HE WAS ATTACKED.

THIS DOES LEAVE A LASTING IMPRESSION.

>> CATHY: IT'S AN "ALMANAC" TRADITION DATING BACK DECADES.

FINAL FRIDAY OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, LAWMAKERS TAKE A QUICK DINNER BREAK AND LEADERS OF ALL FOUR CAUCUSES JOIN US HERE ON THE COUCH WITH AN UPDATE ON WHERE THINGS STAND.

WITH COVID NUMBERS SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN IN THE LAST COUPLE OF SESSIONS, WE'RE HAPPY TO WELCOME LEADERS IN PERSON.

REPRESENTATIVE MELISSA HORTMAN IS THE DFL SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE.

SENATOR KARI DZIEDZIC IS THE DFL SENATE MAJORITY LEADER.

MINORITY LEADERS WITH US TONIGHT, REPUBLICAN SENATOR MARK JOHNSON AND REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE LISA DEMUTH.

MADAM SPEAKER, IF I RECALL, THE RECREATIONAL CANNABIS BILL WENT THROUGH I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY COMMITTEES.

A LOT OF COMMITTEES, RIGHT?

THE GAS -- THE BILL THAT WOULD RAISE THE GAS TAX, I'M NOT SURE, WHERE WAS THE RIGOROUS COMMITTEE VETTING ON THAT BILL?

THEY JUST KIND OF SEEMED TO COME OUT OF NOWHERE AT THE ENDS.

>> WELL, THE TRANSPORTATION CONFERENCE COMMITTEE I THINK WILL COME OUT WITH THEIR REPORT VERY SOON BUT THEY DID TALK ABOUT REVENUE RAISINGS THROUGHOUT THE SESSION BECAUSE WHAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO IS GET SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE VERY FOR A WHILE NOW.

WHEN THERE IT WAS THE LAST TRIFECTA, THE SENATE PASSED A GAS TAX INCREASE AND HE HOUSE AND THE GOVERNOR SAID NO.

AND SO OVER THE LAST TEN YEARNINGS, WE'VE ALL BEEN STRUGGLING TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE GET SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING TO KEEP UP WITH INFLATION.

>> Eric: YOU'RE INDICATE A ROAD MAINTENANCE FEE, MADAM LEADER?

>> YES.

>> Eric: A YOU EVER MISSISM NOR TAX INCREASE OR -- >> I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT THE OVERALL PACKAGE IN THE TRANSPORTATION BILL WHEN IT COMES OUT, I THINK THE INCREASES THAT WILL BE IN THAT BILL ARE CHEAPER THAN IF YOU DRIVE OVER A BAD POTHOLE AND HAVE TO GET YOUR CAR FIXED OR YOUR AXEL FIXED, THAT HAPPENED TO MY NEPHEW AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE A PART SO HE HAD TO BE TWO WEEKS WITHOUT HIS CAR.

SO I THINK THIS BILL WILL HELP MINNESOTANS AND WILL HELP REPAIR THEIR ROADS, IF THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE SAFELY ON.

>> Eric: I THINK THE PROPOSAL, SENATOR, IS TO HAVE IT LINKED TO INFLATION AND GO UP AS AN INFLATER EVERY YEAR AS INFLATION GOES UP.

WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THIS PROPOSAL?

>> SO IT IS A TAX, I MEAN, LET'S JUST CALL IT WHAT IT IS.

IT'S A TAX THAT'S GOING TO FALL IN THE POCKETS OF MINNESOTANS.

IF YOU ADD THAT TO THE TAB FEE INCREASES, REGISTRATION INCREASE, THE TAXES AROUND THE DELIVERY FEES ARE ALSO BEING PROPOSED, AS WELL, I MEAN, THIS COULD BE A $4 BILLION BILL TAX INCREASE ON MINNESOTANS.

>> AND I THINK MINNESOTANS AREN'T LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL TAX INCREASES.

I REALLY BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR SOME OF THAT TAX TO COME BACK.

WE'VE OVERPAID AND THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE FROM FOR THEIR WALTZ.

>> Cathy: WHAT AMOUNT WITH THE DELIVERY FEE, I THINK IT WAS LIKE 75 CENTS PER DELIVERY, HAS HA BEEN SCALED BACK OR IS THAT WHY YOU'RE ADDING THE GAS TAX ON THIS?

