CALL.

ROLL CALL, 15 HANDS FOR A ROLL CALL, Mr.

SPEAKER.

♪ >>> JOINING US NOW, THE FACES BEHIND THE VOICES.

IT GOT A LITTLE CHIPPY YESTERDAY.

WE HAVE THE HOUSE FLOOR LEADERS, DEMOCRAT JAMIE LONG AND REPUBLICAN HARRY NISKA.

WELL, GENTLEMEN, I KNOW YOU CAN'T REVEAL ALL OF IT, BUT WE'RE HEARING A DEAL IS DONE.

OR VERY CLOSE TO DONE.

THINGS ARE GOING WELL ON A SESSION-ENDING DEAL, CORRECT.

>>> I MEAN, WE'RE COMING CLOSE TO -- WE HAVE TO PASS BILLS BY MIDNIGHT ON SUNDAY, AND SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PRODUCTIVE DISCUSSION, AND OBVIOUSLY WE ARE STILL WORKING VERY HARD AND TRACKING TO FINISH THAT WORK BY MIDNIGHT SUNDAY THAT WE -- THAT THE TAXPAYERS EXPECT US TO DO.

>>> AND YOU BOTH TOOK IT TO CAUCUS.

CAUCUS.

ARE MEMBERS FEELING GOOD ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON BEHIND CLOSED DOORS?

>>> I THINK THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF GOOD BIPARTISAN CONVERSATION ABOUT SOME OF THE HIGH-PICTURE, BIG PRIORITIES, LIKE MAKING SURE WE HAVE A SUSTAINABLE HOSPITAL IN HENNEPIN COUNTY MEDICAL CENTER, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH SOME OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE IN OUR STATE WITH THE BONDING BILL.

OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S SOME AREAS WHERE WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO REACH AGREEMENT, BUT AREAS THE LEADERS WERE WORKING TOWARDS, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT F GOOD FEELING.

>>> SO HCMC AND BONDING, THAT FEELS LIKE THE MOST BIPARTISAN MOMENTUM.

THAT SEEMS DOABLE OR DONE?

>>> WELL, EVERYTHING THAT WE DO THIS YEAR HAS TO BE BIPARTISAN.

AND THERE HAVE BEEN PLACES WHERE WE HAVE HAD OUR DIFFERENT VIEWS AND SHOWN OUR DIFFERENT VIEWS.

AND WHERE WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS IS ON THINGS THAT -- WHERE THERE'S BIPARTISAN AGREEMENT, AND YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, TWO IMPORTANT THINGS.

THERE ARE OTHERS.

MODERNIZING THE TAX SYSTEM FOR OUR SCHOOLS, DEALING WITH CONFORMITY WITH FEDERAL LAW IN A NUMBER OF AREAS.

YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE -- THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT, AND WE'RE OH WORKING ON FINDING BIPARTISAN SOLUTIONS TO THAT.

AND LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE TO GET THAT WORK DONE BY THE END OF THE WEEKEND, AND I THINK EVERYBODY IS RECOGNIZING THE NEED TO MOVE FORWARDS THAT DEADLINE.

>>> AND YOU SAW AND OUR VIEWERS SAW THAT SENATE BILL THAT THEY PASSED DEALING WITH SCHOOL SAFETY AND GUN CONTROL.

YOU HEARD TODAY 24-HOUR ULTIMATUM, SIT-INS IF THE SPEAKER DOESN'T RECEIVE THAT.

WILL SHE RECEIVE IT?

IS THE HOUSE GOING TO DEAL WITH THAT BILL.

>>> WELL, WE NEED BIPARTISAN SUPPORT IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD ON THINGS SO REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON TRYING TO FIND BIPARTISAN SOLUTIONS ON SCHOOL SAFETY, PUBLIC OFFICIAL SAFETY AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS.

WHAT WE SAW FROM THE SENATE WAS APPARENTLY THE DECIDING VOTE IN THE SENATE, VOTED FOR THAT BILL WITH THE IDEA THAT THE OUSE WASN'T GOING TO PASS IT.

AND SO WE'RE NOT REALLY INTERESTED N TAKING UP SOMETHING THAT'S -- HASN'T BEEN VETTED THROUGH THE PROCESS.

SOMETHING SUPER COMPLICATED HAS I THINK PROBLEMS THAT WERE KNITTED TO ON THE SENATE FLOOR.

IT WOULD NEED TO GO THROUGH SEVERAL COMMITTEE STOPS AND DOESN'T HAVE BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.

