PLASS APPLAUSE.

>> I'M CATHY WURZER FROM TWIN CITIES PBS AND MPR.

WELCOME TO THE MINNESOTA STATES FAIR.

>> YAY!!

[Applause] >> Cathy: I TELL YOU WHAT, WE'VE BEEN DOING THERE FOR MORE THAN A DECADE NOW.

AND WE'RE ALWAYS THRILLED TO DO IT AGAIN.

WE ARE LIVE HERE AT THE FAIR, OF COURSE.

WE ARE WORKING WITH TWIN CITIES PBS, WITH MINNESOTA PUBLIC RADIO, KIND OF A NICE MARRIAGE OF PUBLIC MEDIA HERE, TO BRING YOU A LIVE EDITION OF "ALMANAC" FROM THE STATE FAIR.

WE HAVE A GREAT SHOW LINED UP FOR YOU.

>> ERIC: AND I'M ERIC ESKOLA.

A SPECIAL WELCOME TO ALL OF OUR FANS ON PUBLIC RADIO AND TV.

WE HAVE A LOT TO SHARE IN THE NEXT HOUR.

WE'LL COVER POLITICS, TALK WEATHER WITH PAUL HUTTNER, SPORTS WITH LARRY FITZGERALD, AND KEVIN KLING WILL HAVE A STATE FAIR STORY FOR US.

>> CATHY: DID WE MENTION LIVE MUSIC AND LITTLE BABY ANIMALS.

YEAH, RIGHT HERE ON STAGE.

I LOVE THAT SO VERY MUCH.

WE HAVE A LOT TO GET TO SO LET'S DIVE IN.

OUR FIRST GUEST, GOVERNOR TIM WALZ.

GOVERNOR, THE STATE OF MINNESOTA.

>> THANK YOU.

[Applause] >> I FEEL CATHY SET ME UP.

WE WENT FROM CUTE BABY ANIMALS TO ME, NICE SEGUE, SO THANK YOU.

>> CATHY: NICE SEGUE.

LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOMETHING THAT WAS IN THE NEWS THIS WEEK, GOVERNOR.

YOU CALL YOURSELF THE EDUCATION GOVERNOR.

TEST SCORES CAME OUT, THESE ARE THE STANDARDIZED TESTS THAT KIDS TAKE AND THE RESULTS WERE NOT GREAT.

AND WHAT REALLY STOOD OUT TO ME, AND I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK, ONLY 70% OF STUDENTS CONSISTENTLY ATTEND CLASS.

SO WHAT -- IN THE 2023 SESSION, WHAT WAS PASSED THAT MAY HELP THIS?

>> YEAH, NO, AND I THINK AS AN EDUCATOR, WE KNOW THIS AND THE FOLKS HERE WHO DO THIS, THESE ARE KIND OF A LAGGING INDICATOR.

THESE WERE TAKEN LAST YEAR AND THE TESTS THAT ARE GIVEN ARE GIVEN TO A DIFFERENT SET OF KIDS EACH YEAR BUT IT DOES TEST OUR SYSTEM WHERE IT'S AT AND I THINK WE STILL RECOGNIZE THE COVID DISRUPTIONS AND WHAT HAPPENED, WE'RE STILL RECOVERING FROM THAT.

I THINK THE POLICIES THAT WERE PASSED IN THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION CERTAINLY MAKING SURE WE'RE ABLE TO FUND THE RESOURCES NECESSARY, BUT I THINK SOME OF THE CHANGES, THE LITERACY CHANGES THAT WERE IN THERE, THESE WERE BIPARTISAN, A BROAD LITERACY PACKAGE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE FOCUSING ON READING, AND THEN I THINK A CONCERTED EFFORT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE HIRING TEACHERS, A WIDE SPECTRUM OF TEACHERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS A PROFESSION BECAUSE WE KNOW, WHEN YOU ASK COUNTRIES LIKE FINLAND WHO DO INCREDIBLY WELL ON THIS, THEY WILL TELL YOU, WHEN I ASK THEM, WHY IS YOUR EDUCATION SYSTEM SO GOOD, THEY SAY WE VALUE TEACHERS, AND THEY ALSO ADD THIS, THEY SAID THEY DON'T GIVE HOMEWORK.