>> THE DELIVERY FEE PASSED THE MINNESOTA HOUSE AT 75 CENTS WERE DELIVERY AND I DON'T BELIEVE THERE WERE MUCH IN THE WAY OF EXEMPTIONS EXCEPT FOR FOOD.

GROCERIES WERE ALWAYS EXEMPT AND THEN I THINK THAT THE TRANSPORTATION CHAIRS HAVE ACHIEVED A FINAL PACKAGE THAT HAS SOME EXEMPTIONS AND HAS SOME LEVEL OF FEE.

>> Cathy: AND SO TRYING TO BACKFILL WHAT YOU NEED FOR ROADS, THAT'S WHERE THE GAS TAX COMES N THE INCREASE IN THE GROWS TAX?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT UNMET NEEDS.

WE HAVE ABOUT A BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR IN UNMET ROAD NEEDS AND AND WE HAVE NEEDS ON TOP OF THAT IN UNMET TRANSIT IN BOTH THE METROPOLITAN AREA AND REALLY, MORE EXTENSIVELY IN GREATER MINNESOTA.

SO I THINK THE CHAIRS WERE LOOKING FOR A WAY TO SIGNIFICANTLY FILL THOSE GAPS.

>> Eric: YOU'RE LEAD ON THE HOUSE TAX COMMITTEE, GREG DAVIDS, FORMER CHAIR SAID THAT THIS IS BOTH THE LARGEST TAX CUT AND LARGEST TAX INCREASE IN STATE HISTORY.

IS THAT RIGHT?

I MEAN, THERE ARE SOME TAX INCREASE, THERE ARE SOME CUTS?

DO YOU KNOW THE BALANCE THERE?

>> I DON'T KNOW THE BALANCE EXACTLY BUT WHAT I CAN TELL SUE WHEN WE ARE REDUCING TAXES GUT THEN INCREASING THEM, MINNESOTANS LOSE ON THAT SO IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETE TAX REDUCTION AS OPPOSED TO ANY INCREASES.

>> Eric: SENATOR, O YOU KNOW THE MIX, HOW MANY TAXES -- >> I DON'T KNOW THE ACTUAL IX BUT I THINK THE IMPACT, THE INCREASES I BELIEVE ARE FOCUSED ON CORPORATIONS, HE IMPACT WILL BE MINIMAL IF ANYTHING ON FAMILIES, AND INDIVIDUALS, AND I THINK, AGAIN, IN YOU LOOK AT THAT PACKAGE, THERE'S PROPERTY TAX RELIEF N THERE, THERE ARE RELIEF TO REDUCE CHILD POVERTY IN THIS STATE.

SOCIAL SECURITY.

WE'RE -- 76% OF THE STATE WILL NOT BE PAYING TAXES ON THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY SO I THINK, AGAIN, THAT OVERALL PACKAGE WILL BENEFIT MINNESOTANS.

>> Cathy: I REMEMBER, REPRESENTATIVE DEMUTH, YOU KIND OF SAID THE REBATE CHECKS ARE A BIG WHOOP DEDO, IS THAT RIGHT?

>> I WAS QUOTE QUOTING A CONSTITUENT BUT WE HEARD ORIGINALLY GOVERNOR WALZ TALKED ABOUT $2,000 AND THEN $1,000 AND NOW THEY'RE SITTING AT JUST $200 IS WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED, WITH INCOME CAPS.

SO I WOULD SAY THAT THAT DOESN'T COVER EVERYBODY THAT'S ACTUALLY PAID IN.

>> SO -- I DO WANT TO GET BACK TO THE POINT THAT YOU MADE IN THAT TAX BILL, THERE WAS SOME TRANSFERS AND WHATNOT AND CREDITS, BUT REALITY IS WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TOTALITY OF THE PACKAGES COMING THROUGH, THE NUMBER OF TAX AND FEE INCREASES ACROSS THIS ADDS UP TO SOMEWHERE ABOUT 9 TO $10 BILLION.

SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE LARGER GLOBAL NUMBERS.

THAT'S GOING TO BE A HUGE IMPACT ON OUR FAMILIES ACROSS THE STATE.

WHEN WE WERE CAMPAIGNING, IT WAS ABOUT GETTING THE SURPLUS BACK, CUTTING TAXES, PUBLIC SAFETY, MAKING SURE THAT OUR KIDS IN SCHOOLS WERE IN A SAFE CONDITION, WITH GREAT FUNDING IN IT.

AND JUST SEEMED LIKE THOSE PRIORITIES HAVE EEN LOST TO MANY, MANY OTHER THINGS ACROSS THIS SESSION.

