St. Paul, MN – Representative Kristin Robbins (R-Maple Grove) joined fellow House Republicans today to unveil a series of transformative bills aimed at cracking down on fraud and restoring accountability in state government. At a press conference, Robbins and her colleagues emphasized the need to prioritize these measures to combat the rampant waste, fraud, and abuse that have plagued Minnesota’s state agencies and programs in recent years.
“As legislators, it’s our duty to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent for their intended purpose,” said Rep. Robbins. “The ongoing fraud and mismanagement we’ve seen under the Walz Administration requires immediate action. These bills represent a clear, comprehensive plan to restore trust in state government and hold agencies accountable.”
House File 1 establishes a centralized Office of the Inspector General (OIG) to lead fraud prevention efforts across state programs. This independent office will consolidate agency-based inspector general offices, require agencies to halt payments when fraud is suspected, and create a fraud reporting hotline. Funding is also allocated to ensure the OIG has the resources needed to be effective.
House File 2 strengthens fraud prevention by implementing stricter reporting requirements for state agencies, mandating site visits, and equipping agencies with tools to detect and prevent fraud.
House File 3 introduces “fraud notes,” a new tool modeled after fiscal notes to assess the susceptibility of proposed legislation to fraud. These notes would provide lawmakers with critical evaluations of potential fraud risks before enacting new programs or policies.
“These bills provide a comprehensive approach to tackling fraud, strengthening grant management standards, and restoring accountability in state government,” said Rep. Robbins. “These tools are essential steps to protect taxpayer dollars and rebuild trust in our state agencies.”
Rep. Robbins also chairs the newly formed Fraud and Oversight Committee, a long-overdue legislative body tasked with conducting critical oversight of state agencies. Robbins emphasized that fraud has persisted since she took office, yet these issues have never received a hearing in the Minnesota House—until now.
“This committee is about fulfilling our constitutional responsibility to provide oversight of the executive branch,” said Robbins. “The separation of powers is intended to ensure accountability, but for too long, the legislature has failed to exercise its authority. That changes now.”
The Fraud and Oversight Committee will allow legislators to investigate systemic issues in state agencies, ensure compliance with audit recommendations, and restore trust in government operations.
House Republicans are calling for bipartisan support to pass these critical bills and implement meaningful reform.
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