Government Accountability Advances In The House

March 27, 2026

Office of the Inspector General Bill Advances

Friends and neighbors,

I am happy to report to you that after weeks of stalemate within the State Government Finance and Policy Committee, the bipartisan Office of the Inspector General (OIG) bill is slowly making its way forward through the Minnesota House. Its next hearing will be in the Ways and Means Committee, and it is my hope that a consensus can be reached so that the bill may go to a floor vote.

This legislation has great potential to ensure that people in need of help from state and federal programs will receive it and that criminals will not get away with stealing your tax dollars. I have been extremely frustrated with the lack of accountability that has taken place within the Department of Human Services (DHS) and Attorney General Ellison's refusal to prosecute fraud for so many years.

OLA Report Finds DHS Mismanaged Fraud

DHS officials have for years been telling legislators they didn’t have the legal authority to discontinue payments to Medicaid programs, such as the Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention (EIDBI) program, even when fraud was suspected.

Money in the EIDBI program is supposed to go towards children with autism and has spiked from $1 million in 2017 to an astronomical $343 million in 2024! 

This week, the Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA) released a report showing that DHS could and should have discontinued payments to suspected fraudsters, yet failed to do so. From my interactions with—and the responses from—defiant DHS officials during audit hearings, it’s disappointing that they seemed to be looking for excuses for not preventing continual fraud.

This underscores the need for the passage of the OIG bill and the implementation of the Office of the Legislative Auditor’s recommendations to codify improved procedures and anti-fraud measures.

More Bipartisan Accountability Measures

Another bipartisan piece of accountability legislation that I have been working on with Sen. Ann Rest (D-New Hope) and Rep. Rick Hansen (D-South Saint Paul) is HF3672.

This bill will combine Office of the Legislative Auditor recommendations to codify improved procedures, antifraud measures, and create stricter criminal and professional penalties for state officers and employees who knowingly provide false information to the OLA.

Earlier this year, it was found that DHS officials had backdated documents given to the OLA during an investigation regarding fraud in mental health and substance abuse programs. Representatives from both parties are in agreement that this behavior from state employees is unacceptable, and I look forward to updating you as the bill progresses.

Thank You For Visiting Me In St. Paul

It was a very busy week for visitors at the State Capitol, and I had the pleasure of meeting dozens of constituent advocates for a host of causes. I am grateful for all who came up to share their personal experiences in their respective industries and help me to shape legislation that will improve their lives.

• Farm Bureau Dodge County Constituents - Discussion on legislative priorities
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers - Discussion on legislative priorities
• History Center of Olmsted County - Regarding HF4275
• Minnesota Bankers Association - Discussion on banking policy
• Mike Haase - Discussion on "Les Kouba" (designer of iconic brand art for companies such as Coca-Cola, Old Dutch, etc.) Museum in Rochester
• MN Anesthesiologists - Discussion on healthcare legislation regarding topics such as anesthesia assistant licensure pathway, access to care, and patient safety
• EMS Constituents - Discussion on ways to support rural EMS
• Chancellor Lori Carrel, University of Minnesota Rochester - Discussion on education priorities

I wish you and your family a wonderful Holy Week and a Happy Easter!

Please Stay in Touch 

Please continue to stay in touch to share your thoughts or concerns. My phone number is 651-296-9236 or you can email me at rep.duane.quam@house.mn.

Have a great weekend!

Duane

/RepDuaneQuam

2nd Floor Centennial Office Building
658 Cedar Street
Saint Paul, MN 55155
ph: 651.296.9236