>> Cathy: GETTING BACK TO THE REBATE CHECKS, MADAM SPEAKER, $250 -- I MEAN, THAT ISN'T A WHOLE LOT.

>> WELL, WHEN YOU LOOK AT AN AVERAGE FAMILY OF FOUR, MOM, DAD, TWO KIDS, THAT'S $1,000, THAT'S GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO PEOPLE SO WHAT WE LOOKED AT WAS MAKING SURE THE TAX CODE IS MORE PROGRESSIVE WHEN WE LEAVE THIS SESSION THAN IT WAS WHEN WE STARTED.

SO WHEN WE LOOK AT WHERE PEOPLE WERE, ESPECIALLY AFTER COVID, THE POOREST PEOPLE IN THE STATE WERE REALLY HARD HIT BY COVID AND THEY WERE STRUGGLING BEFORE AND THERE WERE SOME FOLKS IN THE CONOMY DURING COVID WHO ACTUALLY DID MUCH, MUCH BETTER AND GAINED A LOT OF WEALTH OVER THE TIME OF THE PANDEMIC.

AND SO THIS TAX BILL IS REALLY BALANCED IN TERMS OF PUTTING MONEY IN THE POCKETS OF THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT.

>> Eric: SENATOR, I'M INTERESTED IN THE DFL TAX PHILOSOPHY, WHICH IS TAR GETSED TAX CUTS TO SPECIFIC GROUPS, WINNERS AND LOSERS, NOT ACROSS THE BOARD STUFF.

I'VE HEARD SOME COMMENTS FROM REPUBLICANS THIS WEEK THAT THE DEMOCRATS HAVE A WAR ON PROSPERITY AND THAT IT'S GREAT PLACE TO LIVE IF YOU CAN AFFORDS THE TAXES.

WHY NOT THE MONEY TAX BACK FOR FOLKS THAT HAVE PAID MOST OF THE TAXES?

>> I WILL ECHO WHAT THE SPEAKER JUST SAID.

IN COVID YOU REALLY HAD CERTAIN PEOPLE HURT AND THE ECONOMY, HE RECOVERY OUT OF COVID WAS KIND OF A K-SHAPED ECONOMY.

SOME PEOPLE DID REALLY, REALLY GOOD AND SOME PEOPLE CONTINUES TO STRUGGLE SO WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD A BETTER ECONOMY FOR ALL MINNESOTANS AND THAT MEANS LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD AND LIFTING UP THOSE THAT NEED THAT LITTLE BOAST.

IT HELPS EVERYBODY BECAUSE YOU WANT MORE WORKERS AND IN MORE WORKERS OU NEED MORE CHILD CARE SO I THINK OUR BUDGETS OVERALL IS LITERALLY LOOKING AT HOW DO WE, YOU KNOW, HELP STABILIZE CHILD CARE, HOW DO WE HELP STABILIZE HOUSING, HOW DO WE PROVIDE AND I THINK THE BIG BUDGET PROVIDES SAFE COMMUNITIES, STRONG SCHOOLS, A HEALTHY CLIMATE.

AND I THINK THE TOTALITY OF ALL THOSE BUDGETS WILL LOWER COSTS FOR FAMILIES CROSS MINNESOTA.

>> Cathy: COMMENT?

>> AND IF MINNESOTA IS BECOMING ONE OF THE HIGHER TAXED STATES IN THE NATION, WE'RE GOING TO SEE PEOPLE LEAVING AND WE NEED TO KEEP PEOPLE IN OUR STATE, OUR COMPANIES, OUR FAMILIES, THIS IS A GREAT PLACE TO BE AND IF TAXES ARE WHAT ARE DRIVING THEM OUT, THAT DOESN'T SERVE ANY OF US WELL.

ENDING THAT TAX ON SOCIAL SECURITY WAS SOMETHING THAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT.

THAT IS NOT FULLY HAPPENING, AND WE REALLY NEED TO BE COGNIZANT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.

>> Cathy: I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE -- GO AHEAD, MADAM SPEAKER.

>> OUR HIGHER EDUCATION CHAIR SAID IT REALLY WELL, TUITION IS ANOTHER WAY TO SAY TAX SO WHAT OUR BUDGET DOES IS IT GIVES MONEY BACK TO MINNESOTANS IN THE FORM OF FREE TUITION, IF YOUR FAMILY MAKES $80,000 A YEAR OR LESS, PAYING MUCH LESS FOR CHILD CARE, SO THERE IS A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT THE STATE CAN GIVE MONEY TO PEOPLE OTHER THAN TAX CUTS.