WE FOCUS ON THE TIME IN THE CLASSROOM TO GET IT DONE SO THERE IS AN INTERESTING FOCUS ON THE KIDS, THE CLASSROOM, I THINK HERE IN MINNESOTA, WE DID THAT LAST YEAR.

>> Eric: SKIP AROUND A LITTLE BIT.

MARIJUANA, REPUBLICANS ARE SAYING MAYBE A SPECIAL SESSION NEEDED TO TWEAK AND CORRECT.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> I DON'T KNOW.

I WOULD ASK THE FOLKS HERE, HAVE YOU SEEN -- HAS THE SKY FALLEN ON EVERYONE HERE, HAS THERE BEEN MASSIVE CHANGES?

THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, I'M NOT CONDONING THE USE TO ANYBODY.

I HAVE A 16-YEAR-OLD AND A 22-YEAR-OLD BUT PROHIBITION DIDN'T WORK.

I TRUST ADULTS TO MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS.

WE'RE IMPLEMENTING THIS IN A THOUGHTFUL MANNER, WE'RE NOT REINVENTING THE WHEELS, 22 OTHER STATES HAVE DONE THIS, AND WE'LL BE MOVING FORWARD.

THERE'S GOING TO NEED TO BE CHANGES.

WE STILL TWEAK OUR ALCOHOL LAWS 160 YEARS AFTER STATEHOOD, AND WE'LL GET BETTER ON THAT.

>> Cathy: THE MOORHEAD POLICE DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK IT WILL SUSPEND A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER PROGRAM BECAUSE OF THIS NEW LAW THAT BANS THE USE OF SOME PHYSICAL HOLDS AND RESTRAINTS OF STUDENTS.

SCHOOLS DON'T SEEM TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT DO WITH THIS LAW AND I'M WONDERING, WHAT'S THE GUIDANCE FOR SCHOOLS?

HOW MIGHT THEY IMPLEMENTS THIS NEW LAW AND MIGHT A SPECIAL SESSION BE NEEDED TO TWEAK IT?

>> STUDENTS NEED TO BE SAFE IN SCHOOL, THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS WE DID ON THAT.

WE PASSED SOME COMMON LEGISLATION TO MAKE SURE KIDS MAKE SURE KIDS ARE SAFE FROM SHOOTINGS BUT WE ALSO MADE THE CASE OF HOW WE TREAT OUR STUDENTS, AND THIS HAS BEEN THE LAW FOR A LONG TIME, ESPECIALLY AROUND SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS, THIS WEEK THE ATTORNEY GENERAL GAVE AN OPINION ON THIS THAT GAVE FULL AUTHORITY TO SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS TO USE WHAT THEY DEEM NECESSARY IN TERMS OF OTHER -- BROKE OF OTHER STUDENTS AND TEACHERS AROUND THEMSELVES.

IT'S JUST CLARIFICATION.

I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE, WE WANT OUR STUDENTS TO BE SAFE BUT WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE A STUDENT IS NOT BEING KNELT ON OR SOMETHING THAT BEST PRACTICES DOESN'T WARRANT.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE THIS AND I SAY, I KNOW THAT SCHOOL RESOURCES OFFICERS AREN'T A UNIVERSALLY ACCEPTED THING.

FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I WORKED WITH THEM EXTENSIVELY AND I BELIEVE IN THIS PROGRAM.

I WORKED TEACHING THE DARE PROGRAM WHEN I TAUGHT 6TH GRADE FOR A LOT OF YEARS AND WE WORKED HAND IN HAND WHERE WE BECOME AN INTEGRATED, WHERE POLICE ARE SEEN AS SUPPORTIVE AND FRIENDLY AND OUR CHILDREN RUN TOWARDS THEM AND UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING.

I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS AROUND THIS, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL MADE THE CASE.

THIS IS NOT MEANT TO PRECLUDE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS FROM BEING ABLE TO INTERVENE IN PROTECTION OF LIFE AND, YOU KNOW, INJURIES, BUT IT ALSO SETS SOME LIMITS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE PROTECTING THE CHILDREN.

>> Eric: WHAT DIRECTION ARE YOU GIVING DEPARTMENT HEADS AS THEY PREPARE FOR THE '24 SESSION?

IS IT ANOTHER PEDAL TO THE METAL OR CORRECT AND IMPLEMENT?

