>> JOINING ME NOW TO DISSECT THE STATE OF THIS SESSION, FORMER LEADERS, THEY USED TO TOIL DOWN HERE, WE HAVE FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER REPUBLICAN KURT ZELLERS AND FORMER MAJORITY LEADER, DEMOCRAT RYAN WINKLER.

OKAY, YOU TWO.

IS THE CALENDAR JUST, YOU KNOW, OUT OF DATE?

YOU'RE BOTH IN BUSINESS NOW, YOU HAVE TO REACH DEADLINES, ARE THESE UNREALISTIC DEADLINES HERE?

>> THEY'RE TRYING TO JAM TOO MUCH STUFF INTO A FEW SHORT MONTHS.

I THINK THAT'S BEEN CLEAR FOR A LONG TIME.

THE LEGISLATURE DOESN'T HAVE ANY TIME TO DO OVERSIGHT, SO REPUBLICANS ARE MAD ABOUT PAID FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE AND THE ROLLOUT, THEY DON'T HAVE ANY TIME TO ASK QUESTIONS AND PUSH THE ADMINISTRATION.

THEY DON'T, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL JUST KIND OF A BILL FACTORY, RUSH TO THE END AND HOPE IT ALL WORKS OUT AND THAT'S WHY I THINK THERE'S QUITE A LOT OF CLEANUP TO DO THIS YEAR FROM THE 2023 SESSION.

>> HE'S 100% RIGHT.

>> WOW, THEY DIDN'T AGREE WHEN THEY WERE IN THE CHAMBER.

[ LAUGHTER ] BUT WE'LL DO IT NOW.

>> PUT ME ON THE AG COMMITTEE IF I REMEMBER.

>> THE BEST STRIKE ZONE YOU COULD ASK FOR AND HE ALWAYS STAYED WITHIN IT.

TESTED THE EDGES BUT ALWAYS STAYED WITHIN IT.

>> YOU'RE HEAD OF THE BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP NOW, NOW THAT YOU HAVE TO REACH BUSINESS DEADLINES AND CAN'T BLOW PAST THEM, YOU DON'T HAVE SPECIAL SESSIONS IN THE BUSINESS WORLD, DOES THIS SEEM UNREALISTIC AND OFF NOW THAT YOU'VE LEFT IT?

>> ALL JOKING ASIDE, RYAN'S RIGHT, DO IT RIGHT.

DON'T HIT A DEADLINE TO HIT A DEADLINE, ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU PRINT OUT A 1500-PAGE BILL THAT TWO PEOPLE READ MAYBE.

AND THEN GO BACK AND GO OH, MY GOD, WHAT DID WE PUT IN THERE?

DO IT RIGHT AND E UP FRONT AND SAY, LOOK, WE'RE GOING TO TRY AS HARD AS WE CAN TO THE VERY LAST MINUTE BUT IF NOT COME BACK A COUPLE OF DAYS, OR TAKE A TWO-WEEK COOLING-OFF PERIOD, BUT COME BACK AND DO IT RIGHT, DON'T RUSH AND MAKE A BAD BILL.

>> THIS IS ALMANAC, SO WE CAN GEEK OUT AND TALK ABOUT THE REVISOR.

WE ARE HEARING THE GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATIVE LEADERS SAY THAT'S NOT NICE TO THE REVISORS.

YOU'D TRY TO GET A DEAL TO THE END AND FORCE THE REVISOR AND GET A TON OF MISTAKES.

>> WELL, I THINK IT'S I GUESS PROGRESS BUT IT'S BEEN THE SAME WAY FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

I THINK REALLY THE COVID REMOTE WORK ENVIRONMENT KIND OF SHIFTED THE REVISOR'S CAPACITY TO CHURN OUT STUFF AND IT WAS UNSUSTAINABLE.

I MEAN, THE RISK THAT WE WERE ASKING PEOPLE TO TAKE WITH THEIR HEALTH AND THEIR LIVES, YOU KNOW, THESE 4:00 A.M.

SESSIONS AND SO ON, THAT WAS JUST NOT SUSTAINABLE.

SO I THINK IT'S BEEN A NEEDED CORRECTION.

>> AND I MEAN, DO PEOPLE LEAVE FRANKLY BECAUSE OF THE HOURS?

