CLEAR >> MARY: THIS HAS BEEN A UNIQUE LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN MANY WAYS.

MORE THAN A DOGS BIG BILLS ALREADY SIGNED INTO LAW.

RECORD-SETTING PACE, AND A BUDGET AGREEMENT MUCH EARLIER THAN USUAL.

HERE FOR A CHECK-IN, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR PEGGY FLANAGAN.

ALSO HISTORY MAKING HIGHEST RANKING ELECTED NATIVE OFFICIAL IN THE COUNTRY.

>> HIGHEST RANKING WOMAN.

>> Mary: OKAY, WE QUALIFY.

BUDGETS IS THE BIG NEWS HERE.

THERE'S AGREED TO BUDGET TARGETS.

TALK ABOUT THE -- IT'S CALLED THE WALZ-FLANAGAN BUDGET AND PRIORITY TO MAKE THIS A GREAT PLACE TO RAISE KIDS.

>> I THINK YOU HAVE ALREADY SEEN A BIT OF WHAT THAT MEANS, PASSING UNIVERSAL MEALS WAS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL THINGS I HAVE BINE A PART OF, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

>> Mary: IT WENT VIRAL FORTY GOVERNOR, THE IMAGE OF CHILDREN HUGGING HIM TURNED INTO A THING.

>> YEAH, AND THAT IS THE VIBE OF THIS SESSION.

I THINK IS REALLY DELIVERING FOR KIDS AND FAMILIES, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE INVESTING IN HOUSING AND EDUCATION AND A CHILD TAX CREDIT THAT COULD LOWER CHILD POVERTY BY 25%, JUST THAT PIECE ALONE IS TREMENDOUS, INVESTMENTS IN CHILD CARE AND REALLY, WE'RE JUST DOING WHAT WE TOLD MINNESOTANS WE WERE GOING TO DO AND WE'RE FOLLOWING UP ON THOSE PROMISES MADE ND PROMISES KEPT.

>> Mary: ONE OF THE CRITICISMS WE HEARD FROM REPUBLICANS EARLIER WAS NURSING HOMES, ESPECIALLY SENATE REPUBLICANS FOUGHT FOR THAT, THEY HAD A COMMITTEE DEDICATED TO THAT.

THEY ARE SAYING THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE LEGISLATURE IS NOT FULLY FUNDING NURSING HOMES ND THERE IS A CRISIS GOING ON THERE.

CAN THERE BE MORE MONEY, CAN THERE BE AN ANSWER?

>> I THINK WE ALL VALUE MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE IN OUR NURSING HOMES ARE TAKEN CARE OF AND WE ARE GOING TO GET THERE.

WE'RE GOT OUR TARGETS NOW WHICH TO BE HONEST I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE BUDGET TARGETS THE THIRD WEEK OF MARCH.

>> Mary: UNPRECEDENTED, AGAIN, ANOTHER THING THAT'S NEVER HAPPENED HERE BEFORE.

>> RIGHT.

AS A RECOVERING LEGISLATOR, I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT SO I THINK WE HAVE OUR TARGETS NOW AND NOW WE GET DOWN TO CONFERENCE COMMITTEE AND NEGOTIATIONS AND I THINK PEOPLE CAN EXPECT THAT OUR SENIORS AND PEOPLE IN LONG-TERM CARE WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF.

>> Mary: THE OTHER ISSUE FOR SENIORS YOU JUST HEARD THERE AGAIN FROM SENATE REPUBLICANS SAYING DEMOCRATS ALL CAMPAIGNED ON SOCIAL SECURITY TAX REPEAL, AND THEIR SENSE IS IT'S BEING WALKED BACK OR QUALIFIED BECAUSE THE DEAL LAST YEAR WAS COMPLETE REPEAL.

NOW IT'S MAYBE NOT A COMPLETE REPEAL.

WHERE IS THE ADMINISTRATION?

>> WELL, I THINK IT'S INTERESTING IS WITH SENATE REPUBLICANS THROWING A FIT NOW WHEN WE HAD A DEAL.

THEY DECIDED TO WALK AWAY, I THINK IT'S THE SAME THING WITH THE BONDING BILL, THEY VOTED NO.

PEOPLE ARE READY, HERE IN THE HOUSE, AND THE HOUSE CHAMBER, RIGHT, THERE IS A BIPARTISAN BONDING BILL THAT WAS PASSED.

THEY VOTED ON IT, THE SENATE SAID NO.

MINNESOTANS ARE READY FOR A BONDING BILL.

WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF DELAYS, IT'S TIME TO JUST GET IT DONE.

MILLION DOLLARS WHY NOT GIVE THEM SOCIAL SECURITY TAX SO YOU GET A BONDING BILL BECAUSE THOSE THINGS ARE NOW LINKED?

>> I THINK WE HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE PROPOSAL THAT LOOKS AT THE CHILD TAX CREDIT, THE DEPENDENT CARE CREDIT, INVESTMENTS IN HOUSING AND EDUCATION AND TRANSPORTATION, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE CAN LOWER THE TAXES ON SOCIAL SECURITY BUT FOR A LOT OF THE FOLKS WHO, YOU KNOW, PAY INTO SOCIAL SECURITY, THEY ALREADY DON'T PAY ANY TAXES ON IT AND WE WANT TO JUST LOWER THE COST FOR MINNESOTANS AND MAKE SURE THEY CAN AFFORD THEIR LIVES AND OUR COMPREHENSIVE BUDGET PLAN I THINK HELPS GET US THERE.

