Committee adopts amendment to bill creating independent inspector general for Minnesota programs

The Senate State and Local Government Committee on March 20 adopted an A43 amendment to Senate File 856, a bill that would create an independent Office of Inspector General to increase oversight of public funds in Minnesota, sponsor Senator Gustafson told the committee.

The amendment, adopted by voice vote, and the bill’s sponsors aim to clarify the new office’s jurisdiction, strengthen collaboration with existing state agencies and preserve agency responsibilities while giving the OIG authority to investigate suspected fraud, Senator Gustafson said.

Senator Gustafson, the bill’s presenter, told the committee that Senate File 856 "establishes the independent office of inspector general. It enhances accountability, transparency, and oversight of public funds in Minnesota." She said stakeholders including Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB), the Department of Human Services (DHS), the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) and the Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA) had been engaged in drafting changes.

The A43 amendment makes several substantive changes, sponsors said. It explicitly authorizes the OLA to…