♪♪ >> Mary: JOINING US NOW, REPUBLICAN ASSISTANT MINORITY LEADER AND HE IS THE LEAD ON THE HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE THAT JUST WRAPPED UP MINUTES AGO, SENATOR JORDAN.

[ RAP MUSIC ] SO, YOU GUYS ARE WORKIN' LATE.

WHAT HAPPENED TONIGHT, CAN YOU GET US UP TO SPEED?

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE N IS PUTTING TOGETHER A HUMAN SERVICES BUDGET, WE'RE LOOKING AT A $6 BILLION DEFICIT, SO THAT MEANS REALLY HARD OUTCOMES OR MINNESOTA NURSING HOMES, AND COUNTY COST SHIFTS THAT WILL INCREASE PROPERTY TAXES.

THAT'S BEEN SOMETHING I'VE BEEN REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT, JUST THINK WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE MINNESOTANS AND THEIR BUDGETS, AND ALSO SERVICES FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE.

JORDAN RASMUSSON.

>> Mary: SOST WHAT GOING WELL, OKAY, WE HAVE SOME BIPARTISAN AGREEMENT, BECAUSE THIS REALITY, YOU JUST SAW THE HOUSE CO-CHASE, THE TIE, THE SENATE HAS TO EVENTUALLY GET SOMETHING THAT THE HOUSE IS GOING TO PASS.

>> ONE DEA THAT'S INCLUDED IN THE BILL THAT REPUBLICANS WORKED ON WITH DEMOCRATS AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES IS LOOKING AT INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE MAYBE ELIGIBLE FOR MULTIPLE PROGRAMS AND MOVING THEM TO THE LOWER-COST PROGRAM.

SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE THAT ARE LOWER ACUITY, SO THAT WE CAN SAVE THE DOLLARS FOR THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE AND MOST RELIANT ON THESE PROGRAMS.

>> Mary: WHAT ABOUT NURSING HOMES, YOUR CAUCUS HAS KIND OF STOOD OUT FOR STANDING UP FOR NURSING HOMES IN THE LAST CYCLE.

AND HAS BEEN REALLY HARD ON THE GOVERNOR ABOUT SOME OF HIS PROPOSALS IN HIS BUDGET ON NURSING HOMES.

WHAT DO YOU THINK'S GOING TO HAPPEN THERE?

>> I THINK MINNESOTANS SUPPORT NURSING HOMES.

AND THEY EXPECT THAT WHEN PEOPLE ARE IN NEED OF THOSE SERVICES THAT THEY HAVE THEM IN YOUR COMMUNITY.

AND THAT'S A BIG REASON WHY IT MATTERS FOR REPUBLICANS HERE AT THE CAPITOL.

IS THAT WE KNOW THAT IF WE HAVE A NURSING HOME CLOSE IN OUR RURAL COMMUNITY, IT COULD MEAN THAT YOU HAVE A SENIOR WHO'S LIVED THERE THEIR ENTIRE LIFE HAVE TO MOVE AN HOUR OR FURTHER AWAY.

SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT NURSING HOMES GET THE FUNDING THEY NEED TO PROVIDE THEIR SERVICES.

>> Mary: THE OTHER THING THE GOVERNOR WAS SAYING IN HIS BUDGET, IN THE FORECAST, A LOT OF THE CUTS OR THE STRESS IS FROM FEDERAL ONEY THAT IS OR ISN'T FLOWING.

IS THIS A STATE PROBLEM, A FEDERAL PROBLEM, BOTH?

COMPLICATED?

>> I THINK WE'RE DEALING WITH A SPENDING SPREE PROBLEM FROM THE DEMOCRATS LAST TWO YEARS.

SO THEY TOOK AN $18 BILLION SURPLUS, TURNED INTO A $6 BILLION DEFICIT, AND EVEN WHEN WE GOT THE FEBRUARY FORECAST, THEY WERE VERY CLEAR THAT THIS DIDN'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT FEDERAL POLICY CHANGES.

>> Mary: DID NOT, YUP.

>> SO IT WAS REALLY DRIVEN BY THAT SPENDING INCREASE.

AND I THINK WE'RE DEALING WITH THE SPENDING HANGOVER RIGHT NOW.

>> Mary: BUT YOUR COMMITTEE, YOUR AREA ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE.

ISN'T HIS WHAT PEOPLE SHOULD SPEND ON OR THINK GOVERNMENT SHOULD SPEND ON?

SO HOW DO YOU, YOU KNOW, BE FISCALLY PRUDENT BUT ALSO TAKE CARE OF THE NEEDIEST?

>> YEAH, BUDGETS ARE ABOUT TRADE-OFFS.

