Senator Robert Farnsworth (R-Hibbing) on Wednesday sharply criticized a Democrat proposal to provide $40 million to cover individuals' overdue rent and utility payments, saying the bill is the latest example of Democrats ignoring the state's rampant fraud crisis and putting illegal immigrants ahead of legal residents.

“This bill will not help people afford their lives or keep state costs down. I voted to increase the fraud protections in the bill, but I have serious concerns that this kind of program is exactly what bad actors are looking for and some of the funds will not go to people in need,” Farnsworth said. “This bill makes illegal immigrants and convicted criminals eligible for these funds, sending about one-third of the money to Hennepin county. The bill fails to put Minnesotans first.”

Senate Republicans did successfully improve the bill to add new fraud guardrails including one amendment that requires that 5% of funds be dedicated to detecting and preventing fraud, so the money actually reaches the people who need it.

Other amendments added to support anti-fraud measures include:

• Require applicants to actually document that they qualify, instead of taking the applicant’s word for it.
• Require detailed reports every 30 days, including amounts spent and unspent.

Senate Republicans also offered a series of amendments to prioritize legal residents, address affordability, and protect public safety concerns. Senate Democrats rejected the following amendments:

• Legal residents only: Restrict eligibility to U.S. citizens and people who are in the country legally.
• Direct property tax relief: Redirect the $40 million to provide direct property tax relief to homeowners and renters instead of a new bureaucratic program.
• Ban payments to sex offenders: Block people on the predatory offender registry from receiving rent and utility payments from this program.