♪♪ >> ERIC: AS WE'VE NOTED SEVERAL TIMES IN THE LAST 40 MINUTES, IT'S COMMITTEE DEADLINE DAY AT THE LEGISLATURE.

FOR ALL WHO CELEBRATE, DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR LEGISLATIVE LEADERS ARE TONIGHT?

RIGHT HERE ON THE "ALMANAC" COUCH, OF COURSE.

DEMOCRATS UP FIRST.

DFL HOUSE SPEAKER MELISSA HORTMAN HAS THE LONGEST LEADERSHIP TENURE IN OUR GROUP.

SHE HAILS FROM BROOKLYN PARK.

SENATE MAJORITY LEADER ERIN MURPHY IS NEW TO THAT POSITION THIS YEAR.

SHE'S REPRESENTED ST. PAUL IN THE HOUSE AND NOW THE SENATE.

REPUBLICAN HOUSE MINORITY LEADER LISA DEMUTH CALLS COLD SPRING HOME.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST, REPUBLICAN ASSISTANT MINORITY LEADER ZACH DUCKWORTH HAILS FROM LAKEVILLE, MINNESOTA.

MADAM SPEAKER, WITH A MONTH LEFT, YOU'RE DESCRIBING WHERE WE ARE N THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION AS THE SEASON OF DISAPPOINTMENTS.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> Eric: WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

>> THERE'S ALWAYS SO MANY BILLS INTRODUCED, BUT NOT EVERY BILL CAN BE HEARD AND NOT EVERY BILL THAT IS HEARD CAN MAKE IT TO THE HOUSE FLOOR OR THROUGH THE SENATE OR TO THE GOVERNOR'S DESK.

SO, THIS IS THE TIME OF YEAR PEOPLE FIGURE OUT WHAT'S NOT GOING TO MAKE IT.

>> Eric: YOU MENTION TO YOUR CAUCUS THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A BALANCED BUDGET?

>> WE DID MAYBE MENTION THAT THIS YEAR WOULD BE LESS ACTIVE THAN LAST YEAR.

>> Eric: YEAH.

>> YES.

>> Cathy: ARE THEY GETTING THE MESSAGE?

>> WELL, THERE'S STILL A LOT OF EXCITEMENT OF BEING IN St. PAUL.

WE RUN FOR THIS JOB, WE DO A LOT OF WORK TO GET HERE AND PEOPLE LOVE IT.

SO THEY CERTAINLY BRING THEIR ENTHUSIASM TO THEIR PROPOSALS EVERY YEAR.

>> Cathy: SO IT'S DEADLINE DAY TODAY.

>> IT IS.

>> Cathy: YES, WHICH I'M SURE IS A VERY EXCITING THING.

WHAT'S ON LIFE SUPPORT RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE NOTHING'S EVER TRULY DEAD AT THE CAPITOL, BUT WHAT'S ON LIFE SUPPORT IN TERMS OF BILLS?

>> I DON'T KNOW.

YOU KNOW, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, SPEAKER HORTMAN WAS TALKING ABOUT THE SEASON OF DISAPPOINTMENT, I THINK ABOUT THIS PART OF THE SESSION IS THE MOST INTERESTING PART.

LIKE WE HAVE WINNOWED OWN AND ARE PRETTY FOCUSED ON WHAT WE NEED TO GET DONE AND WHAT WE WANT TO GET DONE.

PEOPLE HAVE WORKED VERY VERY HARD, AND I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE WORK PRODUCT THAT'S COMING THROUGH THESE COMMITTEES, THE SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET, WE HAVE BONDING LEFT TO DO.

I THINK WE'RE GOING TO DO REALLY IMPORTANT WORK AND FINISH FOR THE PEOPLE OF MINNESOTA.

>> Eric: IN THE MINORITY, IT IS NOT ALWAYS FUN, BUT I HEARD SENATOR JOHNSON, YOUR LEADER, THIS WEEK AT A NEWS CONFERENCE SAY THAT THE DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN A LITTLE MORE OPEN ABOUT ACCEPTING AMENDMENTS AND YOUR IDEAS AND SO FORTH.

