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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACT:
Amanda Tinsley
651-491-9946 (cell)
Amanda.Tinsley@house.mn.gov
News Release
House GOP Leaders respond to newest OLA report
ST. PAUL – Speaker Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, and House Republican Leader Harry Niska, R-Ramsey, released the following statement after a nonpartisan Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA) report found that, despite claims from the Walz Administration and Department of Human Services (DHS), the state has had long-standing authority to investigate Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention (EIDBI) kickback allegations prior to a 2025 change in state law.
“For years, credible allegations of kickbacks in the Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention program were brought to the Walz Administration, and for years they refused to investigate, hiding behind the false claim that they lacked authority to act. Today’s report proves that excuse was never true. We now know that they always had the authority to investigate these claims and once again chose not to act to protect tax dollars. This is more than incompetence, it’s a clear pattern of prioritizing spending taxpayer dollars over accountability and compliance.”
In the report, the OLA found that DHS incorrectly claimed it lacked authority to investigate three EIDBI kickback complaints. DHS could have amended their own policies to stop kickbacks but instead sought changes to state law. They were blocked in 2019 and 2024, before being granted the requested authority in 2025 – when House Republicans had a seat at the table. House Republicans will fight for the needed additional changes brought to light in this report.
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