>> WELCOME TO "ALMANAC AT THE CAPITOL."

I'M MARY LAHAMMER LAHAMMER COMING TO YOU LIVE FROM THE HOUSE GALLERY WHERE THERE'S ABOUT FIVE DAYS LEFT IN THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND AT THIS POINT SPECIAL SESSION SEEMS INEVITABLE, WHICH IS COMMON IN DIVIDED GOVERNMENT, IN BUDGET YEARS.

BUT THIS SESSION HAS BEEN UNLIKE ANY OTHER WITH THE HOUSE TIED, THE SENATE TIED AT ONE POINT, A BOYCOTT, A COCHAIR MODEL, AND FEDERAL FUNDING O CREATING A LOT OF UNKNOWNS.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> YES.

THE HEAD START KIDS ARE OING GOOD.

ALL OF THE KIDS ARE DOING GOOD.

>> ADVOCATES GATHERED AT THE STATE APITOL TO TRY TO SAVE HEAD START FROM FEDERAL CUTS.

>> THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE ARE FUNDING IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA.

[ APPLAUSE ] AND UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE A FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT THINKS THAT'S WHAT TRIMMING THE FAT IS.

THAT'S BALONEY.

THAT IS BALONEY.

OUR KIDS DESERVE MORE, WE DESERVE MORE AND THE STATE OF MINNESOTA REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE FEDS O, REGARDLESS OF WHAT D.O.G.E.

AND ELON MUSK AND THE BILLIONAIRES DO, WE MAKE SURE THAT WE STAND WITH OUR KIDS, THAT MINNESOTA CONTINUES TO BE A PLACE WHERE YOUNG FAMILIES CAN PROSPER.

WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT THROUGH A CHILDCARE TAX CREDIT THAT IS THE MOST GENEROUS IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.

>> THE MINNESOTA CATHOLIC CONFERENCE STOOD UP FOR UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS CONTINUING TO GET HEALTH CARE IN THE STATE.

>> THE HUMANITY TO BE ABLE TO SAY, OH, WE'RE GOING TO CUT MEDICAID THAT AFFECTS EVERYBODY, WELL, HOW IS THAT BUILDING UP A NATION OF IMMIGRANTS, A NATION OF FRIENDSHIP, A NATION OF NEIGHBORS WHERE WE DO CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER?

>> THE TIED HOUSE PASSED A HEALTH CARE BILL.

REPUBLICANS WANT NO MORE FUNDING ALLOCATED FOR MINNESOTACARE COVERAGE FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND A REDUCTION IN ABORTION FUNDING.

>> WILL THIS LEGISLATURE AND PARTICULARLY DEMOCRATS IN MINNESOTA, Mr. SPEAKER, WILL THEY PLACE THE NEEDS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AHEAD OF THE NEEDS OF MINNESOTANS.

>> YOU ALL OWN THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM NOW.

YOU WENT AND GOT ELECTED.

THAT MAKES YOU RESPONSIBLE.

I KNOW YOU DIDN'T BUILD THE SYSTEM WE HAVE NOW, BUT YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE WITH THE VOTES YOU TAKE IN THIS CHAMBER FOR THE COST OF HEALTH CARE.

>> MY TOP PRIORITY WAS IMPROVING PUBLIC HEALTH.

THIS BILL DOES IT A WHOLE HECK OF A LOT BETTER THAN ON THE OTHER SIDE.

IT'S TO SUPPORT LIFE.

>> THE SENATE TUSSLED OVER ENERGY ISSUES THAT HAD DIVIDED DEMOCRATS IN THE MAJORITY.

>> WE HOULD NOT BE HAMSTRUNG BY WHAT A SMALL MINORITY OR WHAT LEADERSHIP IS TELLING OTHER MEMBERS TO DO.

WE SHOULD BE SPEAKING FOR THE PEOPLE F MINNESOTA AND STANDING UP FOR OUR VALUES AND FOR THE REASON WHY YOUR DISTRICT ELECTED YOU AND SENT YOU DOWN HERE.

