Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
3 golden objects Minnesota Legislature

Office of the Legislative Auditor

Topic Selection Subcommittee
Legislative Audit Commission

Members Present:

Representative Rick Hansen (ex officio) Senator Ann Rest
Representative Connie Ruth Senator Claire Robling

Members Absent:

Representative Steve Simon  

 

The Topic Selection Subcommittee of the Legislative Audit Commission meeting was called to order by Senator Ann Rest, Chair, at 8:45 a.m. The purpose of the meeting was to review the list of evaluation topics suggested by legislators and others. A list of 6 – 8 topics will be selected to recommend for approval by the Legislative Audit Commission.

Chair Rest introduced Rebecca Otto, State Auditor, and James Nobles, Legislative Auditor.

JOBZ was discussed. There were concerns with the jurisdiction issue of this topic. Mr. Nobles explained that the State and Legislative Auditors always work together on issues dealing with jurisdiction. This topic will be a larger, more time consuming project. Senator Robling moved to include JOBZ on the list of topics for recommendation. The motion prevailed.

Classification of Workers as Independent Contractors was discussed. There is legislation in process that deals with this topic. It was agreed that the decision on this topic could be made after session ends, seeing what happens with pending legislation.

There were 22 letters received requesting the topic of Charter Schools be added to the list for consideration. The topic was discussed. Senator Rest recommended that this topic be an alternate if OLA has time, and the members agreed.

Mr. Nobles recommended that the subcommittee choose at least six topics.

Representative Hansen suggested adding Oversight of Workers’ Compensation Insurance Claims to the list, due to information that he received from what he considers a credible "whistleblower." Other members questioned whether adding a new topic at this point in the selection process would bypass the established process and set an undesirable precedent. It was decided that this topic will be added to the alternate list for completion at a later date.

The topics selected by the subcommittee for approval by the Legislative Audit Commission are:

School District Student Transportation
Fraud Control in Publicly Funded Health Care Programs
Classification of Workers as Independent Contractors
JOBZ Program
County Veterans Service Offices
"Green Acres" Program and Agricultural Land Preservation Programs

Alternates to that list are:

Charter Schools
Oversight of Workers’ Compensation Insurance Claims

Senator Robling moved to recommend this list to the Legislative Audit Commission. The motion prevailed.

With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:40 a.m.

 

Senator Ann H. Rest, Chair

Shelly Watterud, Recording Secretary

 

Mentioned

Office of the Legislative Auditor, Room 140, 658 Cedar St., St. Paul, MN 55155 : legislative.auditor@state.mn.us or 651‑296‑4708