YOU GET RECRUITED AS A FRESHMAN, IT'S DANDY AND YOU GET HERE AND DON'T SEE YOUR KIDS AND YOUR FAMILY AND IT'S TOUGH, IGHT?

>> I DID LOVE THE CAMARADERIE IN THE RETIRING ROOM AND GET TO KNOW PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF FLOOR SPEECHES IWHEN DON'T TELL ANYBODY BUT A LITTLE POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE, BUT AND THE REVISORS, OKAY, HURRY UP AND GET HIS DONE, YOU'VE HAD IT FOR THREE MONTHS AND WAIT 'TIL THE END TO GET YOUR AMENDMENT WRITTEN.

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE LIKE THAT.

I'M NOT ADVOCATING FOR A LONGER SESSION OR FULL-TIME.

>> YEAR-ROUND.

>> IN OTHER STATES AND WE HAVE MEMBERS IN STATES IN THE INTERIM THERE'S A LOT OF WORK DONE TO RYAN'S POINT ON LOOKING AT THAT OVERSIGHT.

WHAT DID WE PASS, HOW CAN WE DO THIS BETTER AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT START ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE IN A TIE LIKE THIS, DO IT BIPARTISANLY.

SPEAKING OVERSIGHT THERE'S REAL BIPARTISAN MOMENTUM AND AGREEMENT ON WASTE, FRAUD AND ABUSE, CREATING A WHOLE NEW OFFICE, NEW LEGISLATION.

IS THAT ONE OF THE VICTORIES OF SESSION TOGETHER?

>> I THINK IT'S A POLITICAL IE MAYBE.

I'M NOT SURE IT ACTUALLY WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

THE LAWS FOR PROTECTING TAXPAYER DOLLARS HAVE BEEN ON THE BOOKS FOR A LONG TIME.

THE STAFF TO LOOK OVER IT HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE.

I THINK WHATEVER HAS HAPPENED AT THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES REALLY IS A DISASTER, I DON'T KNOW HOW IT'S HAPPENED BUT IT'S BEEN A DISASTER.

>> WOULD AN INSPECTOR GENERAL HAVE CAUGHT THAT?

THIS NEW OFFICE THAT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GONNA HAPPEN?

>> WELL IN IN THE CASE OF FEEDING OUR FUTURE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION BASICALLY DID FIND IT AND THEY WERE STILL FORCED TO KEEP PAYING.

I THINK THERE'S A SCALE PROBLEM, IT'S JUST LIKE THE LEVEL OF FRAUD AND THE LEVEL OF SCAM THAT HAS BEEN PERPETRATED ON STATE GOVERNMENT IS NOT LIKE ANYTHING WE'VE SEEN BEFORE, I'M NOT SURE AN INSPECTOR GENERAL IS GOING TO FIX IT, I THINK THERE HAS TO BE A CHANGE IN CULTURE AND THE PEOPLE ADMINISTERING THESE PROGRAMS HAVE TO BE AWARE OF THE KIND OF THREATS THEY FACE.

>> THE BUSINESS WORLD HAS AUDITS, IS THAT APPLICABLE HERE?

>> ABSOLUTELY, AND IN FACT WE ACTUALLY SOME OF OUR MEMBERS OFFERED AND SAID, LOOK, WE'LL COME, DELOITTE, PWC, WE HAVE SOME OF THE WORLD'S BEST AUDITING FIRMS IN OUR BACKYARD.

WE'LL KEEP IT QUIET, WON'T RELEASE ANYBODY'S DATA BUT LET US COME IN AND HELP YOU.

LOOK AT THE ROBBINSDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT, SOMEBODY MISTOOK A PLUS OR MINUS AND NOW THEY'RE HOW MANY MILLIONS IN ARREARS, STATUTORY OPERATING DEFICIT.

WELL, THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO HAPPEN.

WE UNDERSTAND THERE'S A HEALTHY SKEPTICISM, BUSINESS, BUSINESS HAS MORE THAN HEALTHY SKEPTICISM OF GOVERNMENT BUT IN INSTANCES WHERE WE'RE DOING OUR BEST WORK HERE AND THAT'S WHAT WE DO EVERY DAY, ASK FOR HELP, WE'RE HAPPY TO BE HERE.