ARE YOU GETTING THAT SENSE IN THE HOUSE AS WELL?

>> WE ARE SENSING THAT IN THE HOUSE.

I THINK THERE IS A LITTLE BIT MORE VISIBLE OPENNESS, WORKING TOGETHER, WHICH WE APPRECIATE.

YOU KNOW, WE HAD THE TWO TAX BILLS THAT NEEDED TO BE FIXED.

>> Eric: YEAH.

>> WE FIXED THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER ISSUE.

AND BONDING IS THE ONLY THING REALLY THAT WE'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT.

OTHER BILLS ARE MOVING THROUGH.

I HEAR LEADER MURPHY TALK ABOUT NOTHING IS REALLY DEAD OR, YOU KNOW, AS WE KIND OF GO THROUGH POTENTIALLY.

WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DEADLINE WAIVERS IN THE HOUSE, IN THE RULES COMMITTEE.

SO I THINK THINGS ARE STILL MOVING.

>> Eric: YOU GUYS AREN'T GREASING THE SKIDS FOR SOME REPUBLICAN BONDING VOTES, ARE YOU?

>> WELL, WE CERTAINLY ARE HAVING GOOD CONVERSATIONS.

WE HAD ONE VERY NICE GATHERING OF THE FOUR LEADERS WHERE WE MADE SOME HEADWAY AND WE'RE GETTING TOGETHER AGAIN SOON.

SO I WOULD ANTICIPATE ANOTHER GOOD CONVERSATION SOON.

>> NOT SO MUCH GREASING SKIDS, I THINK, AS WORKING TOGETHER TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH.

>> Cathy: WELL, THERE NEEDS TO BE, OF COURSE, REPUBLICAN VOTES FOR THE BONDING BILL.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE IN THAT BONDING BILL?

>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

I'M NOT SURE WE'RE READY TO REVEIL THAT YET.

I'M JUST KIDDING.

REALLY, WHAT WE WANT TO SEE AS IT RELATES TO INFRASTRUCTURE ARE PROJECTS REALLY FOCUSED ON CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE.

ROADS, BRIDGES, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MASSIVE BONDING BILL THAT WAS PASSED LAST YEAR, ABOUT A BILLION OF THOSE DOLLARS WENT TO SPECIAL PROJECTS THAT WEREN'T NECESSARILY, IN MY OPINION, WHAT A BONDING BILL IS INTENDED FOR, THAT BEING CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE.

I'M HOPEFUL WE'LL BE A LITTLE BIT FOCUSED THIS EAR IF A BONDING BILL DOES PASS.

BUT REPUBLICANS ARE REALLY FOCUSED ON THE CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA.

>> Cathy: LEADER DEMUTH, WHAT DO YOU SAY?

>> THE CONTENT OF THE BILL HAS BEEN OUR PRIORITY.

BOTH THE IZE AND THE CONTENT OF THAT, AS SENATOR DUCKWORTH MENTIONED.

THE AMOUNT OF BONDING LAST YEAR WAS QUITE, QUITE LARGE.

AND, SO, AS WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT, WE NEED THE ROADS, THE BRIDGES, A STATEWIDE IMPACT, NOT JUST A METROCENTRIC AREA.

>> Eric: THE TYPICAL PATTERN FOR A BONDING BILL AT THE END OF SESSION IS HOUSE AND SENATE GO TO CONFERENCE, AND IT DOESN'T GET ANY SMALLER, IT GETS BIGGER, BECAUSE YOU COMBINE BOTH CHAMBERS' PRIORITIES.

IS THAT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN THIS YEAR?

>> WELL, THERE'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE WE HAD A BONDING BILL CONFERENCE COMMITTEE.

THEY KIND OF NOW ARE GETTING NEGOTIATED A LITTLE BIT BETWEEN THE FOUR LEADERS AND THEN PASSED JUST IN ONE FORM.

