Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I have some exciting updates about the work that we have been doing in St. Paul this week. We continue fighting for key priorities such as affordability, stopping fraud, and addressing the housing problem. I am proud to put in the work for the great people of the Northland and thank you for your support!
Releasing the Unredacted Optum Report
As you may have heard by now, a third-party consulting firm was hired by Governor Walz to do an audit of the Department of Human Services (DHS) and it’s 14 high-risk Medicaid programs. This independent audit was paid for by the state, with a price tag of about $2 million dollars. The goal of the report was to highlight vulnerabilities and make policy recommendations related to fraud. We were hoping to see the report and get to work on the recommendations, especially during this short legislative session, but the version of the report that we received was so heavily redacted it provided essentially no information for us. While the Governor and other agency heads were able to read the unredacted report, lawmakers have been left in the dark.
 |
Thankfully, my colleague Rep. Joe Schomacker quickly authored a bill directing the Commissioner of DHS to release the unredacted report to the House of Representatives. Yesterday, we got this bill passed off the House floor in an overwhelmingly bipartisan manner, and we are on our way to receiving the unredacted report. Once we have access to the full report, we can weigh the findings and policy recommendations to make our public programs more secure and less prone to fraud.
Increasing Car Tab Fees Five-Fold?
I want to draw your attention to an astonishing comment that a DFL representative made in committee this week, suggesting that the state should quintuple (5x) car tab registration fees to generate more revenue.
Rather than continuing to increase taxes and fees, and pass the burden onto taxpayers, we should instead look at how we can rein in the state budget and get fraud under control. I can assure you that I will not allow any registration fee increases or new taxes this session.
Bill Hearing
Yesterday, my bill, HF4146, was heard in the Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee. The bill addresses a practical issue facing the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) by providing temporary authority to store drill cores at locations outside the state’s official drill core library when space limitations arise.
As you may know, drill cores are cylindrical samples of rock and soil collected during drilling operations and are an important resource for understanding Minnesota’s geology and mineral potential. As additional cores are collected, the state’s existing storage capacity can become limited. My bill allows the DNR to temporarily store these materials at alternative locations when necessary, while also giving the agency authority to restrict access if needed to protect public safety and prevent damage to the cores.
This provision would be temporary and is scheduled to expire on June 30, 2029. The goal is to ensure the state can responsibly manage and preserve these important geological resources while longer-term storage solutions are evaluated.
I appreciate the committee’s consideration of this bill and look forward to continuing the conversation as it moves through the legislative process.
Supporting Minnesotans in Need: HF3425 Passes the House
This week, we passed HF 3425 off the House floor, legislation that supports organizations providing housing and services to Minnesotans facing homelessness or other significant challenges. I was proud to support the bill and speak in favor of it on the House floor.
Supportive housing programs help connect individuals and families with stable housing while also providing services such as case management and other resources that help people maintain housing and move toward long-term stability. By supporting these programs, HF 3425 helps ensure that providers can continue assisting Minnesotans who need it most.
Access to safe and stable housing is often the first step toward addressing many other challenges people face. I was glad to support this bill and appreciate the bipartisan effort to help strengthen these important resources in our communities.
|