>> YOU TWO ARE NOW IN THE BUSINESS WORLD, LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT SKIN YOU HAVE IN THE GAME.

>> I'M JUST A CITIZEN THAT HAS CONCERN ABOUT THE WORLD.

I HAVE NO -- >> YOUR THC BEVERAGE BUSINESS.

>> NO, NO.

>> >> ARY TOLD ME ONE TIME IF YOU WANT TO GET ON TV, BRING PROPS.

AND THIS IS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP.

THIS IS JEAN CRANE, CEO FOR BREMER BANK, RETIRED TONIGHT, I WENT TO HER PARTY.

>> CLASSIC.

>> JEAN IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY IS TO THE STATE.

SHE'S ON THE GUTHRIE BOARD, ORDWAY BOARD, PART OF THE YMCA, CHAIR OF HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, THOSE ARE THE KIND OF BUSINESS LEADERS WE WANT IN OUR STATE AND IF YOU WANT TO BUILD THAT COMPETITIVE HEADQUARTERS ECONOMY, ONE OF THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY PER CAPITA, YOU HAVE TO FIX THE BAN ON NON-COMPETE AGREEMENTS.

YOU DO HAVE TO FIX THE PAID FAMILY LEAVE BECAUSE IT'S JUST, AND GOD BLESS THEM, I HOPE THEY'RE RIGHT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A REALLY GOOD HISTORY OF ROLLING OUT COMPLEX I.T.

SYSTEMS, AND HAVING THEM WORK ON DAY ONE.

>> MNLARS, MNSURE.

TO NAME A FEW IN THE PAST.

>> AND JUST TO MAKE A COUNTERPOINT HERE, KURT.

YOU KNOW, THREE OUT OF TEN KIDS IN MINNESOTA ARE ON MEDICAID, THAT MEANS THAT ONE OUT OF THREE KIDS ALMOST IS POOR ENOUGH TO QUALIFY TO BE ON PUBLIC ASSISTANCE.

AND THAT MEDICAID PROGRAM IS, YOU KNOW, UNDER THREAT.

THAT'S ONE THING.

BUT THE OTHER IS WE HAVE AN ECONOMY THAT IS SENDING ALL OF THE MONEY TO THE VERY PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW.

AND IF YOU WANT TO UNDERSTAND DONALD TRUMP, IF YOU WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHY THERE'S SO MUCH DISSATISFACTION ABOUT THE ECONOMY AND THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM THAT'S A BIG PART OF IT.

SO I THINK THERE'S A BIG LEVEL OF TURMOIL THAT'S GOING ON IN OUR SOCIETY RIGHT NOW AND IT'S A LOT OF IT IS ECONOMICALLY DRIVEN.

SO A LOT OF THIS STUFF IS SIDESHOW.

THEY'RE NOT ACTUALLY GETTING TO THE HEART OF ISSUES.

>> DO PEOPLE DISLIKE POLITICIANS AND THE MEDIA AND BUSINESS NOW EQUALLY?

IS THAT A PROBLEM FOR ALL OF US?

>> IT'S GOOD TALKING POINTS TO BASH A CEO OR BASH A GOVERNOR.

BUT THERE'S 500,000 MINNESOTAN THAT'S WORK FOR M BB MEMBER COMPANIES.

ONE-SIXTH OF MINNESOTA'S WORKFORCE WORKS OR OUR MEMBER COMPANIES.

GLOBALLY, 4.8 MILLION.

WHILE IT'S FUN TO SAY THAT CEO MAKES TOO MUCH OR SHE'S GETTING OVERPAID IT'S HE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT THAT COMES FROM HAVING A COMPANY HEADQUARTERED HERE THAT PROVIDES THE REALLY GOOD JOBS, SCIENTISTS, ENGINEERS, AND THEN THE MARKETING THAT COMES AFTER, THE PRODUCTION THAT COMES AFTER.

AND THEN THAT DOESN'T EVEN INCORPORATE ALL OF THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS THAT FEED THESE COMPANIES.

SO, AGAIN, GOOD POLITICS, BAD POLICY.

WE WANT REALLY GOOD COMPANIES TO STAY HERE NOT MOVE O ANOTHER STATE.

>> I WISH WE COULD KEEP GOING.

WE'RE OUT OF TIME.