This bill modifies the policy related to the legislative auditor in Minnesota by amending several sections of the Minnesota Statutes and introducing new provisions. Key changes include the establishment of a Special Reviews Division within the Financial Audits Division, which will allow the legislative auditor to conduct special reviews for various purposes, including legal compliance and follow-ups on previous reviews. The bill also clarifies the obligations of certain officers to notify the legislative auditor about potential unlawful use of public resources or data, and it defines "obligated officers" who are responsible for such notifications. Additionally, the legislative auditor is granted the authority to classify data provided by legislators as private or nonpublic.

Furthermore, the bill mandates that state departments and agencies ensure that concerns regarding the misuse of public resources or data are directed to the appropriate obligated officers or the Office of the Legislative Auditor. A policy will be developed by the commissioner of management and budget to standardize this process across state agencies. Lastly, the bill repeals section 16B.45 of the Minnesota Statutes, which previously outlined the functions of the legislative auditor concerning performance evaluations of various state systems and agencies.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 16B.45, 3.971, 3.978, 3.979