> with<00:45:36.800
• <00:46:29.160> F<00:46:29.480> uh eneral 's office or the federal oig F uh eneral '
• <00:48:19.359> office<00:48:19.680> is media as a result our oig office is media as

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Human Services Committee met on January 22, 2025, to focus early in session on waste, fraud, abuse, and program integrity in Minnesota human services programs. The chair said taxpayers expect funds to reach people in need and asked the Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA) to present on resources, progress, and possible solutions. Members also asked the auditors to note where the legislature or agencies had already taken action to address prior findings. OLA staff summarized recent reports on grants management and oversight. They said noncompliance with grants policies has been pervasive across agencies, including problems at DHS in conflict-of-interest documentation and pre-award financial reviews. In one DHS review, 30 of 41 grant reviewers had missing or incomplete conflict forms, and 20 of 57 grants lacked required financial review documents; the issues affected about $11.5 million in grant funding. OLA said DHS spent more than $400 million in grants to nonprofit organizations from 2018 to 2022, and they identified broader factors affecting compliance such as inconsistent funding for grants administration, ad hoc training, inconsistent data systems, and limited enforcement authority. They noted 2023 legislative changes that allowed agencies to retain some grant funding for administration and directed an assessment of a statewide grants management system, and they said OGM training and staffing have increased, though training is still not required for all staff. The Financial Audit Division then discussed the senior nutrition program at DHS, which delivered about 3.1 million meals to more than 40,000 participants in 2022 through the Minnesota Board on Aging, area agencies, service providers, and subcontractors. The audit found nine findings across documentation, monitoring, contract oversight, participant recertification, and data quality. Examples included service providers failing to recertify participants or recording inaccurate data, the Board on Aging not performing monitoring visits since 2017 or financial reconciliations in 2022, and area agencies failing to complete required site visits. Survey results also suggested participant database inaccuracies. OLA recommended stronger monitoring, clearer procedures, and more reliable data to ensure services reach intended recipients. No formal votes or committee actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• This would allow them to ask for personnel records, confidential investigatory data that lives with OIG
• This would allow them to ask for personnel records, confidential investigatory data that lives with OIG
• investigatory data that confidential investigatory data that lives<00:08:19.520> with<00:08:19.840> OIG
• c><00:08:20.800> in<00:08:21.120> process<00:08:21.520> facilities, lives with OIG
• , in process facilities, lives with OIG, in process facilities, malreatment<00:08:23.120> investigation

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: House File 3901 was heard in committee and amended with the A26 amendment, which the author described as cleanup language clarifying confidential data and other wording changes. The bill concerns the Office of the Foster Youth Ombudsperson’s access to records in the Social Services Information System (SSIS) so it can investigate foster care decisions more effectively and in a timely way. Representative Johnson said the issue stems from outdated technology and interagency barriers that make it difficult to share information needed to serve foster youth and families. Misty Coons, the foster youth ombudsperson, testified that the office has struggled to obtain records from DCYF, with delays growing longer and some requests remaining unfilled. She said direct SSIS access would reduce burdens on agency staff and improve investigations, while privacy concerns could be handled through training or interagency agreements. Rebecca St. George, assistant commissioner for DCYF, acknowledged the delays but said the department is understaffed and working on software improvements; she argued that broad direct access would risk exposing privileged and protected information and could conflict with state and federal privacy laws. She also noted concerns from tribal nations about access to tribal data without request and approval. Members discussed the mechanics of data requests, redaction, and whether the bill raised data practices issues. The chair noted that a referral to Judiciary and Civil Law was automatic under chapter 13. Representative Johnson closed by emphasizing that the goal was to better serve children and foster families and said he had received a letter from White Earth Reservation expressing reservations. The committee then approved re-referral of House File 3901, as amended, to the Committee on Judiciary and Civil Law.

Transcript Highlights:

• policy proposals from the licensing background studies and program integrity oversight divisions in OIG
• Article Six is the OIG children's policy bill.
• Article Six is the OIG children's policy bill. Article Six is the OIG children's policy bill.
• /c><00:29:31.399> children's<00:29:31.960> policy<00:29:32.360> bill is um the oig
• uh children's policy bill is um the oig uh children's policy bill this<00:29:32.919> mostly<00

Bills: HF1662, HF2115, HF2159, HF1095, HF2160

Keywords: veterans, veterans affairs, State Soldiers Assistance Program, Veterans Stable Housing Initiative, MAXIS, human services data, data sharing, eligibility verification, informed consent, private data, benefits coordination, veteran housing, veteran assistance, Department of Human Services, Children Youth and Families, state benefits, federal benefits, privacy, public assistance, human services

Transcript Highlights:

• Office of the Inspector General or OIG. Recommendations include 135.8 million in all funds.
• Section 5 includes requests that items from HHSC, OIG, and TECO as of January 27th of this year, all
• It's just what we recovered at OIG.
• TDCJ and OIG and TABC, whose agencies were involved. actively in providing parity.
• So those that did in the beginning is where DPS, Texas Game Wardens, TABC, Office of OIG did.

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Your work with Senator Gustafson on the OIG, and you talked about working on a library bill across the
• Senator Gustoson efforts. your work with Senator Gustoson on<00:07:06.639> the<00:07:06.800> OIG
• 07.680> you<00:07:07.919> talked<00:07:08.240> about<00:07:09.039> um on the OIG
• and you talked about um on the OIG and you talked about um working<00:07:09.360> on<00:07:09.520

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: The discussion focused on Minnesota affordability pressures, especially rising property taxes, gas, and grocery costs. Senator Michael Kreun said property taxes rose by nearly $1 billion statewide in the last year, about 7%, and argued that many constituents are worried about being able to stay in their homes. He attributed much of the increase to unfunded state mandates on cities and counties and said mandate relief should be part of the solution. Kreun described a bill that would cap city and county property tax growth at the rate of inflation, with an additional allowance tied to population growth. Under his example, if inflation were 3% and a city grew, property taxes could rise 3.5%; anything above that would require voter approval through a referendum. He said the proposal would not apply to school districts, which already have a separate cap. He also mentioned other relief ideas, including increasing the disabled veterans property tax exemption and allowing seniors to defer property tax increases until they sell their homes. Kreun said the proposal has been mostly well received by constituents and homeowners, while local governments are concerned about losing revenue if state mandates continue. He said relief could begin as soon as the next property tax statement if the bill passes this year. He also noted broader affordability ideas in his caucus, including eliminating taxes on tips and overtime and reducing tab fees, but said he was not aware of current bipartisan efforts on property taxes specifically and remained open to working across the aisle on affordability measures.