SO ONE OF THE ROPOSALS THAT SENATE REPUBLICANS HAVE PUT FORWARD IS INSTEAD OF PENDING $220 MILLION ON FREE HEALTHCARE FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, WE COULD TAKE SAVINGS FROM THAT AND PUT IT TOWARDS DISABILITY SERVICES, NURSING OMES, AND ACTUALLY GET A FEDERAL MATCH AND, SO, BE ABLE TO REDUCE CUTS BY MORE THAN $400 MILLION.

SO THAT'S A PROPOSAL WE'LL CONTINUE TO OFFER UP TO DEMOCRATS IF THEY'RE WILLING TO TAKE IT.

>> Mary: I THINK THE GOVERNOR SAID TODAY HE WASN'T VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

WE ASKED HIM SPECIFICALLY, A LITTLE PRESS SCRUM, AFTER HE HAD KIND OF A ROUGH RETURN.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE GOVERNOR'S ENGAGEMENT?

HE HAS ALREADY HAD LEGISLATIVE LEADERS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, IT EVEN SOUNDS LIKE SENATOR MURPHY INVITED SENATOR JOHNSON TO COME ALONG, THAT SEEMS LIKE A GOOD SIGN.

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK, UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE SEEING GOVERNOR WALZ TRYING TO ET ON TO NATIONAL MEDIA AND CAMPAIGNING IN OTHER STATES.

AND I HEAR HE MIGHT EVEN HAVE ANOTHER FOREIGN TRIP PLANNED.

>> Mary: YEAH, CANADA, WE SHOULD TELL YOU, YEAH, THAT NEWS IS BREAKING TODAY, HE'S GOING TO CANADA, YEAH.

>> I THINK THE GOVERNOR WOULD BENEFIT FROM SPENDING MORE TIME AT THE CAPITOL, ROLLING UP HIS SLEEVES, TRYING TO CLEAN UP THIS BUDGET DEFICIT THAT HIS ADMINISTRATION CREATED.

>> Mary: WHAT ABOUT THE PUSHBACK, THOUGH, ON THE FEDERAL CUTS, THE UNNOPES AND TARIFFS ON AND OFF, IS THAT DOES AFFECT THE STATE, THERE'S ALREADY TALK YOU GUYS MAY HAVE TO COME BACK TO SPECIAL SESSION.

HOW ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT THAT?

>> I THINK THERE'S ALWAYS UNCERTAINTY, BUT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE AT THE STATE CAPITOL.

AND WE KNOW WE HAVE A $6 BILLION DEFICIT.

WE HAVE TO BE DONE WITH OUR WORK BY MAY 19th.

SO I THINK WE ALL NEED TO ROLL UP OUR SLEEVES AND PUT MINNESOTANS AND THEIR BUDGETS FIRST.

>> Mary: WHAT ABOUT WASTE, FRAUD AND ABUSE, THAT'S BEEN A BIG ISSUE FOR REPUBLICANS, THERE'S A COMMITTEE DEDICATED TO IT HERE IN THE HOUSE.

IS THAT SOMETHING YOU'D GET AT FOR SOME COST SAVINGS IN YOUR BUDGET AREA?

>> YEAH, IT WAS THE FIRST HEARING WHEN WE WERE -- WE HAD THE POWER-SHARING AGREEMENT IN THE SENATE, SENATE REPUBLICANS, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT A LOT, IN THE HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE, SOMETHING WE'RE COMMITTED TO.

AND ULTIMATELY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO PUT BACK INTO THE BUDGET IS TO HAVE FUNDING FOR AI TOOLS THAT CAN HELP PRIORITIZE AND IDENTIFY FRAUD SO THAT WE CAN FIND SAVINGS AND PUT THOSE DOLLARS WHERE THEY'RE INTENDED TO GO.

>> Mary: WHAT ABOUT SPORTS BETTING?

WHAT DO YOU THINK'S GOING TO HAPPEN ON THAT?

THAT'S BIPARTISAN, LOVE AND HATE ON IT.

>> YEAH.

I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT PUTTING A CASINO ON MINNESOTANS' PHONES, WHICH IS WHAT THE CURRENT PROPOSAL TO HAVE ONLINE GAMBLING WOULD DO.

AND, SO, I'M GRATEFUL THAT SO FAR THE BILL HAS YET TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL COMMITTEE HEARING AND GET OUT OF COMMITTEE.

AND THAT'S VERY DIFFERENT THAN THE SITUATION FROM LAST YEAR WHERE IT WAS SAILING THROUGH COMMITTEES, WAS ON THE HOUSE FLOOR, SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF LEGISLATORS WHO HAVE LEARNED FROM THE CHALLENGES WE'VE SEEN IN OTHER STATES, INCREASES IN FAMILY BANKRUPTCIES, OTHER FINANCIAL ISSUES THAT ONLINE GAMBLING HAS CAUSED.

SO I THINK THEY'RE TAKING A