Legislative UpdateDear Friends and Neighbors, I hope you are all having a wonderful week and enjoying the (slowly) lengthening days as we inch closer to spring. Things are finally moving at the Capitol, and I want to update you on some of the important work we’ve been doing. With committees back in action and legislation advancing, we are making progress on key issues that matter to Minnesotans. From cracking down on fraud and government waste to pushing back against harmful taxes, I remain committed to ensuring that our state government is working for you—not against you. Fighting Fraud & Waste in State GovernmentOn Monday, I participated in the first-ever House Fraud & Agency Oversight Committee hearing, where we heard testimony from the Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA) regarding the state’s oversight of taxpayer-funded grants to nonprofit organizations. Minnesota has seen some of the worst fraud scandals in the nation, with over $610 million lost to mismanagement and fraud. The reality is that much of this could have been prevented if state agencies had taken their oversight responsibilities seriously. The OLA’s testimony made it clear: oversight mechanisms already exist, but agencies fail to use them effectively. State agencies have failed to properly vet grant recipients, enforce compliance, or even act on clear red flags. This is unacceptable. I will continue pushing for stronger oversight, better training, and stricter enforcement to protect taxpayer dollars and ensure state aid reaches those who truly need it—not bad actors taking advantage of a broken system. House File 1 – Fighting Fraud at the SourceThis session, I am proud to author House File 1, a bill aimed at preventing the next big fraud scandal before it happens. This legislation will: - Create an independent Office of the Inspector General to investigate and prevent fraud, waste, and abuse.
- Require agencies to halt payments when fraud is suspected, rather than continuing to fund bad actors.
- Establish a fraud reporting hotline for state employees and the public to report suspicious activity.
The State Government Committee will hear HF 1 on February 18th, and from there, it will move through several key committees. It will make stops in Human Services, Education Policy, Children and Families, and Ways and Means before finally heading to the House floor at the beginning of March. My goal is to secure bipartisan support to put real safeguards in place and prevent another massive fraud scheme like Feeding Our Future from happening again. Repealing the Unnecessary Delivery TaxLast session, Democrats pushed through a costly delivery tax that increases the price of nearly every delivery—groceries, takeout, household items, and more. This tax was implemented despite an $18 billion budget surplus—a tax increase Minnesotans never needed. This is yet another example of why fiscal responsibility matters. Instead of responsibly managing the budget, Democrats chose to raise taxes on everyday goods, making life even more expensive. That’s why I’m supporting House File 5, which would fully repeal this burdensome tax. The bill had its first hearing in the Transportation Committee on Monday, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to advance this much-needed relief for Minnesota families. Stay in TouchAs always, I appreciate hearing from you. If you have thoughts on these or any other issues, please reach out. I will continue fighting for accountability, fiscal responsibility, and policies that put Minnesotans first. Sincerely,  Rep. Patti Anderson |