Virtual File - Item

Text: July 29, 2019

Senator Paul Gazelka
Majority Leader
Minnesota Senate Building, Room 3113
95 University Avenue W.
Saint Paul, MN 55155

Dear Majority Leader Gazelka:

I frequently hear from Minnesotans who are proud that we passed a budget in one of the
few divided state governments in the country. They appreciate that we found a way to work
together and reach a deal, on time, that invests in education, health care, and community
prosperity. I am hopeful that the foundation of trust and compromise we built this year will be
the basis of how we work together moving forward.

It is in that spirit that I reached out to you last week to discuss your recently launched
website soliciting complaints from state employees. While I welcome legislative oversight, I am
concerned that you chose to house this initiative within the Senate Republican Caucus. This
represents a departure from neutral investigatory principles, and leads me-and Minnesotans-to
believe this system is politically motivated.

My concern is heightened by issues regarding the data practices act, governance,
transparency, and compliance that are outlined in the attached letter from Management and
Budget Commissioner Frans to Legislative Auditor Nobles. It is my hope that you and your staff
will work with Commissioner Frans and Legislative Auditor Nobles to address these questions
and reassure Minnesotans that your website will not stand in the way the Legislative Auditor's
ability-and the Executive Branch's ability-to pursue and address allegations of fraud and
abuse.

Until you have consulted with Commissioner Frans and Legislative Auditor Nobles and
satisfied them that your initiative does not expose state employees to unnecessary risk and hinder
our shared goal for efficient and effective government, I recommend that you suspend the
website. Good governance is a bipartisan issue, and I am sure the Senate Republican Caucus
wants to avoid any unintended consequences like confusing whistleblowers or impeding
investigations by the Office of the Legislative Auditor.

Transparency is also bipartisan issue. That's why I am grateful for your willingness to
have an additional discussion about passing legislation next session subjecting the State
Legislature to the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act (MGDPA). As Commissioner Frans
identifies in his letter, it is problematic that your website touts that the data collected is not
subject to MGDPA. As you know, the data practices act provides protections for employees and
provides access to information that is necessary for good government to function.

I look forward to our next opportunity to connect about a legislative initiative to expand
the MGDPA beyond the Executive Branch to include the Legislative Branch in the near future. In
the meantime, please let me know your intention regarding taking down the Senate Republican
Caucus website until Minnesotans have been assured it's not politically motivated and the
problems of transparency and governance are addressed.

Sincerely,
Tim Walz
Governor