Good morning. We’ve not quite adjusted to springing forward but the spring weather can stick around.

In a legislative session dominated by frequent disagreements, legislative leaders are coalescing around at least one issue: updating the software counties use to provide health care and nutrition assistance. Leaders agree that the state should step in to update technology they jokingly refer to as stuck in the “Oregon Trail” era. The update is a top ask for Minnesota counties as they prepare for new requirements for administering Medical Assistance and SNAP. Without technology upgrades, county officials say they’ll face additional demands from the federal government that will take more employees and more time to manage. And that could mean pulling back on other county services or hiking property taxes. Dana has more on the aged technology and calls for a revamp here. County officials are set to brief the House Ways and Means Committee about the issue this morning at 10:15.

Also this morning, the House Fraud Prevention and State Government Oversight Committee will get an update from the state’s director of program integrity and a former House speaker. Tim O’Malley is scheduled to come before the panel and will outline his findings on program integrity and fraud prevention. O’Malley published his roadmap to prevent fraud in state programs last month, advising Minnesota agencies to adopt better oversight, staff training and enforcement. Gov. Tim Walz and legislative caucuses have picked up on many of those recommendations as part of anti-fraud packages coming before lawmakers. Former Republican House Speaker Kurt Daudt will also come before the committee, this time in his capacity as vice president of Stateside Associates.

Gov. Tim Walz is aiming to end the practice of earmarking funds to specific nonprofits as part of his fraud prevention plan. Minnesota Star Tribune reporters Allison Kite and Ryan Faircloth sat down with the governor last week and they report that he, along with some lawmakers from both parties, are aiming to prohibit the so-called legislatively named grants in favor of grants issued through a competitive process. They say it can make it harder to track how state money is spent. Supporters of the earmarks for nonprofits organizations say they give more groups a chance at getting state funds, including those in communities of color and rural areas.

There’s a court hearing scheduled this week in the state’s case aiming to prevent the federal government from freezing Medicaid funding to Minnesota. And it’s got a memorable title: State of Minnesota v. Oz. U.S. District Court Judge Eric C. Tostrud will consider a motion for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction on Thursday morning. The Trump administration announced a temporary pause on Medicaid funding to the state to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars while federal officials probe for potential misuse of federal funds. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison sued the administration over the action last week, saying it could force the state to cut back on health care coverage for low-income families.

 

Late Friday, a federal judge ordered the Department of Homeland Security to return or replace lost property to people who’d been released after unlawful detentions during the federal government’s immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota. U.S. District Court Judge John Tunheim stopped short of holding the government in contempt for refusing to return the property — including identification and work permits — to former detainees, saying it was “not the appropriate action yet.” Tunheim ordered Minnesota U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen and the Department of Homeland Security to provide the former detainees in the lawsuit against the federal government with instructions on how to file claims for their belongings by Saturday. Claimants have five days to submit claims, after which the government has 30 days to pay out.

 

A key state leader dealing with Minnesota taxes says she’s not onboard with efforts to exempt state tax on tips or offering state subsidies for professional sports teams’ stadium upgrades. House Taxes Committee Co-chair Aisha Gomez, DFL-Minneapolis, joined MPR News’ Politics Friday last week  and said she views the effort to exempt taxes on worker tips as an “expensive gimmick” that wouldn’t impact many Minnesota workers. Republicans have proposed conforming state tax policy to match the federal tax code that was tweaked last summer under the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” Under Minnesota’s tied House, any policy would need bipartisan backing to advance. Gomez also suggested that she would not be supportive of efforts to get state money to help with improvements for Minnesota’s pro sports team stadiums, even if they come from her city. “When there’s chum in the water, they come,” Gomez said. “It’s not about my city or another city when it comes to these kind of policy questions. The same scrutiny will be provided to any subsidy to a professional sports stadium given our current budget constraints.” Proposals from Timberwolves owners could receive a frosty reception from Democrats at the Capitol after co-owner Aaron Rodriguez met with President Donald Trump.