Staff photo by Fritz Busch District 15B Rep. Paul Torkelson, R-Hanska, shares his perspective on the upcoming legislative session to Brown County Commissioners Tuesday. District 15 Sen. Gary Dahms, R-Redwood Falls is pictured at right.

NEW ULM — On the final lap of their legislative careers, Republican legislators Paul Torkelson and Gary Dahms shared their perspectives on the upcoming legislative session with Brown County Commissioners Tuesday.

Both men recently announced they will not seek re-election this year but will serve their final terms that end in early January 2027. Torkelson was first elected in 2008, Dahms in 2010.

According to the Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC), Minnesota counties need an urgent path to modernizing state-run human services technology platforms to simplify increasingly complex processes and inefficiencies, reduce duplication and errors, improve client outcomes, and assist in identifying fraud.

Torkelson said bids are expected to go out for modernization of the Social Service Information System data site that counties use to find resources and engage with the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families.

“I got a favorable report last week,” he said. “They expect to put a proposal out for bids in May. That is good news that they’re making progress. The other good news is it is believed after a new piece is in place, other pieces will come quickly. We have money dedicated to improve data access and accountability. Right now, programs are extremely hard to work with.”

Staff photo by Fritz Busch District 15B Rep. Paul Torkelson, R-Hanska, shares his perspective on the upcoming legislative session to Brown County Commissioners Tuesday. District 15 Sen. Gary Dahms, R-Redwood Falls is pictured at right.

Torkelson said there is a big state budget deficit looming.

“The budget we did last year is fine, but as we look ahead to the next biennium (two year period), if we’re going to spend any more money, we’ll have to find it elsewhere,” he said. “There is nothing in the budget right now to fund a bonding bill this year.”

Dahms said computers didn’t cause the State of Minnesota fraud and abuse.

“We have to have accountability and follow guidelines so the right people get the money. When the right people aren’t getting the money, the people that should be getting it are paying the biggest price,” he said. “I think we’ll see more accountability by making people more accountable, but that doesn’t bring the money back. It affects everybody with property tax increases when counties get less state money.”

Commissioner Brian Braun asked Torkelson for more details on new human services technology to replace outdated systems.

“I’m told county workers will be able to use their cell phone or tablet to enroll people in programs,” said Torkelson. “I think we’re one of only two states where all this work is put on the back of counties. Personally, I don’t want to move away from that. I think counties do good work and have a much closer connection to their clients than someone at the state level.”

Commissioner Tony Berg said the Minnesota African American Family Preservation and Child Welfare Disproportionality (over or under-representation of a group) Act “is a trek up Everest for counties with lots of short deadlines and timetables.”

The act will required focused investments in workforce capacity, staffing, training and services to address disproportionality in the Minnesota child protection system.

The AMC urges an implementation process with clear definitions, guidance and centralized administrative functions to ensure consistency, reduce administrative burden, and improve outcomes for children and families.

Dahms said the act is a problem for counties.

“When we get into session, we’ll see what the appetite is to make some changes in the bill. It does not fit a lot of our counties, yet costs every county a ton of money to do it, even if they don’t have a ton of participation,” he said.

Torkelson said the bill is being tested in Hennepin and Ramsey counties now and he has not received any information on how it is working.

“I think the goal of the program is good, but can we afford to do it is the question, especially with the antiquated software we have today,” he said. “One, let’s find out how it went in the two test counties and two, lets delay it until we have the tools to administer it.”

Brown County Human Services Director Anne Broskoff said she believes the act includes functions put on counties that the state should be doing.

“We’re not data analysts, we’re social workers,” Broskoff said. “We’re going to have a tough time managing some of the expectations. With our system, it will all be kept on Excel spreadsheets. It’s prone to errors. I’d like to have a new computer system up and running so staff aren’t so burdened with data entry.”