St. Paul Reporter

The Minnesota House of Representatives has resumed its session after several weeks of delays, according to State Representative Nathan Nelson (R-Mora). Nelson noted that this marks the first time since 2018 that his party holds the operating majority in the chamber. He stated that committees have started official business and several legislative priorities are advancing quickly.

Nelson reported on the activities of the House Fraud Oversight Committee, which recently held its initial hearing to review how state agencies manage taxpayer funds. The committee heard from Legislative Auditor Judy Randall and Deputy Auditor Jodi Munson Rodriguez, who described significant failures in oversight related to state-funded grants for nonprofits. According to their testimony, Minnesota has experienced an estimated $610 million in fraud and waste.

Nelson cited findings from a report by the Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA), which identified problems including insufficient oversight and lack of required training for grant managers. The OLA found that although some training modules exist, there is no mandatory instruction on fraud prevention or close-out evaluations. This gap contributes to weak management practices.

The OLA report also pointed out that current law gives the Office of Grants Management discretion to stop payments when fraud is detected but does not require it. Nelson expressed support for changing this provision: “We need to change the law from ‘may stop payment’ to ‘must stop payment’ to ensure immediate action when fraud is identified.”

He added: “Our bipartisan committee will continue to hold hearings to uncover problems in agency practices and state law that need to be addressed to ensure taxpayer dollars go to those in need, not those looking to exploit the system. I will keep pushing for stronger safeguards, clearer oversight requirements, and real accountability for agencies that fail to protect public funds.”

In addition, Nelson mentioned that House Republicans sent a letter earlier this week seeking clarification from the Executive Director of the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) regarding its response to President Trump’s Executive Order concerning girls sports in Minnesota. He stated: “We House Republicans stand with the overwhelming majority of Minnesotans who what [sic] to protect the safety and fairness of girls sports.”

Nelson concluded by thanking constituents for their support and encouraged them to reach out with concerns or questions about legislative matters.