2023 Minnesota Statutes

127A.21 OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL.

Subdivision 1.Establishment of Office of the Inspector General; powers; duties.

The commissioner must establish within the department an Office of the Inspector General. The Office of the Inspector General is charged with protecting the integrity of the department and the state by detecting and preventing fraud, waste, and abuse in department programs. The Office of the Inspector General must conduct independent and objective investigations to promote the integrity of the department's programs and operations. When fraud or other misuse of public funds is detected, the Office of the Inspector General must report it to the appropriate law enforcement entity and collaborate and cooperate with law enforcement to assist in the investigation and any subsequent civil and criminal prosecution.

Subd. 2.Data practices; hiring; reporting.

The Office of the Inspector General has access to all program data, regardless of classification under chapter 13, held by the department, school districts or charter schools, grantees, and any other recipient of funds from the department. The commissioner, or the commissioner's designee, must hire an inspector general to lead the Office of the Inspector General. The inspector general must hire a deputy inspector general and, at the discretion of the inspector general, sufficient assistant inspectors general to carry out the duties of the office. In a form and manner determined by the inspector general, the Office of the Inspector General must develop a public platform for the public to report instances of potential fraud, waste, or abuse of public funds administered by the department.

History:

2023 c 55 art 12 s 12