Update: 2 Weeks To Go, Upcoming Town Hall

May 5, 2026

Legislative Update

Friends and Neighbors,

With two weeks left in the 2026 Legislative Session, I am pleased to inform you that we are making progress in tackling Minnesota's fraud epidemic.

FBI Raids Suspected Fraudsters

Last week, the FBI raided 22 locations in Minneapolis suspected of containing materials related to fraud. These raids included the now-infamous "Quality Learing Center" that gained notoriety as a result of Nick Shirley's recent viral documentary.

House Republicans' work in the Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy Committee has turned Minnesota's fraud epidemic into a national news story, and justice is coming to those who took advantage of our generosity. I will be advocating to ensure that these fraudsters are held accountable to the full extent of the law.

OIG Bill Moves Forward

A vital piece of legislation for combating future fraud recently moved out of the House Ways and Means Committee.

Whistleblower testimony in the Fraud Committee has proven that the Walz Administration and Attorney General Ellison failed to prevent fraud and protect Minnesota taxpayers.

The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) bill will provide a tool to combat future theft of taxpayer money by legally establishing the OIG, a truly independent agency to investigate and prosecute fraud. The bill also establishes a Legislative Inspector General Advisory Commission that will select candidates to lead the agency. To ensure bipartisanship, the Commission will have eight members: two Republican and two Democrat members from both the House and Senate. To be recommended by the Commission, a candidate must be approved by five of its eight members. The Governor will then appoint one of the candidates approved by the Commission, and a three-fifths vote in the Senate will confirm the nominee to serve a five-year term as Inspector General.

Most importantly: The Office of the Inspector General will serve outside of the authority of the Governor and the Attorney General, so the public can be assured that their tax dollars are being safeguarded by an apolitical entity.

This bill passed the Senate last year in a bipartisan 60-7 vote, but this year was stalled for several weeks in the House State Government Finance and Policy Committee, as Democrats attempted to gut the bill at the request of Governor Walz.

After deliberations and minor changes, some House Democrats are now in support of the bill, as their constituents are also outraged about fraud. The OIG bill is expected to pass on the House Floor this Thursday. It will then be referred back to the Senate for a final vote, followed by a referral to Governor Walz to be signed into law. We expect that he will sign it, as he faces significant political pressure to do so.

Reminder: May 8 Town Hall

Please join me on Friday for breakfast, coffee, and conversation. I will be sharing the latest updates from the State Capitol, and I look forward to speaking with you regarding any questions or legislative priorities that you may have.

I hope to see you there!

• WHEN: Friday, May 8 | 8:15 AM – 9:15 AM
• WHERE: Upsala Community Center (111 N Main St, Upsala, MN)

Thank You For Visiting

Special thanks to the students from Upsala and Swanville who came to visit me at the State Capitol! I enjoyed hearing about your backgrounds and being able to share with you details about the role of a state legislator.

I also want to thank Benton County Commissioner Ed Popp for joining me to hear Governor Walz give his final State of the State Address. To better times ahead!

Upsala and Swanville Students Visit the State Capitol

Benton County Commissioner Ed Popp

Stay Up-to-Date

Follow me on Twitter @ImSchultz and check out my official Facebook Page for daily updates on the important issues at the capitol.

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