>> Mary: WELCOME TO "ALMANAC: AT THE CAPITOL."

I'M MARY LAHAMMER.

COMING TO YOU LIVE FROM THE HOUSE GALLERY.

ON TONIGHT'S SHOW, THOUGHTFUL CONVERSATIONS ON PUBLIC SAFETIES, IMMIGRATION, GUNS, STATE, FEDERAL ISSUES, AND THE RETIREMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE PAUL TORKELSON, A RESPECTED FARMER WHO'S QUIETLY THE GLUE BEHIND THE SCENES HERE AT THE CAPITOL.

WE BEGIN WITH THE GOVERNOR'S LATEST ATTEMPT TO TACKLE FRAUD BY BRINGING HEALTH INSURANCE WORK FROM PRIVATE HOMG E H.M.O.s AND COUNTIES TO THE STATE.

GOVERNOR WALZ ANNOUNCED MAJOR PLANS TO TRANSFORM THE STATE'S HUMAN SERVICES SYSTEM.

>> YOU END UP WITH A BIT OF A FRANKENSTEIN MONSTER THAT YOU KEEP PUTTING BOLTS ONTO THE SIDE OF IT AND IT BECOMES VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO IS A ADMINISTER.

>> THE PROPOSALS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY ARE NOT BUSINESS AS USUAL.

THESE ARE BOLD IDEAS TO ADDRESS MAJOR CHALLENGES HEAD ON ON DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE THE DELIVERY OF MEDICAID SERVICES FOR MINNESOTANS ACROSS THE STATE.

>> Mary: LAWMAKERS FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE ARE SKEPTICAL OF THE IDEAS.

>> AND MY SIDE OF THE AISLE REALLY BELIEVE THE PRIVATE SECTOR IS THE CORE OF OUR STATE ECONOMY TO ADD HUNDREDS OF NEW JOBS TO STATE GOVERNMENT IS REALLY MOVING US IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.

>> HEARD ABOUT WHISTLE BLOWERS AND THE WORK IS AND THE WORK I IS A AHEAD.

>> LEGISLATIVE ACTIONST, YOU HAVE A LOT OF WORK IN FRONT OF YOU.

>> I HAVE CHOSEN TO BE PUBLIC.

IT IS CERTAINLY HARMED ME PROFESSIONALLY, PERSONALLY ... IT IS HARMED ME IN MANY WAYS TO BE PUBLIC, BUT I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE TO JUST OPENLY SPEAK ABOUT THE COMMUNICATIONS AT THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES.

>> PEOPLE WHO WENT UP THE CHALLENGE OF THE COMMAND GOT RETALIATED AGAINST.

>> THE WALZ ADMINISTRATION IS CURRENTLY DEFYING STATE LAW TO ALLOW FRAUD TO HAPPEN.

>> Mary: NATIONAL LEADERS DEMANDED ACCOUNTABILITY ON IMMIGRATION CTION IN MINNESOTA.

>> AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL RAISED AWARENESS OF WHAT OTHERWISE OTHERWIYOIZIS, WHAT THIS ADMINI, IT'S DOING.

WE'RE GOING TO BE HERE ALL DAY LEARNING SO MUCH ABOUT HOW MINNESOTA IS A BEACON OF DEMOCRACY AND HOW WE NEED TO REPLICATE THIS ACROSS THE MINNESOTA.

>> OUR NATIONAL PARTNERS IN THE LATINO COMMUNITY ARE HERE BECAUSE WE ARE STRONG, AND WE ARE AT THE LENS OF A TARGET THAT IS NOT OVER.

I CAN SAY THAT IT'S NOT OVER.

OVER THE WEEKEND, WE HAVE SEEN FORCES OF I.C.E.

TURN INTO BOUNTY HUNTERS.

>> THAT IS AN EXPRESSION OF AN INTENT OF ETHNIC CLEANSING.

AND THAT'S THE BOWL THAT THIS SUPPORT WAS POURED INTO.

AND THAT DIDN'T VIOLATE SOMALI AMERICANS' RIGHTS, WHO, BY THE WAY, ARE MORE THAN 90% CITIZENS IN MINNESOTA.

WE'RE NOT TALKING -- WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CITIZENS, MORE THAN HALF WERE BORN IN THIS STATE.

WE'RE NOT PROTECTING THEIR RIGHTS.

WE'RE NOT PROTECTING LATINO RIGHTS.

WE'RE PROTECTING ALL OF OUR RIGHTS.

>> Mary: A HOUSE COMMITTEE HEARD THE BIPARTISAN BAN FOR WEAPONS FOR CERTAIN CRIMES.

>> TO MAKE URE THAT THOSE FIREARMS ARE TAKEN OUT F HANDS OF ABUSERS AND PEOPLE THAT COULD USE THEM TO HARM OTHERS.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH TO CHAIR SCOTT WHO FOR YEARS HAS BEEN RAISING THIS ISSUE, AND HERE WE ARE TOGETHER PRESENTING A GUN BILL, REALLY.

AND REALLY WITH THE GOAL OF MAKING SURE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO SHOULD NOT HAVE FIREARMS DON'T HAVE THEM.

>> Mary: AND A BIPARTISAN BILL CRACKS DOWN ON THE USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

>> THIS REALLY DOES SPAN THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM BECAUSE THE HARM DOESN'T KNOW POLITICAL PARTY.

>> THE LAW IS NOT KEEPING UP WITH TECHNOLOGY.