SO IT'S NOT THE KIND OF THING THAT WE REALLY HAVE TIME TO TAKE UP IN THESE LAST FEW DAYS OF SESSION.

>>> IS IT POSSIBLE ONE OR TWO REPUBLICANS MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN SOMETHING, SOME LANGUAGE?

>>> WELL, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THAT VOTE AND FIND OUT.

BUT, APPARENTLY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO.

WE HAVE HAD THE BILL HIDDEN FOR NINE WHOLE DAYS, SO IT CAN'T GO THROUGH THE COMMITTEE PROCESS.

IF IT IS AND WE'RE ABLE TO GET TO COMMITTEE.

THE SENATE HAD AN UP OR DOWN VOTE.

YOU HEARD FROM THE PUBLIC, THEY ARE ASKING FOR AN UP OR DOWN VOTE, AS WELL.

THIS IS A BIPARTISAN ISSUE WITH THE PUBLIC.

THE PUBLIC WANTS GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION.

THEY WANT US TO RESPOND TO THE 3 ANNUNCIATION TRAGEDY.

ALL WE'RE ASKING IS THAT WE PUT UP THE BILL FOR A VOTE.

BUT SO FAR, THE BILL HAS BEEN HIDDEN.

WE HAVEN'T BEEN ALLOWED TO HAVE A VOTE ON IT.

>>> AND YOU WON'T JUST DO THE SCHOOL SAFETY PART, THAT THERE COULD BE BIPARTISAN SUPPORT, AND DEMOCRATS ARE STILL HOLDING ON TO IT, IT'S A WHOLE PACKAGE.

>>> WE HAVE A BILL THAT PASSED THE SENATE ON A BIPARTISAN BASIS.

WE WANT TO HAVE A VOTE IN THE HOUSE ON THAT BILL AND MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND TRY TO GET AN ANSWER FOR THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHERE FOLKS STAND ON GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION.

>>> ANY SCHOOL SAFETY LANGUAGE POSSIBLE COMING OUT OF THESE NOTIONS?

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY, IT'S A PRIORITY WE FIND BIPARTISAN SOLUTIONS ON SCHOOL SAFETY JUST LIKE WE FOUND SOME -- MADE SOME BIPARTISAN PROGRESS ON PUBLIC OFFICIAL SAFETY.

THE FRUSTRATION WE'RE HAVING IS THERE IS THIS GIGANTIC SENATE BILL THAT HAS PARTISAN ELEMENTS, AND SOME BIPARTISAN ELEMENTS, AND IT'S UNCLEAR TO US WHY DEMOCRATS ARE WILLING TO ALLOW BIPARTISAN WORK ON UBLIC OFFICIAL SAFETY TO GO FORWARD, BUT HAVE HELD UP THE BIPARTISAN WORK THAT WE COULD BE DOING ON SCHOOL SAFETY, HOSTAGE TO A GUN CONTROL THEY KNOW DOES NOT HAVE THE SUPPORT TO PASS THE HOUSE.

>>> WHAT ABOUT SAFETY FOR YOURSELVES?

IN OBVIOUSLY WE EVERY DAY WHEN WE SIT IN THE HOUSE HERE, WE ARE FACED WITH LOSING ONE OF YOUR MEMBERS, FORMER SPEAKER.

IS THAT GOING TO BE A DONE DEAL, DEALING WITH MORE SECURITY FOR LAWMAKERS, JUDGES, ALL PUBLIC OFFICIALS?

HOW IS THAT GOING?

>>> I THINK WE HAD SOME REALLY GOOD WORK ON A BIPARTISAN BILL TO TRY TO PROTECT EVERYONE WHO IS AT THE CAPITOL.

CERTAINLY ELECTED OFFICIALS, BUT THE PUBLIC THAT COMES UP HERE EVERY DAY, PARTICIPATING IN THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS, JUDGES, AS WELL, WE KNOW THAT WE WERE LAGGING BEHIND A LOT OF OTHER STATES IN TERMS OF SECURITY IN OUR PUBLIC SPACES AND I'M GLAD WE'RE TAKING THESE STEPS TOGETHER.

>>> IS THERE A DEAL BEHIND CLOSED DOORS ON THAT?

>>> SAFETY FOR LAWMAKERS, SAFETY FOR JUDGES, SAFETY FOR VISITORS AT THE CAPITOL, NOT IMPORTANT TO JUST US PERSONALLY, IT'S IMPORTANT TO OUR SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT.

SO IT IS GOOD THERE IS BIPARTISAN WORK BEING DONE ON THAT AREA.

