The State and Local Government Committee in the Minnesota Senate is hearing about a bipartisan bill to create an independent Office of the Inspector General.
Republicans and Democrats say the Inspector General would be tasked with ensuring accountability and integrity within state agencies and programs.
"They could have a bully pulpit that in other existing agencies maybe don't have or inspecting existing inspector generals don't have," explains Republican State Senator Michael Kreun (Blaine) says. "And so, if there's a case that very much warrants prosecution that is sitting on a desk somewhere, practically speaking, I think this office could bring that to light, if that were to come about."
An Inspector General Advisory Council would select the Inspector General, which could issue subpoenas and refer matters for civil, criminal, or administrative action.
The group had its first committee hearing Tuesday and the office would oversee accountability and transparency of state agencies and programs. Republican Senator Steve Drazkowski (Mazeppa) says oversight is needed in a time where fraud is running rampant through Minnesota, but issued caution moving forward with the legislation.
"The greatest fear is that we do all this work and we spend all this money and then we get we get an office that can't do its job effectively," Drazkowski said. "That runs into political obstacles in different places."
DFL State Senator Heather Gustafson (Vadnais Heights) introduced the bill
"As a first term senator, having a new perspective on the legislative process has motivated me to ask what more we can do to hold bad actors accountable, and prevent misuse of taxpayer dollars before it can happen," she said.
State law would require the Office of Inspector General be chosen by January 1, 2026.
Also on Tuesday in the Minnesota House, Republicans sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice asking for an investigation into overall fraud in Minnesota.