>> I THINK WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT.

I'M VERY PROUD OF THIS, WE PASSED A LOT OF THINGS, WE PROTECTED REPRODUCTIVE RATES.

WE MADE SURE IN MINNESOTA YOU'RE ABLE TO MAKE YOUR OWN HEALTH DECISIONS.

WE MOVED FORWARD ON COMMON SENSE GUN REGULATION, WE FUNDED TRANSPORTATION.

I CAN SAY THIS, NOW AS THE AGENCY, OUR JOB IS TO IMPLEMENT THESE CORRECTLY.

I THINK YOU SAW US DO THIS.

MANY OF YOU HERE RECEIVED CHECKS INTO YOUR CHECKING ACCOUNTS, YOU SAW THE DEPOSITS ON THE RETURN CHECKS, YOU'LL BE RECEIVING PAPER CHECKS.

I THINK WHAT I'M TELLING THEM IS LET'S IMPLEMENT, LET'S TWEAK WHAT NEEDS TO BE TWEAKED AND THEN LET'S -- AGAIN, MY FOCUS KIND OF IS, LET'S KEEP BUILDING ON THE SUCCESSES WE HAD IN A WAY THAT IMPROVES THE LIVES FOR MINNESOTANS.

>> Cathy: SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, THEN, NO SPECIAL SESSION TO TWEAK MARIJUANA LAW, AND NO SPECIAL SESSION TO TWEAK ANY OF THE LAWS THAT WERE PASSED, RIGHT?

>> NO, I DON'T THINK IT'S NECESSARY.

THEY GET PAID TO DO THEIR WORK DURING THE TIME.

WE DID SOMETHING THIS YEAR THAT -- DON'T BE PATTING ANYBODY ON THE BACK BUT YOU SHOULD COME TO EXPECT IT, WE FINISHED ON TIME AND DID OUR WORK.

THAT'S -- [Cheering] >> -- SO THEY CAN WAIT UNTIL FEBRUARY.

>> Eric: A COUPLE OF MINUTES LEFT.

YOU'RE, WHAT, 59 YEARS OLD?

>> I AM.

I KNOW IT'S A YOUTHFUL 59.

>> Eric: YOUR TERM IS UP IN JANUARY OF 2027 SO YOU STILL HAVE ONE MORE RUN IN YOU, PROBABLY.

SO LET ME GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MULTIPLE CHOICE HAT'S NEXT.

PRESIDENTIAL RUN IN FOUR, FIVE YEARS FROM NOW?

[Cheering] >> WELL, I HAD SOMEONE TELL ME, YOU KNOW, NEVER TURN DOWN A JOB YOU HAVEN'T BEEN OFFERED BUT, HONESTLY, I HAVE A LOT ON MY PLATE HERE.

I'M GOING TO MAKE URE WHERE HE USHER MINNESOTA IN TO WHAT WE'VE SEEN ACROSS THE STATE.

WE'RE TOP FIVE IN BUSINESS PLACE TOO LIVE, HEALTH CARE, THOSE THINGS.

WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TOWARD NUMBER ONE ON THOSE.

>> ERIC: CABINET POST, I WOULD -- VETERANS AFFAIRS?

AGRICULTURE?

>> I WOULD CERTAINLY BE HONORED TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THOSE THINGS BUT MY HEART IS HERE IN MINNESOTA AND A JOB TO DO.

>> Eric: THIRD TERM?

>> WELL, IT HASN'T EVER BEEN DONE BEFORE -- >> Eric: WHY IS IT SO HARD -- IT IS HARD TO GO THIRD TERM.

>> I THINK, LIKE, MY FAMILY IS TIRED OF ME, I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE REST WILL FEEL BY THEN BUT WE'LL SEE WHEN THAT TIME COMES UP.

>> Eric: ALL RIGHT, SIR.

>> Cathy: ALL RIGHT, GOVERNOR TIM WALZ.

BY THE WAY, BEFORE YOU GO, THE ONE THING YOU'VE EATEN SO FAR AT THE FAIR THAT YOU WOULD GO FOR AGAIN.

>> FRIED GREEN TOMATO SANDWICH AT FARMERS' UNION.

IT'S RIDICULOUSLY GOOD.

>> Eric: THANKS, GOVERNOR.