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Robbins 2025 Updated Header




*March 21, 2025*






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Dear Friends and Neighbors,

This week, the legislature returned to a 67-67 tie after Rep. Gottfried from Roseville was officially sworn in Monday afternoon. I’m happy to report that so far, all of the Committee Co-Chairs and tied Committees seem to be working well – we continue to hear bills and have detailed discussions on aspects of the state budget each Committee has jurisdiction over.

Minnesotans rightly expect us to work together to solve problems and pass a state budget by the time we adjourn on May 19th. I absolutely think that can be and should be done, although many observers are already speculating about the need for a Special Session to finish our work.

"Photo from Puppy Day! One of the best days at the Capitol! Loved this sweet girl named Sassy! "

There will not be any additional money or information after May 19th – the deal will be the same whether we get it done on time or at the end of June. The Democrats’ choice to boycott the first three weeks of session doesn’t change the deadline.

The budget must be passed and signed into law by the start of the new fiscal year on July 1, 2025. *I am encouraging my colleague on both sides of the aisle to push towards an on-time finish, which will save taxpayers money and eliminate the enormous stress the uncertainty would create for schools, teachers, hospitals, law enforcement, and many others who depend on state funding. *

I hope you all have a great weekend celebrating the official start of Spring and enjoying the start of March Madness! We have a bipartisan bracket pool for Legislators that is organized by my colleague, Rep. Leon Lillie, every year. The winner gets bragging rights and a one-of-a-kind trophy made by Rep. Lillie! Against all odds, I won a few years ago! Hoping for a repeat again this year! ??







Executive Summary

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Arrest of Senator Eichorn

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Fraud Committee Update

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Returning Future Surpluses to Minnesota Families

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Arrest of Senator Eichorn

This week, the Senate and the entire Legislature were reeling from the news that Senator Justin Eichorn was arrested for alleged solicitation of a minor.

I was shocked by the news and immediately joined my House and Senate colleagues in calling for his resignation. Although he is certainly entitled to due process, he should not continue to serve in the Senate. I share the views expressed in a statement issued by House Republican Leadership:

"Given the seriousness of the charges, Senator Eichorn should resign. While he is entitled to due process, we must hold legislators to a higher standard.”

The Senate was set to vote on a motion to expel Sen. Eichorn on Thursday morning before he announced his resignation.

I will be praying for his wife and children during this terrible ordeal. I ask that everyone respect his family’s privacy as the legal case proceeds.






Fraud Committee Update

I get many requests for updates on the work of the House Fraud Prevention & State Agency Oversight Committee [ [link removed] ] that I Chair, so I thought I’d devote some time to that this week.

As you may recall, the Committee meets every Monday from 8:15-10:00 a.m. and it is always live-streamed House Public Information Services. If you want to tune in or watch past hearings, you can find them here. [ [link removed] ] 

Here’s a quick recap of the topics we have covered so far:

*Week 1*: Office of the Legislative Auditor provided an overview of her findings on problems & progress with state grants management practices.

*Week 2:* Office of Grants Management presented their work to provide training for grants managers across state government and provide policies, templates, and best practice standards for all state agencies.

*Week 3*: Acting Commissioner of DHS, Shireen Gandhi, and her team came to address fraud in the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), which has had numerous cases of fraud since at least 2015.

*Week 4:* Bill Glahn, a fellow at the Center of the American Experiment, came to discuss his research developing the “Scandal Tracker” which has documented $610 million in known fraud in state government since 2019.

*Week 5:* Acting DHS Commissioner Shireen Gandhi and Deputy Commissioner of Behavioral Health, Teresa Steinmetz, and BCA Superintendent Drew Evans came to present on changes that have been made to the Behavioral Health Division in the wake of serious and on-going allegations of fraud regarding autism centers, sober homes, peer-recovery specialists, etc.

*Week 6:* Next Monday, March 24, we will have several Commissioners join us to present an overview of the Governor’s package of reforms to address fraud, which will be introduced next week.

* Key Take-Aways:* We have learned so much from these hearings and our on-going meetings with whistleblowers from around the state. While in many ways it feels like we are just beginning to understand the scope of the problem, key patterns are beginning to emerge and we are learning about specific gaps in statute that can be addressed.

First and most importantly, we are seeing many examples of how criminals prey on vulnerable Minnesotans. They sign vulnerable people up for services they either don’t provide or provide at a substandard level. Then they over-bill, or double- or triple-bill, Medicaid and/or state and county grants and layer in other services that they may or may not provide, such as transportation, interpretation, housing, food, etc.

Second, state agencies often don’t follow best practices because they are not “required” in state law. For example, an agency “may” be able to stop payment if there are signs of credible fraud, but agencies don’t always use that authority because statute doesn’t require it (statute doesn’t say “must”).

Another example is that grants managers are encouraged, but not “required” to take training the state offers in risk management, internal controls, fraud prevention, etc. Another gap is that kickbacks are illegal under federal law, but not state law. While I strongly disagree that a kickback are not a sign of “credible fraud,” agencies are asking for a specific state statutory crime for kick-backs.

To address these and other statutory deficiencies, I’ve been working with the Office of the Legislative Auditor and others to close these gaps and will introduce a bill on this next week. I am also working on a separate bill to create a state crime for kickbacks, which I hope will be ready soon. Other Members of our Committee are also working on bills to address these and other issues. I hope we get several important reforms passed this session.

*We will continue to hold hearings, meet with whistleblowers, and pursue legislation to stop fraud and bring the necessary change in culture to ensure our vulnerable citizens receive the intended services and taxpayers’ money is not siphoned off in fraud.*






Returning Future Surpluses to Minnesota Families

This week, House Republicans brought forward a common-sense bill (HF 4 [ [link removed] ]) to allow citizens to vote on a Constitutional amendment that would require that any surplus over 105% of the budget forecast to be returned to taxpayers through tax cuts or rebate checks. This surplus would be above what was forecasted for expenditures and transfers to the “rainy day fund.”

Instead of allowing politicians in St. Paul to treat extra revenue as a blank check for new government programs, this bill would have put the question on the 2026 ballot, giving Minnesotans the power to decide whether surplus tax dollars should be returned to taxpayers.

Unfortunately, this proposal failed on a party-line 67-67 vote. Minnesotans will not have the opportunity to vote on this proposed Constitutional amendment in 2026.

After last session, when Democrats spent the entire $18 billion surplus and grew state government by 38% over two years, it is more important than ever to rein in government spending. I will continue to work for meaningful tax relief and responsible budgeting that puts Minnesotans first.






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"Loved having so many friends from Maple Grove Lions here for Lions Day on the Hill! Thanks so much for advocating for my bill to reduce the state tax on charitable gaming to 5% (currently 8%-33.5%!), HF169 [ [link removed] ]!"

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"Always love the opportunity to talk with the amazing women in Minnesota Excellence in Public Service Series (MEPS)! These leaders are already making a difference in their communities & are finding new connections & more ways to get involved in public service."

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Please Contact Me

Many of you have already been in touch to discuss your thoughts on the issues that matter most to you. Thank you for sharing your ideas! Please continue to contact me to discuss any matters to which I can be of assistance.

The best way to reach me is by email: [email protected]. For occasional updates, you can follow my Facebook Page at @RepKristinRobbins. You can also leave a voicemail on my office number, 651-296-7806, which is checked every weekday while we are in session.

Of course, if you are coming to the Capitol, I’d love to meet you! Please reach out if you would like to set-up an in-person meeting. 

Have a great weekend!

 

Kristin











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