AND I THINK THE REASON FOR THAT IS, ONCE YOU PUT A PROJECT IN A BONDING BILL AND YOU PASS IT OUT OF THE HOUSE OR SENATE, PEOPLE GET THEIR HOPES UP, WHETHER IT'S AN AIRPORT IN t. CLOUD OR WASTE WATER TREATMENT IN ANOTHER PART OF THE STATE.

SO WE KIND OF TRY TO SPARE PEOPLE GETTING THEIR HOPES UP AND THEN GETTING LET DOWN LATER IN THE SEASON.

>> Eric: THAT'S NOT REALLY TRANSPARENT, THOUGH, IS IT, SENATOR?

>> I THINK THAT THE BONDING COMMITTEE, WHICH TRAVELED ALL OVER THE STATE OF MINNESOTA DURING THE INTERIM, IS THE PLACE WHERE WE BEGIN.

WE KNOW WE'VE GOT MANY MANY PROJECTS.

SANDY PAPPAS, OUR SENATE LEAD, THE CHAIR OF THE BONDING COMMITTEE, WITH SENATOR HOUSLEY, WITH REPRESENTATIVE URDAHL, REP LEE, ARE TALKING WITH MEMBERS, OF COURSE, TALKING WITH MINNESOTANS, SO THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH THE BONDING COMMITTEE, ND WE'LL SEE A PROPOSAL COME TOGETHER.

AND I THINK IT WILL COME TOGETHER SOON.

>> Cathy: I ASKED ABOUT WHICH BILLS ARE ON LIFE SUPPORT?

AND, AGAIN, KNOWING THAT NOTHING'S EVERY TRULY DEAD.

BUT WHAT ARE YOU HOPING STILL SQUEAKS THROUGH, LEADER DEMUTH, AT THE END HERE?

>> I WOULD SAY HOPEFULLY NOT A LOT OF SESSION.

WE WERE CAUTIONED BY MMB THAT THE LEGISLATURE NEEDS TO REALLY RESERVE AND USE CAUTION WITH ANY EXTRA SPENDING.

SO WE DON'T WANT TO SEE EXTRA SPENDING.

LIKE I SAID, THE THINGS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN FIXED ARE DONE.

THE BONDING BILL MAY OR MAY NOT HAPPEN BUT THE WORK IS BEING DONE.

AND THEN WE COULD POTENTIALLY SINE DIE SOON.

>> Cathy: OKAY.

>> A COUPLE THINGS, IF I CAN ADD TO THAT.

YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER, SOMETIMES A BONDING BILL IS NOT NECESSARILY NEGOTIATED IN A SILO.

IF YOU RECALL LAST YEAR, REPUBLICANS MADE A REALLY BIG PUSH FOR FUNDING FOR NURSING HOMES, AND THAT WAS A KEY ASPECT OF GETTING THAT BONDING BILL AGREED UPON AND PASSED.

THERE ARE SEVERAL OUTSTANDING ISSUES THAT REALLY STILL NEED TO BE RESOLVED.

UBER AND LYFT IS ONE OF THEM.

>> Eric: I WANT TO ASK ABOUT THAT IN A SECOND BUT GO AHEAD.

>> THAT HAS TO GET RESOLVED.

RURAL EMS, THAT NEEDS A LOT OF WORK.

>> Eric: NEEDS MORE THAN $16 MILLION.

>> MUCH MORE THAN THAT.

AND THEN ALSO OUR SCHOOLS ARE ASKING FOR A LOT OF HELP RIGHT NOW, AND WE OWE IT TO THEM BEFORE WE END SESSION TO PROVIDE THEM SOME ADDITIONAL LEADERSHIP AND RELIEF.

>> Eric: WHAT DID YOU DFL LEADERS SAY TO THE MINNEAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL, I HEARD IT WAS SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF, GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER, - NEGOTIATE WITH UBER AND LYFT, GET A EAL, OR WE'RE GOING TO PASS PREEMPTION, WE'RE GOING TO REDUCE LOCAL CONTROL IN MINNEAPOLIS, IS THAT ACCURATE?

