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Committee refers bill to workforce panel to give county attorneys administrative subpoena authority in wage‑theft investigations
Summary
House File 6 89 would allow county attorneys to issue administrative subpoenas to obtain employer records in wage‑theft and payroll fraud cases; supporters said the tool is needed to pursue complex financial evidence and hold employers accountable.
Representative Frazier presented House File 6 89, which would expand prosecutors’ investigatory tools by granting county attorneys administrative‑subpoena authority for wage‑theft and payroll‑fraud investigations. Brian Walsh of Minneapolis’ civil rights office described difficulty in developing cases under current procedures and said the subpoena power is used in other financial‑crime contexts.
Supporters, including construction trades and labor unions, argued wage theft is widespread—testimony cited an industry estimate that one in five construction workers faces unpaid wages or denied overtime—and that stronger enforcement deters employers who undercut honest competitors. Committee members asked about fiscal and resource impacts; county attorneys’ offices indicated support and said the statute applies statewide and would supplement, not replace, law enforcement tools. The Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee re‑referred the bill to the Workforce, Labor and Economic Development Finance and Policy Committee.
