Minnesota doesn’t have a state inspector general. A new state senator hopes to change that.
The sun shines on the Minnesota State Capitol on Monday, Feb. 12, 2024, in St. Paul, on the opening day of the 2024 session of the Minnesota Legislature. (AP Photo/Steve Karnowski)
A freshman DFL state senator wants Minnesota to have an Office of Inspector General.
On Thursday, Senator Heather Gustafson (DFL-Vadnais Heights) said she intends to introduce legislation during the upcoming session to establish the department.
The office would identify waste, fraud, and abuse in public and private entities that receive taxpayer money. This would include conducting audits, ensuring state agencies meet ethical and financial standards and investigating fraud and corruption.
“As a first-term senator, having a new perspective on the legislative process has motivated me to ask what more we can do to hold bad actors accountable and prevent misuse of taxpayer dollars before it can happen,” said Senator Gustafson.
“An Office of Inspector General is more than catching fraud after it happens; it’s about building on a culture of accountability and proactive oversight. Minnesotans expect their government to prioritize efficient and ethical use of their hard-earned tax dollars, which this proposal delivers.”
The goal of the Inspector General is to find waste and any potential abuse before it becomes a larger problem.
Minnesota does not have a general Office of the Inspector General, though there is a specific branch, the Minnesota Department of Human Services – Office of the Inspector General.
A bill to establish an Office of the Inspector General has been introduced many times, most recently in the 2023 and 2024 legislative sessions, but has yet to pass.
The upcoming 2025 session starts on Jan. 14, 2025.