>> OF COURSE, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> Cathy: GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN, TOO.

THANKS.

>> CATHY: AFTER MONTHS OF DELAY, THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON CAPITOL SECURITY MET FOLLOWING A BUILDING BREAK-IN AND SHOOTINGS OF LAWMAKERS.

MARY LAHAMMER HAS BEEN DIGGING INTO THE ISSUE FOR SOME TIME AND BRINGS US SOME BROADER CONTEXT.

>> I CALL THIS MEETING OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON CAPITOL AREA SECURITY TO ORDER.

>> Mary: THIS LONG-AWAITED COMMITTEE MEETING COMES AFTER HEARTBREAK IN THE STATE.

>> THIS SUMMER HAS BEEN DEEPLY PAINFUL FOR MANY PEOPLE.

PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THIS CAPITOL, ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND STAFF ALIKE.

>> Mary: DESPITE DELAYING DATES FOR EARLIER MEETINGS, THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR SAYS CONVENING REGULARLY NOW IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER.

THE MURDER OF REPRESENTATIVE MELISSA HORTMAN AND SHOOTING OF SENATOR JOHN HOFFMAN, ALONG WITH ALL OF THE OTHER DEMOCRATS TARGETED INFORM THE DISCUSSIONS AHEAD.

>> WE CONTINUE TO GRIEVE THEIR LOSS, AND WE WILL NEVER BE THE SAME.

OUR HEARTS ESPECIALLY BREAK FOR THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS.

I AM HONORED THAT MELISSA APPOINTED E TO SERVE ON THIS COMMITTEE.

>> THE ATTACKS N JUNE 14th WERE PARTISAN.

DEMOCRATS WERE TARGETED.

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH WORKERS WERE TARGETED.

I DON'T WANT THAT TO BE LOST IN THE CONVERSATION.

>> Mary: LAWMAKERS FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE SERVE ON THE COMMITTEE.

>> TONING DOWN THE POLITICAL RHETORIC, THAT ALONE CAN LOWER THE THREAT LEVEL AND IMPROVE PERSONAL SAFETY WHEN WE BEGIN TO TREAT EACH OTHER WITH A GREATER DEGREE OF RESPECT.

>> I'VE BEEN ON THIS COMMISSION NOW FOR 11 YEARS.

AND I WILL SAY THAT SECURITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN VERY MUCH TOP OF MIND FOR ME, AND WE'VE GOT PEOPLE FROM THE PRESS, YOU'VE GOT PEOPLE FROM PARTISAN STAFF, YOU'VE GOT OUR SERGEANT AT ARMS, YOU'VE GOT OUR FRONT DESK STAFF, YOU'VE GOT PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE EVERY SINGLE DAY, AND IT IS OUR JOB TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE PROTECTED WHILE THEY'RE HERE.

>> Mary: THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WORK IN AND VISIT THE ENTIRE CAPITOL COMPLEX.

THE SUPREME COURT CHAMBER IN THE CAPITOL IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC BUT EXT DOOR IS NOT.

>> THE TIME HAS COME IN 2025 TO RETHINK HOW THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE OPERATES.

THE MINNESOTA JUDICIAL CENTER IS CURRENTLY THE ONLY BUILDING ON THE CAPITOL COMPLEX WITH FULL-TIME WEAPONS CREENING.

>> Mary: METAL DETECTORS MAY BE THE MOST POLITICALLY DIFFICULT DECISION AHEAD WITH TWO CLOSELY DIVIDED CHAMBERS AND MORE MEMBERS CLEARLY CARRYING WEAPONS AT THE CAPITOL.

WE DOCUMENTED THIS PAST SESSION AS TEMPERS FLARED.

>> YOU WORK FOR US!

>> TO BE ABLE TO MOVE TO A WEAPONS SCREENING SORT OF A PROCESS, WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS WITH THE LEGISLATURE, WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO MOVE THAT THROUGH.

BUT WITHOUT FUNDING, SIGNIFICANT EXPENDITURES CAN'T HAPPEN.

>> Mary: A RECENT TEST OF THE CAPITOL SECURITY ALERT SYSTEM CAME THROUGH EMAIL, NOT EXACTLY THE MOST URGENT WAY TO COMMUNICATE, AND IT DIDN'T REACH MANY PEOPLE WHO WORK OR VISIT HERE.

>> AS YOU'RE WELL AWARE, 201 MEMBERS MILL ABOUT AND HOLD MEETINGS DAY IN AND DAY OUT, AND HEARINGS START EARLY AND HEARINGS GO LATE INTO THE EVENING.

>> THE ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SERGEANT AT ARMS FOR THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PRIMARILY ON SITE.

OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE CONCERNS THAT REPRESENTATIVES BRING TO US FOR THEIR TOWN HALLS, MAYBE SOME EVENTS THAT THEY PARTICIPATE IN, MAYBE IT EVEN HAS THINGS TO DO IN AND AROUND THEIR HOMES.

AND WE WILL CERTAINLY LIAISON WITH THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES OF THEIR RESPECTIVE COMMUNITIES.

>> Mary: WE FOLLOWED THE CONCERNS OF THE RAMSEY COUNTY SHERIFF WHO'S CALLING FOR BAGS AND WEAPONS SCREENINGS BEFORE SOMETHING HAPPENED.

>> WE APPRECIATE, ABSOLUTELY 100% APPRECIATE THE NEW-FOUND INTEREST IN CAPITOL SECURITY.

WE WELCOME THOSE DISCUSSIONS.

WE WELCOME HAVING THAT COLLABORATION.

>> Mary: MONTHS AGO, AHEAD OF THE WORST ACT OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE IN STATE HISTORY, THE SHERIFF STOOD INSIDE THE CAPITOL WITH US CALLING FOR ACTION.

>> YOU HAVE SOME COMPETING VISIONS OF WHAT ACCESS IS, BUT I HAVE TO TELL YOU, EVERY TIME I HEAR THAT ARGUMENT ABOUT FREE ACCESS, THE PUBLIC WOULD RATHER KNOW THAT THEY'RE IN A SAFE SPACE.

>> Mary: WHAT'S THE PROBLEM ON THE LEFT, WHAT'S THE PROBLEM ON THE RIGHT ON GETTING THIS DONE?

>> WELL, I TRIED TO ALLUDE THAT IN MY LETTER, THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE DISAGREEMENTS OVER PERMITS TO CARRY, AND THEN ON THE OTHER END WE'LL HAVE DISAGREEMENTS OVER CREATING A LAW AND ORDER IMAGE OF OUR CAPITOL.

REALLY, THE MIDDLE GROUND RIGHT NOW IS THE LARGE BAGS, THE LARGE BAGS, FOR ME, ARE THE MOST TROUBLING.

BECAUSE WE ARE RIGHT NOW ALLOWING PEOPLE TO BRING LARGE AUTOMATIC WEAPONS IN THEIR DUFFEL BAGS.

THEY CAN WALK RIGHT IN TO ANY ENTRANCE AND EASILY TAKE OUT A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE.

>> Mary: SO FAR THIS YEAR, THERE HAVE BEEN 175 REPORTS OF SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY, 157 SUSPICIOUS PEOPLE, AND 46 INSTANCES OF DAMAGE TO PROPERTY AT THE CAPITOL, NOT TO MENTION THE ARREST OF AN INTRUDER WHO SNUCK IN, DISROBED AND SAT NAKED IN THE SENATE PRESIDENT'S CHAIR.

>> THIS IS A FOUNDATIONAL MEETING.

AND PART OF WHAT WE ARE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING OVER THE COMING MONTHS IS THE DIFFERENT LEVELS, RIGHT, OF SECURITY,