>> NOT EXACTLY.

HE SAID YOU WERE MORE DIPLOMATIC.

>> THE HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER AND THE SENATE MAJORITY LEADER HAVE BEEN HEADING UP THIS WORK.

>> I THINK IT'S MOSTLY THE HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER.

I JUST TALKED THIS EVENING WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CHAUDHARY -- >> Eric: MINNEAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL.

>> FROM THE MINNEAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL, THAT'S RIGHT.

WE DID HAVE A MEETING WHERE WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROCESS BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF SESSION.

BUT THERE WASN'T A WHOLE LOT OF ADMONITION.

I DO THINK IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT THAT WE -- THE LEGISLATURE, WHICH NEEDS O PASS A STATEWIDE FRAMEWORK, I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

FOR ME, MAKING SURE THAT DRIVERS ARE BEING PAID FAIRLY AND THAT THERE'S A RIDESHARE AVAILABLE, UBER, LYFT, OTHERS IF THEY COME INTO THE MARKET, THAT'S IMPORTANT.

WE CAN GET THAT WORK DONE.

BUT MINNEAPOLIS IS GOING TO HAVE TO JOIN US IN THAT WORK BECAUSE THEY CAN'T BE AN ISLAND.

>> Eric: BUT YOU WERE DIPLOMATIC?

>> YEAH.

>> Eric: ALL RIGHT.

WHAT DO THE REPUBLICANS THINK?

>> I'M AN OPTIMIST BY NATURE, AS THE TIME WEARS ON, I'M BECOMING LESS AND LESS OPTIMISTIC THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE A SOLUTION BY THE END OF SESSION.

UBER IS ALREADY WINDING DOWN OPERATIONS IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA.

PEOPLE OF MINNESOTA DON'T HAVE ANY CERTAINTY REGARDING THIS ISSUE, AND I THINK WE HAD A BILL BEFORE US IN THE SENATE COMMERCE COMMITTEE AND IT REFLECTED ALMOST NOTHING THAT THE TASK FORCE THAT WAS STOOD UP ABOUT -- BY THIS RECOMMENDED.

THE GOVERNOR VETOED THE BILL LAST YEAR FOR A REASON.

WE'VE HAD AN ENTIRE YEAR TO WORK ON A SOLUTION.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD HAVE PASSED TOWARD THE BEGINNING OF THE SESSION.

>> THEY'VE MADE CONSIDERABLE HEADWAY, I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY'VE RESOLVED INSURANCE ISSUES AND ISSUES RELATED TO DRIVERS BEING REINSTATED AND HAVING SOME APPEALS PROCESS WHEN THEY'RE UNFAIRLY, YOU KNOW, X'd FROM THE SERVICE.

SO I THINK THE ONLY THING LEFT IS REALLY THE RATE OF PAY AND THERE'S SOME GOOD WORK THAT WAS DONE BY THE STATE AND THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS TO LOOK AT WHAT IS A FAIR WAGE.

>> Eric: PETER CALLAHAN HAD A VERY INTERESTING ARTICLE IN MINNPOST WHERE HE TALKED ABOUT THE PERCEPTION, I THINK IT WAS A PERCEPTION THAT HE AS REFLECTING THAT THE DFL IS VERY ANTICORPORATE BUSINESS, BIG BUSINESS.

REFLECTED IN SOME OF THE LAWS THAT HAVE COME OUT LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR.

DO YOU SHARE HAT VIEW?

>> I THINK WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT WAS PASSED LAST YEAR, EARNED SICK AND SAFE TIME, PAID FAMILY LEAVE, YOU KNOW, EVEN THE ISSUE WITH UBER AND LYFT, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR BUSINESSES TO DO THEIR WORK IN AN AFFORDABLE WAY.

