March 23, 2015
Members Present: | Other Members Present: |
Representative Rick Hansen, Chair | Representative Sondra Erickson |
Representative Connie Bernardy | Representative Linda Runbeck |
Senator Mary Kiffmeyer | |
Senator Warren Limmer |
Representative Rick Hansen, Chair, called the Legislative Audit Commission (LAC) Evaluation Subcommittee meeting to order at 12:02 p.m. The purpose of the meeting was to review the list of evaluation topics—to be evaluated by the Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA)—suggested by legislators and others.
Representative Hansen introduced Jim Nobles, Legislative Auditor. Mr. Nobles noted that this meeting needed to be completed quickly since there was another meeting starting at 12:45 p.m. in the same room. Since there was a new member to the topic selection process, he reviewed the “topic selection criteria” used by the LAC to choose the final evaluation topics: (1) state resources, (2) state control, (3) impact, (4) timeliness, (5) feasibility, and (6) balance. Mr. Nobles then introduced Judy Randall, Evaluation Manager, who organized the topic selection process this year. Ms. Randall briefly ran through the topic selection process: subcommittee selects “semi-finalist” topics; OLA staff prepare background papers on the semi-finalist topics; OLA sends a survey to all legislators; subcommittee reconvenes in mid-April to review the survey and background papers, and to pick the final topics; then the full LAC meets to approve the final topics.
Representative Hansen asked the members to go through the list of topics and select their top six choices. The topics with the most “votes” would become semi-finalists. The goal was to narrow the list of 139 topics down to 12-14 semi-finalist topics for possible evaluation by OLA in 2015. The topics selected by the subcommittee for further consideration were:
Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI)
Deer Population Management
Department of Human Services Waiting Lists
Energy and Weatherization Assistance Programs
Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board (IRRRB)
Mental Health Services in County Jails
Minnesota Board of Teaching
Minnesota Department of Health HMO Complaint Process
MnDOT Civil Rights and Public Outreach Policies
MnDOT Project Selection
Parent Aware Rating System
State Contributions to Affordable Housing
Wellhead Protection Planning
Wind Energy Promotion and Oversight
Senator Kiffmeyer moved to have the 14 topics be on the list for further consideration; the motion prevailed. With no further business, Representative Hansen adjourned the meeting at 12:48 p.m.
Representative Rick Hansen, Chair
Shelly Watterud, Recording Secretary