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Legislative Update

Dear Neighbor,

It has been one week since the Legislature adjourned with unfinished business related to the state’s next two-year budget after House Democrats refused to come to work the first 23 days of the session. Aside from a brief break to observe the Memorial Day holiday and give staff time to rest and be with their families, House and Senate members have continued meeting to resolve sticking points of the budget so a brief special session can take place to pass the remainder of the state budget.

fate

("Above, Senate Higher Education Chair Fateh and I are pictured as we start public hearings to work out the differences between the House and Senate Higher Education omnibus bills. We were the only committee to hold public hearings in this way as they are supposed to be conducted. I insisted on it.")

As House Republican Chair of the Higher Education Committee, I am just waiting for the Democrats to agree to fulfill our statutory and constitutional duty to elect Regents for the U of M. The Higher Education bill is otherwise done. We made policy changes and cuts to completely close a $239 million projected shortfall in the State Grant Program and turned it into a projected surplus. I hope we are able to schedule the Joint Convention to elect Regents during the special session, so stay tuned. Click here [ [link removed] ] for more on Higher Ed in my last newsletter.

In other news:

*Office of the Inspector General*

House Republicans remain committed to advancing legislation that would establish a new Office of the Independent Inspector General. I proudly co-authored this bill (H.F. 1 [ [link removed] ]), which would provide strong oversight and enforcement authority across all executive branch agencies—where we've seen repeated cases of fraud, waste, and abuse of taxpayer dollars.

The bill received overwhelming bipartisan support in the Democrat-controlled Senate, passing by a 60–7 margin. It moved through an extensive legislative process, and the governor publicly stated at the State of the State, he would sign it into law if it reached his desk.

Unfortunately, House Democrats blocked the bill on the final night of session by refusing to suspend the rules for a vote, despite months of bipartisan collaboration. That decision was both disappointing and unacceptable. Click here [ [link removed] ] for video of how this issue played out on the floor.

Minnesota has already seen nearly $1 billion in known fraud within state programs. The current oversight system is clearly failing. Taxpayer dollars are meant to serve families, children, seniors, individuals with disabilities, and those struggling with addiction, not to be siphoned off by bad actors exploiting weak accountability measures.

The Inspector General bill includes powerful tools to protect public funds. It would authorize the Inspector General to freeze funds when fraud is detected, conduct independent investigations without political interference, and hold perpetrators accountable. Importantly, this office would be structurally independent, operating outside of state agencies to eliminate conflicts of interest and restore public trust.

House Republicans will continue fighting to get this bill passed in a special session. Minnesotans deserve to know that their tax dollars are protected and that their government is serious about stopping fraud. Many other states have successfully implemented similar offices to increase accountability. It is time Minnesota did the same to rebuild trust in our government and I will keep fighting to get this done.  

*Fraud Committee*

The new Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy Committee made great strides during its first session in existence, but we only scratched the surface on the vast of fraud, waste and abuse in our government despite. We had a four-hour planning meeting last week! There truly is no end to the work for this committee and we will continue working and holding hearings throughout the interim to identify issues and develop common-sense solutions. I may have good news to share regarding this committee’s plans for the upcoming months, so look for that in upcoming newsletters.

*House reaffirms ties with Taiwan*

rarick

Earlier this May, the Minnesota House of Representatives put forth a resolution aimed at reinforcing the sister-state relationship between Minnesota and Taiwan. Established in 1984, this partnership has fostered mutual benefits through trade, educational exchanges, and cultural collaboration, which the resolution seeks to further strengthen. I am a Co-Chair of the bipartisan, bicameral Friendship Caucus with Taiwan and was honored to participate in this ceremony.






Please Contact Me

As always, if you need assistance on an issue pertaining to state government or have concerns or ideas about legislation, my office is available to you. You can e-mail at [email protected] or call my office at 651-296-5063 [ tel:6512965063 ]. You can also write a letter to me. My office address at the 2nd Floor Centennial Office Building, 658 Cedar Street, St. Paul, MN 55155.

MR












2nd Floor Centennial Office Building
658 Cedar Street
Saint Paul, MN 55155                              [email protected]
651.296.5063







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