March 14, 2008
Members Present:
| Senator Ann H. Rest, Chair |
| Senator Claire Robling |
| Representative Connie Ruth |
| Representative Rick Hansen (ex officio) |
Members Absent:
| Representative Steve Simon |
The Legislative Audit Commission’s Topic Selection Subcommittee meeting was called to order by Senator Ann Rest, Chair, at 9:35 a.m. The purpose of the meeting was to recommend a set of 2008 program evaluation topics for approval by the full Legislative Audit Commission (LAC). Legislative Auditor Jim Nobles said that the recommendations of the Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA) deviate from the legislators’ survey responses but for justifiable reasons. Senator Rest said that the subcommittee would choose four topics to begin immediately and also choose several smaller ones as backup topics for later in the year.
Senator Rest asked to have a brief discussion on two topics: MnSCU Occupational Programs and the Personal Care Attendant Program. Mr. Nobles explained a little about what each evaluation would cover and why the OLA feels these would both be good topics. There were brief discussions on Standardized Student Testing, Ethanol Subsidies, E-Verify (Employment Eligibility Verification Program), and Adult Protective Services. Mr. Nobles said the main concern with E-Verify is that it is a federal program and the data would not be available to the OLA. Although, if it were given more time to be used in the State of Minnesota, then more data would be available and a more comprehensive evaluation could be written.
Senator Rest recommended the following topics for further consideration:
Topics recommended for later as time permits:
MINNCOR (Prison Industries Program)
E-Verify (Employment Eligibility Verification Program)
Capitol Complex Security
Senator Robling expressed concern that Q-Comp might be a timelier topic than Standardized Student Testing. Therefore, Senator Rest suggested bringing the discussion of Q-Comp versus Standardized Student Testing before the full LAC to decide the outcome. Representative Hansen moved to recommend the list of topics as follows to the commission:
MnSCU Occupational Programs
Personal Care Attendant Program
Q-Comp (Alternative Teacher Compensation) OR Standardized
Student Testing
Ethanol Subsidies
Topics to begin later:
MINNCOR (Prison Industries Program)
E-Verify (Employment Eligibility Verification Program)
Capitol Complex Security
Senator Ann H. Rest, Chair
Shelly Watterud, Recording Secretary
