August 12, 2025
Senator Ann H. Rest, Chair, called the Legislative Audit Commission (LAC) meeting to order at 11:00 a.m. in room G23 State Capitol. Senator Rest introduced Judy Randall, Legislative Auditor, and Katherine Theisen, Special Reviews Director, from the Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA).
The first order of business was to approve Katherine Theisen as the Deputy Legislative Auditor of the Special Reviews Division. Ms. Randall explained that in the 2025 legislative session, the Legislature established the Special Reviews Division within OLA, which had previously been a unit within OLA. She said the amount of work with allegations, complaints, and concerns OLA has received have increased exponentially over time. Ms. Randall then outlined the work Ms. Theisen has done and continues to do to enhance and manage special reviews work while supporting the mission of OLA. Ms. Randall then asked for the LAC’s approval of Ms. Theisen as Deputy Legislative Auditor for the Special Reviews Division.
Senator Rest then asked members for questions or comments. Representative Hansen moved to approve Ms. Theisen as the Deputy Legislative Auditor for the Special Reviews Division. Senator Rest added that she was impressed with the skills and experience that Ms. Theisen brings to the position. Senator Rest then called for a voice vote; the motion passed unanimously.
For the second order of business, Ms. Randall introduced Jodi Munson Rodríguez, Deputy Legislative Auditor for the Program Evaluation Division, to review the topics that had been selected by the Evaluation Subcommittee and which were now to be discussed and receive final approval from the LAC. Senator Rest then asked Senator Dibble, Chair of the Evaluation Subcommittee, to recap the selection and decision-making process the subcommittee had worked through in the spring. Senator Dibble explained that due to the delayed session start and other delays during session, the subcommittee had approved OLA starting work on the topics chosen by the subcommittee in order to begin work on those evaluations.
Senator Rest asked Ms. Munson Rodríguez to explain which evaluations were underway and the new topic selection process, and then asked members for questions or comments. Senator Dibble explained to members how the two voter registration topics that were selected were different from each other and why they were selected. Senator Drazkowski then made a motion for the LAC to adopt the Evaluation Subcommittee’s recommendations from the April 28, 2025, meeting. Senator Dibble listed the four topics to be adopted: (1) Office of Ombudsperson for Families, (2) Voter Registration System with a Secretary of State focus, (3) Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program, and (4) Minnesota Department of Health: Assisted Living Facilities Licensing. Senator Dibble added that after these, the following three topics would begin: (1) Implementation of Automatic Voter Registration with a Department of Public Safety focus, (2) Minnesota Board of Public Defense, and (3) Board of Animal Health Oversight of Companion Animals. The motion passed unanimously.
Senator Rest opened discussion on the last agenda item, to determine the process for approving program evaluation topics in the fall. Ms. Munson Rodríguez said that OLA was proposing that the Evaluation Subcommittee meet in the fall with the full list of evaluation topics suggested in the spring and any new topics OLA had received since then. The Evaluation Subcommittee would then select up to six new topics to be considered, to supplement the four topics that had appeared on the spring legislative survey but were not recommended by the subcommittee to move forward. The subcommittee would then meet again to narrow these 10 topics to 4, and the LAC would then meet to approve the final evaluation topics to begin in the winter/spring of 2026.
Members discussed whether the fall selection should include the new topics OLA had received during 2025, or if the new topics received should be reserved for the spring survey of legislators’ interest in the master list of topics, and thus excluded from consideration in the fall. Members agreed that the fall selection process should not include any new topics received during 2025, after the master list had been compiled. Senator Dibble then made a motion to adopt OLA’s proposed selection process, with clarification added by Senator Drazkowski that fall topic selection would not include new topics OLA had received since the master topic selection had been compiled in the spring. The motion passed unanimously.
In her closing comments, Senator Rest added that she was grateful for the participation of all of the LAC members, both present and participating remotely. With no further discussion, Senator Rest adjourned the meeting at 11:58 a.m.
Senator Ann H. Rest, Chair
Maureen Garrahy, Recording Secretary