AND WE REALLY JUST DIDN'T THINK THAT MILLIONAIRES AND BILLIONAIRES NEEDED A TAX CUT WHEN THERE'S MOMS AND DADS WHO ARE STRUG TOLL AFFORDS CHILD CARE.

>> BUT THE PROBLEM WE SEE WITH THAT IS THAT THE STATE ASK NOW DICTATING THE CHOICES OF INDIVIDUALS THROUGHOUT THIS STATE -- ON THE STATE'S PRIORITIES, ON GOVERNMENT'S PRIORITIES YOU CAN AND NOT THE INDIVIDUAL FAMILIES.

WE'RE TAKING THAT ABILITY FOR FAMILIES TO MAKE THE DECISIONS THAT THEY NEED TO MAKE AT HOME AWAY FROM THEM.

AND THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE THE ISSUES.

>> I IDN'T BLOWN OH INTERRUPT YOU BUT IF YOU CAN'T FIND CHILD CARE, THE MARKET IS MAKING THAT DECISION FOR YOU SO HOPEFULLY BY HE ITEMS IN THAT BILL AND THE ITEMS IN THE VARIETY OF BILLS WILL HELP FAMILIES FIND CHILD CARE SO IF THEY WANT TO GO BACK TO WORK, THEY CAN.

>> GOING BACK TO EVEN FREE MEALS THAT WE DID EARLIER IN SESSION, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS ALREADY PROVIDED FOR STUDENTS THAT NEEDED TO HAVE FREE MEALS GIVEN TO THEM IN SCHOOL.

BUT TO THE POINT OF WE DON'T WANT TO BE GIVING MILLIONAIRES OR BILLIONAIRES TAX RELIEF IN ANY WAY, WE'RE PAYING FOR MEALS FOR THEIR STUDENTS NOW IN SCHOOL WHEN WE DIDN'T NEED TO BE.

THEY DIDN'T ASK FOR IT, THEY DEFINITELY DON'T NEED IT, WE'RE DOING IT FOR ALL STUDENTS.

>> Cathy: SAY, WHERE ARE WE WITH THE NURSES AT THE BEDSIDE BILL, THIS IS THIS BILL HAT WOULD REQUIRE THAT HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATIONORS SIT DOWN WITH NURSES WHEN IT OMES TO NURSE STAFFING.

MAYO EVIDENTLY DOES EVER A CARVE-OUT IN THAT BILL AND I'M CURIOUS, WHY IS THAT GOOD PUBLIC POLICY TO HAVE ONE ENTITY BE EXEMPT AND NOT EVERYBODY?

CAN SOMEONE EXPLAIN THAT TO ME?

>> YOU KNOW, WE HAVE 142 HOSPITALS ACROSS THE STATE THAT WON'T BENEFIT IF ONLY MAYO HAS BEEN GIVEN THE CARVE-OUT AND ANY TIME THERE IS A CARVE-OUT FOR JUST ONE PLACE, THAT MEANS IT'S PROBABLY NOT GOOD PUBLIC POLICY.

>> Eric: SHOULD THE NURSE'S ASSOCIATION, A KEY PART OF THE DFL COALITION, SHOULD THEY FEEL A LITTLE SOLD OUT HERE ON THIS ONE?

>> NO, I THINK MAYO IS DIFFERENT.

IN STATE LAW, WE TREAT DIFFERENT ENTITIES DIFFERENTLY.

WE TREAT XCEL ENERGY DIFFERENTLY BECAUSE THEY ARE TWO NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS AND THEY STORY NUKE ROAR WASTE IN OUR STATE.

WE TREAT THE MINNESOTA VIKINGS DIFFERENTLY BECAUSE THEY ARE A STATE ASSET THAT PEOPLE WANT US TO INVEST IN.

MAYO ASK A WORLD-CLASS INSTITUTION.

WHEN PEOPLE THINK OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA, OPEFULLY THEY THINK OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, THEY THINK OF PRINCE, THEY THINK OF THE VIKINGS, BUT THEY ALSO THINK OF THE MAYO CLINIC AND IT DOES BRING PEOPLE HERE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.

SO WE DO THINGS AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO CREATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES ALL THE TIME.