WHAT I THINK IS NOT GOOD IS THE IDEA THAT THAT PROGRESS CAN HAPPEN WITHOUT BEING HOSTAGE TO GUN CONTROL.

BUT DEMOCRATS AREN'T WILLING TO DO THE THINGS THAT WE COULD AGREE ON TO KEEP OUR KIDS SAFE WITHOUT HOLDING IT HOSTAGE FOR GUN CONTROL.

>>> SO IS IT OR ISN'T IT GOING TO COME OUT OF NEGOTIATIONS AND ON TO THE FLOOR?

IS IT LINKED?

IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING?

>>> WHAT WE SAID WHEN WE MOVED THE PUBLIC OFFICIAL SAFETY PROGRESS, YOU KNOW, BILL THROUGH, AND INTO CONFERENCE COMMITTEE IS, IT'S GOING TO BE VERY HARD AT THE END OF THE DAY FOR REPUBLICANS IN THE HOUSE TO VOTE FOR THAT.

IF THERE'S NOT SOMETHING DONE MORE ABOUT KEEPING OUR KIDS SAFE AT THE SAME TIME.

AGAIN, ON THE SAME BASIS.

NOW, WE'RE LOOKING FOR BIPARTISAN SOLUTIONS ON SCHOOL SAFETY IN THE SAME WAY THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR BIPARTISAN SOLUTIONS ON CAPITOL SAFETY.

>>> SO CAN THIS NEW LEVEL OF SAFETY AND SECURITY CONTINUE IF THERE IS NOT A BILL?

CAN THIS CONTINUE THROUGH EXECUTIVE ORDER IN THE ADMINISTRATION?

>>> WELL, WE DID PASS A BILL OFF THE HOUSE FLOOR.

I THINK THERE IS INTEREST IN TRYING TO FIND A PATH FORWARD ON THAT.

AND I WOULD SAY THAT ON THE GUN VIOLENCE PIECE, WE HAVE NOT TIED THAT TO SAFETY IN THE CAPITOL.

THAT IS A BIPARTISAN BILL EVERYWHERE ELSE.

EXCEPT AT THE CAPITOL.

AND I IMAGINE THAT THE PUBLIC SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE WHERE THEIR MEMBERS STABBED ON A COMPREHENSIVE GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION PACKAGE.

>>> LET'S VISIT BACK TO HCMC, BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT'S COMING TOGETHER.

CAN EITHER OF YOU SAY WHAT THE MECHANISM?

BECAUSE THERE DEFINITELY SEEMED TO BE THE WILL FROM BOTH PARTIES, BOTH CHAMBERS.

BUT THE WAY WAS IN DISPUTE.

IS THERE A CLEAR FUNDING MECHANISM?

>>> WELL, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT REALLY IS NOT TRYING TO INCREASE THE COSTS ON MINNESOTANS THAT THEY'RE ALREADY CURRENTLY DEALING WITH AND TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO USE EXISTING RESOURCES, AT LEAST FOR -- A LONG ENOUGH FOR HENNEPIN COUNTY MEDICAL CENTER TO FIGURE OUT WHAT ITS GOVERNANCE NEEDS TO BE GOING FORWARD.

WE'RE REALLY DEALING WITH NOT JUST THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT ALL HOSPITALS ARE DEALING WITH, BUT SOME REAL PROBLEMS WITH THE WAY THAT THE HOSPITAL HAS BEEN RUN AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A TEMPORARY SOLUTION TO FIGURE OUT WHERE TO GET THAT HOSPITAL INTO A MORE SUSTAINABLE SPOT, AS WELL AS TRYING TO DEAL MORE GENERALLY WITH THE PROBLEMS THAT ALL, ESPECIALLY CRITICAL CARE HOSPITALS, ARE DEALING WITH IN TERMS OF THE WAYS THAT THE FINANCIAL STRUCTURE JUST REALLY ISN'T WORKING FOR THEM.

>>> SO ULTIMATELY, DO YOU THINK THE LEGISLATION THAT COMES OUT, THE FINAL WILL JUST BE HCMC OR DEAL WITH BROADER PROBLEMS?

>>> I KNOW THAT'S A BIG PART OF THE CONVERSATION.

HCMC IS A STATEWIDE ASSET.

PEOPLE TRAVEL TO HOUSE BILLING MISCHARACTERIZE.

LAST TIME I WAS TERE, THERE WAS A HELICOPTER COMING FROM WISCONSIN.

THEY ARE AN IMPORTANT, CRITICAL ACCESS HOSPITAL FOR THE WHOLE STATE.

BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, A LOT OF OUR HOSPITALS ARE FACING CHALLENGES AND THAT'S FRANKLY BECAUSE OF HR1, THE BILL THAT PASSED AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, WHERE WE'RE SEEING THESE CUTS O PEOPLE'S ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE THAT'S PUTTING MORE PRESSURE FOR UNCOMPENSATED CARE ON OUR HOSPITALS.

THEY'RE COMING TO US ND TELLING US THAT THAT IS GOING TO BE A REALLY BIG DEAL WHEN WE SEE OVER 100,000 MINNESOTANS LOSE HEALTHCARE THIS FALL.

>>> REPUBLICANS IN OMMITTEE HAVE SAID, THIS IS IN PART BECAUSE OF FEDERAL ACTION, AND SOME OTHER FACTORS.

WHAT FACTORS DO YOU SEE?

>>> SO, I MEAN, THE BIGGEST FACTOR IS JUST THE FACT THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT UNCOMPENSATED CARE, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC PROGRAMS, A LOT OF THAT IS SUBSIDIZED BY OTHER PIECES OF IT.

AND DIFFERENT HOSPITALS HAVE DIFFERENT MIXES BETWEEN THE PRIVATE PAYERS THAT REALLY SUBSIDIZE THE OTHER PIECES OF IT.

AND SO IT'S A COMPLICATED PROBLEM THAT INVOLVES FIGURING OUT WHAT THE RIGHT REIMBURSEMENT RATES ARE TO MAKE IT WORK FOR DIFFERENT HOSPITALS, AND ALSO TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO, YOU KNOW, CREATE BACKSTOP PROGRAMS THAT HOSPITALS THAT ARE REALLY FACING ERIOUS PROBLEMS CAN ACCESS.

BUT, AGAIN, DOING IT IN A WAY THAT'S NOT INCREASING THE COSTS OF -- ON MILLENNIALS -- >>> THAT'S DOABLE, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S COMING TOGETHER.

>>> YEAH, YOU KNOW, HENNEPIN COUNTY -- THE HCMC CAME IN ASKING FOR A MASSIVE NEW TAX INCREASE THAT REALLY WAS NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE POLITICALLY VIABLE THIS YEAR.

SO FINDING SOME OTHER SOLUTION TO THAT PROBLEM IS WHERE A LOT OF THE CONVERSATION IS.

>>> IN SHORT-TERM OR LONG-TERM?

BECAUSE REPUBLICAN TAX CHAIR DAVID SAID WE DON'T WANT BAND-AID.

WE ACTUALLY WANT TO FIX THIS.

THAT SEEMS REALLY HARD.

SO WHAT DO YOU THINK THE FINAL RESULT IS?

SHORT-TERM OR LONG-TERM?

>>> I KNOW THERE HAS BEEN ACTIVE CONVERSATION AROUND GOVERNANCE AND MAKING SURE THE STATE IS MAKING BIG STAKE IN HELPING OUT THE HOSPITAL.

THERE IS BIPARTISAN INTEREST IN MAKING SURE THERE IS A SUSTAINABLE SYSTEM SET UP FOR THE HOSPITAL.

SO, YOU KNOW, ARE WE GOING TO FIX VERYTHING THIS YEAR, I DON'T KNOW.

BUT I THINK THERE IS AGREEMENT THAT WE NEED TO STABILIZE AND KEEP HCMC OPEN.

>>> AND THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE KIND OF THE BONDING SESSION.

IT'S NOT THE BUDGET.

SO ANOTHER BONDING BILL IS COMING TOGETHER?

>>> THERE'S A LOT -- HERE'S A LOT F GOOD DISCUSSION AROUND A BONDING BILL, TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT, AGAIN, IT'S SIZED RIGHT SO IT MAKES SENSE WITHIN OUR BUDGET IN TERMS OF THE DEBT SERVICE AND THAT IT'S FOCUSED ON THE THINGS THAT THE CORE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT MINNESOTA EXPECTS US TO USE THIS -- THIS FOR.

THE PEOPLE OF MINNESOTA, THAT IT'S FOCUSED ON, YOU KNOW, WATER INFRASTRUCTURE, ROADS, BRIDGES.

THAT KIND OF HARD INFRASTRUCTURE THAT MAKES SENSE.

AGAIN, WE'RE THINKING ABOUT BORROWING MONEY IN THE FUTURE.

IT NEEDS TO BE THE KIND OF THING THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE IN A FAMILY BUDGET IN OUR STATE BUDGET TO BE BORROWING MONEY FOR.

AND SO THERE'S BEEN GOOD DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT.

>>> THANK YOU, LEADERS.

WE'LL LOOK FOR AN OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE