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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I hope you stayed safe and warm after last weekend’s snowstorm. It may not feel like it yet, but today marks the first day of spring, and there’s a welcome warm-up ahead with temperatures expected to reach 60 degrees this weekend.
Back at the Capitol, we’ve been moving quickly as we push to advance key legislation focused on stopping fraud and reducing the tax burden on Minnesotans. With our first and second committee deadlines coming up next Friday, the timeline is tight and most committee work will wrap up soon.
Getting the Unredacted Optum Report...with Restrictions
Last week, there was movement on efforts to access the unredacted Optum Report, an issue that has been under discussion for several weeks. The bill finally came to the House floor, but the final version fell short of what I believe Minnesotans deserve. As passed, access to the unredacted report is limited to members of the Human Services Committee, which I serve on, along with a small number of staff. Even then, those who are allowed to review it are prohibited from sharing any details or information learned from this taxpayer funded report.
I understand the need to protect proprietary information and avoid exposing vulnerabilities that could be exploited in the future. However, this approach goes too far in restricting transparency. Minnesotans have a right to understand how fraud occurred and how taxpayer dollars were misused.
Under this bill, legislators who review the report are effectively barred from discussing its contents with the public. That means I would not be able to share what I learn with the people I represent. Because of these limitations, I voted against the bill and will continue advocating for a more balanced approach that protects sensitive information while still providing meaningful transparency and accountability.
The Newest Fraud Revelation
This week, the Office of the Legislative Auditor released a new report on fraud risks within the state’s Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention (EIDBI) program, and the findings are deeply concerning. The report shows that the Department of Human Services failed to investigate multiple credible allegations of kickbacks, incorrectly claiming it did not have the authority to do so, even though that authority had existed for decades. In several cases, complaints were closed without investigation, not referred to law enforcement, and not flagged for further review, despite clear warning signs.
This failure comes as the EIDBI program has seen explosive growth in recent years, increasing the risk of fraud and making strong oversight even more critical. The Legislative Auditor made it clear that DHS took an overly narrow view of its authority and missed opportunities to act, allowing vulnerabilities in the system to persist. While some complaints were handled appropriately, the overall pattern shows a breakdown in accountability and enforcement.
This report reinforces what many of us have been saying for years. We need stronger oversight, clearer rules, and a system that actually responds when red flags appear. I will continue working to ensure taxpayer dollars are protected and that programs like EIDBI operate with the accountability and integrity Minnesotans expect.
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With the news this week, I want to emphasize that our focus here in St. Paul is to stop the fraud and lower taxes. Minnesotans expect their tax dollars to be used responsibly, and when that trust is broken, it demands action. That means strengthening oversight, closing loopholes that allow abuse, and holding agencies accountable when they fail to act. At the same time, we need to be mindful of the burden placed on families and businesses. We can not ask taxpayers to pay more when we are not doing enough to protect the resources we already have. I will continue pushing for reforms that restore accountability, improve transparency, and ensure government is working the way it should, efficiently, responsibly, and in the best interest of the people it serves.
Shoutouts & Events
I want to give a shoutout to the Nevis Boys Basketball team on an impressive season, which came to an end in the section finals this week. Congratulations on a 25-5 record, including 14-0 in conference play.
If you're able to, I encourage you to register to donate blood at the Community Blood Drive hosted by the Menahga National Honor Society. It is on April 15th in the Menahga High School Gym from 9:00AM – 3:45PM.
Congrats to Menahga students Melodie Dillon, Christina Hofer, Alexis Davidson, Skye Wofford, Juliet Schilling, and Sophie Johnson for making it to MN State BPA! These students represented Menahga fantastically at the 2026 Minnesota BPA State Leadership Conference in Minneapolis recently.
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