NOW, THIS NURSES AT THE BEDSIDE ACT HAS BEEN SPUN OFFER INTO ITS OWN CONFERENCE COMMITTEE SO THERE IS A FULL PUBLIC DEBATE WITHIN THAT CONFERENCE COMMITTEE THAT HAS TWO REPUBLICANS ON IT TO SEE WHERE WE CAN GET.

>> ONE OF THE ISSUES WE HAVE, TOO, IN NORTHWEST MINNESOTA, RIVERVIEW HEALTH IS AN INSTITUTION FOR OUR COMMUNITIES.

WE THINK A LOT OF THAT AND NOW TO PUT THIS PRESSURE ON THAT SMALL HOSPITAL THAT DOESN'T HAVE THE SAME NEEDS AS ANY OF THE METRO HOSPITALS, YOU GO TO EACH ONE OF THOSE 142 HOSPITALS ACROSS THE STATE, THEY EACH HAVE DIFFERENT NEEDS, AND THIS IS REALLY GOING TO HAMSTRING A LOT OF THOSE INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE SO CRITICAL TO OUR COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE STATE AND I WORRY ABOUT THE LONGEVITY OF THOSE INSTITUTIONS GOING FORWARD.

>> Eric: I TALKED TO OME DEMOCRATS THIS WEEK, LOBBYISTS, A LOT OF PEOPLE UP AT THE CAPITOL THIS WEEK AND ONE THING, THERE WAS HOW DID DZIEDZIC GET 34 VOTES FOR THOSE GUN BILLS?

YOU WANT TO SHARE -- HOW TOUGH WERE THE CAUCUSES ON THAT ONE?

>> YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD-WOULD HE HAVE THE MOST DIVERSE CAUCUS EVER.

WE REPRESENT SMALL RURAL COMMUNITIES AND LARGE URBAN CORE AND SO WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS AND REALLY IN-DEPTH CONVERSATIONS ON WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES AND WHAT ARE THE SIMILARITIES ACROSS OUR DISTRICTS, AND, AGAIN, WE FOUND THAT THERE IS A LOT OF SIMILARITIES.

WE'VE HAD SOME REALLY GOOD CONVERSATIONS WHERE WE LISTEN TO EACH OTHER TO LEARN ABOUT WHAT THE NEEDS OF THOSE COMMUNITIES ARE, AND THAT HAS, YOU KNOW, GOT TO US WHERE WE ARE TODAY.

>> Eric: WHAT ABOUT THAT -- SENATOR, WHAT ABOUT THE GUN PROVISIONS WITHIN THE PUBLIC SAFETY BILL?

MAYBE THE SAFETY -- PUBLIC SAFETY BILL AS A WHOLE?

>> YEAH, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK WE TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BEFORE, TOO, IS THE FOCUS SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON PUBLIC SAFETY.

THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE ALL CAMPAIGNED ON GOING FORWARD.

THERE IS A LOT OF NEEDS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES FOR THAT.

THE PUBLIC SAFETY BILL I THINK WAS A BIG STEP BACKWARDS IN THAT.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE SENTENCING, IF YOU LOOK AT THE SENTENCING GUIDELINES, YOU KNOW, REDUCTION IN SENTENCES AND JUST THE ABILITY TO PROSECUTE SOME OF THESE CRIMES HAS REALLY BEEN TAKEN OUT.

SO THERE ARE SOME SIGNIFICANT ISSUES IN THERE.

NOT TO MENTION THE CONTROVERSIAL PIECES OF THE GUN BILLS, THEY CAME ALONG, TOO.

>> IT WAS THE LARGEST INVESTMENT -- SORRY, KATHY, IN PUBLIC SAFETY IN STATE HISTORY AND IT WAS IMPORTANT.

YOU'LL SEE ANOTHER 300 MILLION BEING SPENT IN THE TAX BILL.

SO 650 MILLION IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY BILL, STIFFER SENTENCES FOR THOSE WHO DEAL FENTANYL.

WE DID THE JOB OF TAKING CARE OF PUBLIC SAFETY IN MINNESOTA.

>> Eric: BIPARTISAN IN THE HOUSE ON MARIJUANA.

>> BIPARTISAN ON THE HOUSE IN MARIJUANA.

>> Eric: TELL US ABOUT THAT JOURNEY WITH SOME REPUBLICAN HELP.

>> SOME REPUBLICAN HELP AND WITH THE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE THAT WAS SETS UP, WE DID HAVE REPRESENTATION ON THERE.

