Legislative Audit Commission approves 2025 program-evaluation topics, sets fall selection process

The Legislative Audit Commission voted to approve the evaluation subcommittee’s recommendations for program-evaluation topics for 2025 and to adopt a two-meeting fall selection process to add more topics from the existing candidate list.

The approved list includes four topics the Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA) will begin soon: assisted-living facility licensing (Minnesota Department of Health), the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program, an office for ombudsperson for families, and voter registration with a Secretary of State and county focus. The commission also approved starting the following items in the fall or near future: implementation of automatic voter registration (Department of Public Safety focus), the Minnesota Board of Public Defense, and the Board of Animal Health oversight of companion animals.

The decision matters because the OLA plans to stagger larger program reviews and smaller examinations to manage staff resources and provide timely oversight on matters legislators flagged as priorities. Jody Munson Rodriguez, deputy legislative auditor for OLA’s Program…