WE KNOW WE HAVE A VERY HIGH CORPORATE TAX, HIGH INDIVIDUAL TAX, TOO.

IT IS HARD FOR BUSINESSES TO WANT TO EITHER STAY IN MINNESOTA OR EXPAND OR COME TO OUR STATE AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT.

THE MANDATES, THE UNFUNDED MANDATES THAT ARE PUT ON BUSINESSES ARE DIFFICULT.

>> WE ARE NOT ANTICORPORATE, WE ARE PRO WORKER.

AND I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS THAT PEOPLE WHO WORK A FULL-TIME JOB, THEY SHOULD HAVE ENOUGH WAGES AND BENEFIT TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILY.

THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEND THEIR KIDS TO COLLEGE IF THAT'S SOMETHING THEY CHOOSE.

THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO AFFORD THEIR HOUSING AND THEIR CHILD CARE.

AND, SO, THAT'S THE WORK THAT WE DID IN 2023.

>> Eric: I'VE HEARD REPUBLICANS SAY, SOCIALISM, MARXISM, I DON'T THINK THEY'VE GOTTEN TO COMMUNISM YET.

BUT WHAT'S YOUR SENSE OF THIS ISSUE?

>> MY SENSE OF THIS ISSUE IS IT COMES BACK TO A PHILOSOPHY, WHICH IS THIS, LESS GOVERNMENT REGULATION, LESS MICROMANAGING OF PEOPLE, THEIR EVERYDAY LIVES, THEIR BUSINESSES, THEIR SCHOOL, WHAT HAVE YOU, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEN KEEPING MORE OF THEIR HARD-EARNED INCOME SO THEY CAN INVEST IT IN THEIR FAMILIES, THEIR FUTURE THE WAY THEY SEE FIT.

EVERY TIME WE INCREASE TAXES, EVERY TIME WE MAKE IT MORE EXPENSIVE FOR I ABUSINESS TO DO BUSINESS OR -- FOR A BUSINESS TO DO BUSINESS OR RAISE THE WAGES OF ITS EMPLOYEES, WE'RE TAKING LESS AND LESS CONTROL FROM THEM TO NAVIGATE THEIR LIVES THE WAY THEY WOULD LIKE TO AND I THINK THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE THAT PEOPLE ARE BEGINNING TO PUSH BACK ON.

>> Eric: SENATOR?

>> WE DID SO MUCH WORK LAST SESSION WITH MINNESOTANS AND FAMILIES IN MIND.

WHEN WE THINK ABOUT SCHOOL LUNCHES, MAKING CHILD CARE MORE AFFORDABLE, HOUSING MORE AFFORDABLE.

THE CHILD TAX CREDIT, WHICH IS GOING TO REDUCE CHILD POVERTY, AND WE'RE WORKING ON HEALTHCARE NOW.

I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S A GROWING GAP BETWEEN THOSE WHO ARE AT THE VERY TOP OF THE INCOME SCALE AND WORKING PEOPLE.

WE SHOULD PAY ATTENTION TO THAT.

BUT OUR FOCUS HAS BEEN SQUARELY ON WORKERS AND FAMILIES AND MINNESOTANS AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO AFFORD THEIR LIVES.

WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS THERE.

>> Cathy: SO IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, YOU STILL HAVE A LOT TO DO.

WHEN YOU AND I TALKED, MADAM LEADER N MPR RECENTLY, WE TALKED ABOUT SPORTS BETTING.

>> WE DID.

>> Cathy: AND YOU GAVE ME THE IMPRESSION THAT IT'S ON KIND OF A ROCKY ROAD, IT'S GOT A ROCKY ROAD LEFT TO TRAVEL.

AND I'M WONDERING, IS IT GETTING ROCKIER SINCE THAT TIME THAT YOU AND I TALKED, GIVEN THAT THE HOUSE, THERE'S A BILL ON THE HOUSE FLOOR THAT WOULD BAN HISTORICAL HORSE RACING?

THERE SEEMS TO BE THE PULL ND TUG BETWEEN THE TRACKS AND THE TRIBAL NATIONS.

