SPECIAL ELECTION FRESHMAN.

HEAR FROM HIM LATER.

BUT, FIRST, ACTION HAS BEEN ON AND OFF AGAIN IN CRUNCH TIME HERE AT THE CAPITOL.

>> HEY, HEY!

>> Mary: SUPPORTERS OF THE LONG-AWAITED EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION DID NOT GET THE FLOOR THEY EXPECTED IN THE HOUSE, DELAYS AND DEBATES ON OTHER BILLS, BUT THEY HOPE TO PRESS FORWARD.

>> WE ARE PASSING THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT OFF THE HOUSE FLOOR.

[ Cheers ] >> SO TODAY, WE ARE GOING TO MAKE HISTORY AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THE MINNESOTA EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT.

MINNESOTANS BELIEVE IN FAIRNESS.

THEY BELIEVE IN EQUALITY.

THEY OPPOSE DISCRIMINATION.

>> Mary: SO, IT DIDN'T HAPPEN EXACTLY WHEN AND HOW THEY'D HOPED.

>> AS THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF ROE APPROACHED US LAST YEAR, WE SAW WHAT THE SUPREME COURT DID.

WE SAW THAT A CASE THAT WAS AS GOOD AS LAW TO US WAS OVERTURNED AND RIGHTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WERE TAKEN AWAY FROM MANY MANY INDIVIDUALS.

LOOKING TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR THEMSELVES, THEIR BODILY AUTONOMY, WHETHER YOU'RE SOMEBODY WHO IS LOOKING FOR GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE OR YOU ARE SOMEONE WHO'S LOOKING TO HAVE ACCESS TO AN ABORTION, WE SAW THOSE RIGHTS BEING INFRINGED UPON.

>> I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR UNDERSTANDING AND SEEING THE TRANS COMMUNITY AND BEING WELCOMING US INTO THIS WORK.

WE DESPERATELY NEED THE INCLUSION.

[ Cheers and applause ] >> WE'VE SEEN HOW E.R.A.s WITH A LACK OF CLARITY AVE DIRE CONSEQUENCES.

FOR EXAMPLE, YOU WOULDN'T KNOW IT, BUT TEXAS HAS HAD AN E.R.A.

FOR DECADES.

IT DOES NOT EXPLICITLY PROTECT REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS.

AND AS A RESULT, PREGNANT INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN DEFENSELESS AGAINST DISCRIMINATORY LAWS THAT STRIP AWAY AUTONOMY AND ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE.

>> Mary: THE HOUSE BILL PUTS THE BALLOT ON THE IN 2026.

THE SENATE PASSED THE BILL WITH FEWER PROTECTIONS FOR WOMEN AND THEIR MARGIN IS STILL SLIM ON SOMETHING IN THE WORKS FOR GENERATIONS.

>> I'M VERY EXCITED.

[ Laughter ] I'M VERY EXCITED.

THIS WILL FEEL LIKE I'VE WOKEN UP OUT OF A VERY LONG ILLNESS.

>> WHAT E'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE TODAY IS THAT IN MANY CASES, WE HAVE SEEN IN REAL LIFE, FOLKS OF ALL LEVELS WHO HAVE ENDURED DISCRIMINATION AND DISREGARD AND DISRESPECT.

THAT OUR LAWS HAVE NOT ALWAYS EQUALLY PROTECTED EVERY INDIVIDUAL MINNESOTAN IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA.

THIS BILL DOES EXACTLY THAT.

>> Mary: REPUBLICAN LEGISLATIVE LEADERS ARE NOT OPTIMISTIC ABOUT A BIPARTISAN END TO SESSION.

>> BIPARTISANSHIP IS GOING TO BE THE SPOONFUL OF SUGAR THAT MAKES THIS WHOLE END OF SESSION GO DOWN.

IF WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN, WORKING TOGETHER, THAT'S WHAT MINNESOTANS EXPECT.

INSTEAD, YOU SEE A VERY VERY SHARP CONTRAST WHERE THE DEMOCRATS ARE RELYING ON ALLEGED FELON IN THE SENATE FOR THEIR ONE-VOTE MAJORITY TO MAKE SURE THEY CAN KEEP THEIR EXTREME AGENDA MOVING FORWARD.

>> I JUST WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO THE CHAOS OF ONE-PARTY DFL CONTROL IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA.

WE KNOW THAT DEMOCRATS RIGHT NOW IN THE HOUSE ARE SPENDING THEIR TIME PASSING BILLS THAT A LOT OF THEM HAVE NO CHANCE OF ASSING IN THE SENATE, IN OUR LIMITED TIME LEFT.

I HAVE TO WONDER, HOW SERIOUS THEY REALLY ARE IN GETTING SOME OF THESE THINGS DONE.