>> I'M NOT INTERESTED IN THE PROCEDURAL POSTURING AND THE SHOW OF IT, I WANT TO ACTUALLY GET SOMETHING DONE.

MEMBERS, THE PUBLIC HAS TO COME WITH US ON OUR CLEAN ENERGY GOALS.

WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THEM AND SAY WHAT DID YOU ACTUALLY DO?

MOST PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC DON'T KNOW THE NAME OF THEIR STATE SENATOR AND MANY OF THEM DON'T CARE.

WHAT THEY WANT TO KNOW IS WHAT DID YOU ACTUALLY GET DONE.

>> THAT'S A BUNCH OF B AS IN B AND S AS IN S. PASSING THIS TODAY GIVES US A SENATE POSITION SAYING THIS IS WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING FOR OUR RURAL CO-OPS AND MUNICIPAL.

>> SENATE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE, I'M CALLING IT TO ORDER.

I'M THINKING THAT WE PROBABLY WON'T GET TOGETHER UNTIL WE GET TARGETS, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE THINKING OR WHAT ARE YOU ALL THINKING?

>> KNOWING THAT WE JUST DON'T HAVE OUR TARGETS YET DELIVERED TO US I THINK WE SHOULD KEEP POUNDING AWAY ON THE POLICY PROVISIONS WE CAN GET TO.

I THINK JUST FROM A TIME MANAGEMENT WE HAVE NOT MANY DAYS LEFT.

>> LEGISLATIVE LEADERS AND THE GOVERNOR ARE STILL TRYING TO GET A GLOBAL BUDGET DEAL.

>> >> Instructor: BEING PRETTY AMBITIOUS WITH THEM NOW BECAUSE WE GOTTA GET OUT OF THAT ROOM FOR NUMEROUS REASONS.

ONE IS WE WILL THEM TO GET THEIR WORK DONE BUT I THINK THERE'S STILL AN OUTSIDE CHANCE BUT I THINK THE THING IS WHEN WE RUSH THE REVISORS AND THINGS YOU MIGHT HAVE A CHANCE FOR SOME OF THESE ERRORS IN DRAFTING AND I THINK IT'S BETTER FOR US TO GIVE THE TIME NECESSARY.

I THINK WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO THAT POINT BUT STILL AN OPPORTUNITY.

IT'S A NIQUE DYNAMIC WHERE YOU'VE GOT A TIE IN ONE-THIRD OF THE RIANGLE, IF YOU WILL.

THE SENATE HAS THEIR VOICE, HE HOUSE HAS THEIR SHOULD YOUS CFSS VOICE AND OF COURSE THE ADMINISTRATION AND IN THE HOUSE THEY'RE SPLIT.

I THINK I WANT TO THANK THE LEADERSHIP OF SPEAKERS DEMUTH AND HORTMAN HAVE BOTH NAVIGATED THIS.

AND THIS IS TOUGH.

THE CAUCUSES HOLD TOGETHER.

THEY WANT MOVEMENT ON THEIR ISSUES, AND I THINK THEY'RE NAVIGATING THEM WELL.

I DO THINK, YOU KNOW, THE PROOF'S IN THE PUDDING.

THE RESULTS ARE WHAT ARE REALLY GOING TO MATTER.

BUT I DO THINK THE PROCESS DOES MATTER IN THIS.

THIS HAS BEEN A INCREDIBLY CORDIAL, WE'RE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME YESTERDAY, TEN, 11 HOURS IN THE ROOM TOGETHER AND IT'S REMAINED POSITIVE FOR MINNESOTA.

>> I FEEL LIKE WE'RE GOING BACK IN FOR MORE CONVERSATIONS AND WE'RE TALKING AND IT'S GOOD.

>> AT THIS POINT IT IS REALLY DIFFICULT TO GET DONE AND DO THE WORK IN THE WAY WE NEED TO, SO, YES, I THINK A SPECIAL SESSION IS V