Dear neighbors,  

Minnesota Management and Budget will be releasing their February budget forecast today. This will give us a greater insight into the future of the budget for the next several years. Since it is not being released until later today, I will save my summary and analysis until next week. I have a lot of other information to share about this week at the Capitol. Thanks for reading! 

As I shared last week, our highest priority this session is addressing the rampant fraud uncovered across multiple state programs. My colleagues have been raising concerns about fraud for years, and the time for action is long overdue. The bipartisan, bicameral solution we have been working toward for more than a year is the creation of an Independent Office of the Inspector General (OIG). 

This proposal has a strong bipartisan foundation and a proven legislative history. During the 2025 Legislative Session, SF856 passed the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support on a 60–7 vote, demonstrating broad agreement that stronger oversight is needed. Building on that progress, House Republicans made advancing the Inspector General proposal an early priority this session, working to refine the bill, incorporate constructive feedback, and move it forward in a way that preserves its effectiveness while maintaining bipartisan appeal. 

We are continuing to advance this effort using SF856 rather than HF1338 because the Senate file has already passed one chamber with bipartisan approval. Using the bill that has cleared the Senate allows us to build on existing momentum and move more efficiently toward final passage.  

There are two fundamental provisions in the bill that appear to be the main points of disagreement: 

1. The Inspector General would be appointed by the Governor based on candidates nominated by a bipartisan board.
2. The Office of the Inspector General would have clearly defined law enforcement authority. 

Both provisions are essential to making the office credible and effective. A bipartisan appointment process ensures the Inspector General is independent and not a hand-picked partisan appointee of any governor or administration. Likewise, without real enforcement authority, the office would lack the tools necessary to investigate wrongdoing and hold bad actors accountable. We will not accept a mediocre attempt to create another bureaucratic state agency without the power to do the mission Minnesotans need to address fraud over the short and long term! Oversight without consequences does not stop fraud! 

Minnesotans expect transparency, accountability, and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars. Establishing an Independent Office of the Inspector General is a practical, bipartisan step toward restoring trust and ensuring fraud is detected, investigated, and prevented moving forward. 

In March, Coffee with Tom will be in Owatonna on Friday, March 6th at the Owatonna Chamber of Commerce building from 12:00pm-1:00pm. 

Then, Coffee with Tom will meet in Waseca on Friday, March 13th at the Waseca Chamber of Commerce from 12:00pm-1:00pm. 

Thank you for your support and feedback!