EXAMINE IT JUST SEEMS LIKE IT'S GETTING TO BE A BIT OF A CUMBERSOME MESS HERE.

WHAT'S GOING ON?

>> I THINK THAT SPORTS WAGERING, SPORTS BETTING HAS MANY STAKEHOLDERS, AND THEY'RE AT ODDS WITH ONE ANOTHER.

AND I THINK THERE'S A QUESTION ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS FOR US TO EXPAND THIS FORM OF GAMBLING.

SO, I THINK THERE ARE MANY QUESTIONS BEFORE US.

THE ISSUE ABOUT THE HISTORIC HORSE RACING HAS JUST CLOUDED IT A BIT.

>> Eric: THROWN A CURVE BALL.

>> RIGHT.

AND IT ESSENTIALLY VIOLATED THE LAW, WE'RE GOING TO PUT A PROHIBITION ON THAT.

BUT FOCUS AGAIN ON THE ISSUE OF SPORTS WAGERING.

I DO THINK THERE ARE PEOPLE AT ODDS, BUT THERE ARE DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS WHO ARE WORKING TOGETHER THAT WANT TO GET THAT DONE AND WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THEM EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.

>> ND NOT EVERY PERSON WHO CLAIMS TO BE A STAKEHOLDER IS ON EQUAL FOOTING.

MINNESOTA'S SOVEREIGN TRIBAL NATIONS ARE ENGAGED IN GOVERNMENT-TO-GOVERNMENT NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE STATE OF MINNESOTA.

THE RACETRACKS ARE BUSINESSES WHO STRUGGLE, THEY ARE A REGULAR FOR-PROFIT BUSINESS LIKE LOTS OF BUSINESSES IN OUR STATE, BUT THEY REALLY WANT LOT OF STATE SUBSIDY TO KEEP OPERATING, WHICH IS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT INTEREST TO BRING TO THE TABLE THAN OUR GOVERNMENT-TO-GOVERNMENT NEGOTIATIONS WITH TRIBAL NATIONS.

>> I THOUGHT YOU WERE ANTIGOVERNMENT, YOU SAID THAT EARLIER, I'M JUST TEASING.

>> Eric: CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS, E.R.A., BORTION ONE, ONE ALLOWING A FULL-TIME LEGISLATURE, ANY -- >> ULL-TIME LEGISLATURE'S NOT A GREAT IDEA THAT.

WOULD NOT SERVE THE STATE OF MINNESOTA WELL.

AND WE ARE -- >> Eric: IT DOESN'T MANDATE IT, IT ALLOWS IT, AM I CORRECT ON THAT?

>> IT ALSO WOULD ALLOW A NORTH DAKOTA-STYLE SYSTEM OF EVERY OTHER YEAR.

IT BRINGS A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY INTO THE LEGISLATIVE SCHEDULING, WHICH WE SEE AROUND THE COUNTRY, SOME ARE FULL TIME, OME ARE EVERY OTHER YEAR.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT ONE HAS THE STEAM TO GET ACROSS THE FINISH LINE THIS YEAR.

E.R.A.

IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT HAS HAD A LOT MORE WORK PUT INTO IT.

>> Eric: 2026 OR '24?

>> '26.

>> '26.

>> TO BE FAIR, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY WAY THAT THE STATE OF MINNESOTA'S GOING TO MOVE TO AN EVERY OTHER YEAR STYLE OF LEGISLATING IF THAT BILL WERE TO PASS.

THE WRITING'S ON THE WALL, IF IT WERE TO PASS, WE'D PROBABLY BE A FULL YEAR LONG.

AND MAYBE THE IDEA IS THAT JUSTIFIES THE $750 MILLION STATE OFFICE BUILDING, I DON'T KNOW.

BUT I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO BE FULL TIME.

>> Eric: ALL RIGHT.

WELL, IT SOUNDS LIKE PEACE IN THE VALLEY BASED ON WHAT'S