WHAT I CAN TELL YOU ITH THE MARIJUANA BILL, THOUGH, THERE ARE DEFINITELY CONCERNS WITH PUBLIC SAFETY, WITH OUR COMMUNITIES AND MENTAL HEALTH.

I THINK THAT IT IS TOO FAST, TOO SOON FOR MINNESOTA AND I DON'T THINK WE'RE READY FOR IT.

IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, WOULD BE MY GUESS, IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE A WAY TO TEST FOR IMPAIRMENT, WHEN YOU THINK OF HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATORS, OUR NURSES, OUR TEACHERS, PROFESSIONALS, THERE'S NO WAY TO TEST FOR IMPAIRMENT AND THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE THAT WE'RE MISSING AT THIS POINT.

>> Cathy: YOU KNOW, I'M WONDERING DID THE REHABILITATION KIND OF MESS UP HERE WHEN IT CAME TOTE BONDING BILL?

NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT A CASH-ONLY INFRASTRUCTURE BILL?

>> I THINK THE REPUBLICANS IN THE HOUSE, THERE WAS SUPPORT FOR THAT BILL THAT WENT OUT IN MARCH AND IT WAS FAIR BILL, THERE WAS HEAVY AMOUNT OF THE REPUBLICAN SUPPORT.

WE ARE STILL TALKING ABOUT THAT AS FAR AS WHO KNOWS WHAT COULD HAPPEN IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.

>> Eric: YOU HAD 21 VOTES.

>> WE HAVE SOME BREAKING -- NO, JUST IDDING, WE DON'T.

[Laughter] WE'LL CONTINUES THE CONVERSATION.

>> Eric: YOU GUYS VOTED DOWN A VERY GOOD BILL THAT HAD A LOT OF REPUBLICAN PROJECTS, HOPING TO GET NURSING HOME MONEY AND TAX CUTS.

DID THAT STRATEGY WORK?

>> WELL, WE CONTINUES THE CONVERSATION.

I THINK IT REALLY SHOWED WHAT THE PRIORITIES OF OUR CAUCUS WAS AND WE GOT TO STAND UP FOR SOME OF THOSE ISSUES THAT WE REALLY BELIEVE IN.

AND SO WE'VE HAD SOME VERY GOOD DIALOGUES WITH SPEAKER HORTMAN AND MAJORITY LEADER DZIEDZIC ON THAT AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO MOVE THE BALL FORWARD.

THIS IS A VERY PROMISING THING.

>> Cathy: IS IT POSSIBLE TO MOVE THE BALL FORWARD IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS ON THIS?

>> NEVER SAY NEVER.

>> Cathy: NEVER SAY NEVER, I'VE HEARD THAT BEFORE, THOUGH.

OKAY.

GOOD.

SAY, BEFORE YOU ALL GO, I'M KINDS OF CURIOUS ABOUT THIS.

THE EDUCATION MONEY, THE K-12 EDUCATION MONEY.

I WAS TALKING TO THE GOVERNOR EARLIER THIS WEEK AND I ASKED HIM THIS QUESTION, I'M ASK YOU THIS, TOO, THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY GOING FOR K-12 EDUCATION AND FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS, WE'VE ALL HEARD TEACHERS AND DISTRICTS SAYING WE ARE NOT FULLY FUNDED.

DOES THIS BILL FULLY FUND EDUCATION IN MINNESOTA?

>> I THINK IT MOVES IT IS BALL FORWARD A LOT.

THERE'S MUCH MORE FUNDING THAT WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT, THE SPECIAL EDUCATION CROSS-SUBSIDY AND HOW THAT IS, YOU KNOW, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SAYS YOU HAVE TO PUT SO MUCH MONEY IN AND WE SAY WE HAVE TO AND WE HAVEN'T FUNDED THAT TO THE LEVEL IT SHOULD BE AND I THINK PUTTING MONEY IN THERE AND OTHER PIECES THROUGHOUT THAT BILL WILL REALLY HELP STUDENTS IN THOSE SCHOOLS.

>> Eric: TIME HAS RUN OUT BUT IT'S GOING TO BE A BUSY INTERIM, ISN'T IT, WITH ALL THE STUFF THAT HAS TO BE IMPLEMENTED NOW?

>> I DON'T KNOW, I'LL FIGURE THAT OUT AFTER I WAKE UP IN A COUPLE DAYS.

>> Eric: STEVE DEPRIVED AND