Fraudsters are using these kiosks to take advantage of people, especially seniors. As I said in committee, the protections simply aren’t there for these kiosks, and they’re not ready to be out in the wild as they currently are. Other proposals aimed at fighting fraud were introduced by the House DFL recently, these ones more focused on ensuring state funds are going towards their intended use. Fraud at any amount in government is unacceptable. State dollars should be used to lift up our most vulnerable, and when those dollars are misused or stolen, it’s an affront to all Minnesotans. Instead of lending a helping hand to our state, President Trump has continued his attack on Minnesota by freezing Medicaid funds that our neighbors depend on. That does nothing to fight fraud, it only hurts people. The only way we’re going to pass anything this session, including measures to fight fraud, is by working together. This shouldn’t be a partisan issue. I hope Minnesota Republicans reject this move by the president and instead join us in focusing on actual solutions. Connecting with CommunityThe 2nd year of a legislative biennium is typically the shorter of the two, meaning that we’re already a quarter of the way through the session! As the time flies by, pretty much each day at the Capitol is jam-packed with constituent meetings and organizations holding their “Day on the Hill.” Just last week alone, I had meetings with a coalition of high-school students advocating for youth enfranchisement, members of the Minnesota Nurses Association, local artists attending Arts Advocacy Day, the Minnesota Medical Association, the Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association, the Dyslexia Coalition, the Autism Treatment Association, the Healthcare Leaders Association, local social workers, and a group of students for Minnesota Private College Day. On less busy days at the Capitol, I still make it a point to touch base with organizations in the community. I was able to meet with Dan Narr, the Executive Director of ICA Food Shelf, at their Minnetonka location. ICA delivers key services to our community with "food, jobs, and housing" - as their sign and mission statement reads. |