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Gov. Greg Abbott sent a letter Monday directing Texas state agencies to investigate potential child care funding fraud, following a major Minnesota social services scandal that cost taxpayers millions.
“Recently, the Trump Administration and independent journalists have uncovered potential systematic fraud in subsidized child care systems in states like Minnesota,” Abbott said in a statement. “Such fraud will never be tolerated in Texas. Today, I directed Texas state agencies to take proactive steps to prevent, detect, and eliminate misuse of taxpayer funds to protect the integrity of Texas’ Child Care Services Program.”
Abbott’s letter was addressed to Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Chairman Jose Esparza and Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) Executive Commissioner Stephanie Muth to lead the investigation. Both agencies have broad authority to strengthen fraud prevention efforts in the state’s child care program and regulate facilities.
The agencies will have until Feb. 27 to submit a final report outlining how they implemented anti-fraud measures and investigated any potential misuse of Texas taxpayer dollars.
HOW FEARS OF BEING LABELED ‘RACIST’ HELPED ‘PROVIDE COVER’ FOR THE EXPLODING MINNESOTA FRAUD SCANDAL
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is instructing two Texas agencies to investigate any misuse of taxpayer dollars in the state’s child care programs. (Getty Images)
Abbott noted that Texas already has a relatively low “improper payment rate” of 0.43 percent, compared with Minnesota’s roughly 11 percent, thanks to the agencies’ strong anti-fraud processes already in place.
While the agencies already conduct routine audits of providers and in-person visits to facilities, “more can be done to protect Texas children and taxpayers,” Abbott said in the letter.
CRITICS WARN MINNESOTA LEGISLATION NOW TAKING EFFECT IS SETTING UP THE ‘NEXT BILLION-DOLLAR FRAUD’
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is facing mounting…
