Housley joins GOP effort to spearhead fraud issues and hold government accountable to stop waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer dollars

Yesterday Senate Republicans rolled out a comprehensive plan to hold government accountable to stop waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayers’ dollars. The plan is part of the Minnesotans First agenda for the 2025 legislative session.

“We’ve heard concerns from Minnesotans across the state – the rampant fraud has been disappointing for them, and as new cases seemingly pop up every month, the issue is still at the top of their minds,” said Senator Karin Housley (R-Stillwater). “Fraud reflects an abuse of taxpayer dollars, and families expect their tax money to be used wisely and responsibly. They deserve total transparency on this issue. Senate Republicans are doubling our efforts to get to the bottom of the waste, fraud and abuse, but we’re going even further by also promoting a slate of legislation meant to stop it before it even begins. Minnesotans expect us to be responsible with their money and transparent with our processes, and this group of bills takes an important step towards restoring their trust.”

Notably, recent poling has shown that lower taxes and fraud are “top issues” for Minnesotans. The following bills are part of a targeted rollout meant to address these concerns:

  • Oversight
    • Increasing penalties on state employees who don’t follow the law in reporting suspected waste, fraud, or abuse
    • Increasing protections for whistleblowers that are state employees who report signs of waste, fraud, and abuse
    • Creation of the Office of the Inspector General, to provide independent fraud oversight and investigation
  • Transparency
    • Promoting transparency in the Attorney General’s office
    • Encouraging House and Senate committees to hold hearings where the Office of the Legislative Auditor reviews agency compliance with its recommendations to address waste, fraud, and abuse
  • Grant Reforms
    • Creating the position of Grant Administrator, also allowing for the creation of a single grants database
    • Pushing for stricter financial audits for organizations that rely on state dollars
    • Creating new oversight and compliance checks for grants