>> Mary: WHAT ABOUT THE LATEST SCHOOL SHOOTING, ONCE AGAIN, IT'S NOT NEWS, IT HAPPENS SO MUCH BUT IT IS HORRIFIC NEWS.

WHAT IS A RESPONSIBLE, FAIR POLICY RESPONSE THAT CAN GET THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE AND GET SIGNED?

>> WELL, I THINK IT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.

WE SEE THAT UNIVERSAL BACKGROUND CHECKS ARE MOVING, RED FLAG LEGISLATION IS MOVING, THESE ARE COMMON SENSE GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION THAT THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF MINNESOTANS SUPPORT, AMERICANS SUPPORT.

IT'S TIME TO GET IT DONE.

GABBY GIVE FORDS IS IN TOWN AND' OH GIFFORDS IS IN TOWN, HER VISIT IS TIMELY AS A MOM OF A 10-YEAR-OLD GIRL AND I WAS THINKING OF PRE-SCHOOL TO 6th GRADE, THIS IS SO REAL.

OUR CHILDREN KNOW HOW TO DO THESE DRILLS, IT'S TIME TO GET IT DONE.

>> IN THIS, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE SEEN SOME OF THE CRITICISM ON SOCIAL MEDIA, FOLKS ARE STILL SHOWING THIS T-SHIRT THAT YOU WERE WEARING.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE T-SHIRT THAT HAS A KNIFE ON IT BECAUSE FOLKS ARE SAYING YOU CONDONE VIOLENCE BECAUSE OF THIS?

CAN YOU EXPLAIN IT?

>> I THINK THAT'S RIDICULOUS.

THAT I THINK SHIRT SAYS PROTECT TRANS KIDS.

WE NEED TO PROTECT TRANS KIDS, THE EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT THE GOVERNOR SIGNED DOES JUST THAT.

IT IS FROM MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS THE DECISION TO SEEK GENDER AFFIRMING CARE, IT IS LIFE-SAVING CARE, IT IS BASED IN HEALTH CARE AND THOSE DECISIONS SHOULD BE BETWEEN A CHILD AND THEIR FAMILY AND THEIR DOCTOR, AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING, AND IF I -- IF I HAVE CRITIQUES - BECAUSE I WANT TO PROTECT OUR LGBTQ-PLUS YOUTHS, BRING IT ON.

I'M A MOM, I CAN HANDLE IT.

AND THE BULLYING I'VE RECEIVED PEALS IN COMPARISON TO THE REALITY THAT OUR TRANS MINNESOTANS FACE EVERY DAY.

MINNESOTA IS GOING TO E A SAFE PLACE FOR THEM AND A SAFE PLACE FOR THEIR FAMILY AND WE WILL BE UNWAVERING IN THAT SUPPORTS.

>> Mary: WHAT ABOUT THE DIVERSITY THAT IS REFLECTED NOT JUST IN THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE BUT IN THIS NEW LEGISLATURE.

WE'VE NEVER SEEN THIS, THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE.

HOW MUCH DO YOU SEE IT INFLUENCING LEGISLATION LIKE THAT?

>> IT'S INCREDIBLE.

I MEAN, I THINK, YOU KNOW, I WAS HERE AS A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE PEOPLE OF COLOR AND INDIGENOUS CAUCUS AND EVERY ELECTORAL CYCLE, THE CAUCUS ITSELF GETS BIGGER AND BIGGER.

WE ALSO NOW HAVE LEIGHFICK REQUESTIN' AND ALICIA KOSLOWSKI, AND NONBINARY MEMBERS AND THAT MEANS OUR POPULATION IS DIVERSIFYING.

WE GET BETTER RESULTS.

THREE BLACK WOMEN IN THE SENATE, WE GOT JUNETEENTH AS A STATEWIDE HOLIDAY AND FINALLY PASSED THE CROSSTOWN ACT INTO LAW.

THAT'S NOT AN -- THE CROWN ACT INTO LAW.

THAT'S NOT AN ACCIDENTS.

>> Mary: ONE MORE DECISION THE -- IS THE RESIDENCE, THE GOVERNOR IS FACING THIS.

>> THERE'S NOT EVEN A LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR TREE HOUSE OR ANYTHING.

>> Mary: YOU DON'T HAVE A RESIDENCE BUT THE GOVERNOR HAS BEEN LIVING THERE AND IS MOVING OUTS, $6 MILLION RENT OH VACATIONS, VERY EXPENSIVE ON THE NEW PROPERTY AND CAN YOU EXPLAIN THIS?

>> WHAT PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW IS THAT THE GOVERNOR'S RESIDENCE IS A STATE ASSET.

IT'S OUR HOME, IT'S FOR THE PEOPLE, AND MAINTAINING THAT AND MAKING SURE THAT THAT'S AVAILABLE, YOU KNOW, IN PERPETUITY NOR FUTURE GOVERNORS, THAT REALLY MATTERS, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT'S REALLY WHAT I'M FOCUSED ON, THEY HAVE TO LIVE SOMEPLACE.

I LEAVE IT UP TO THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ADMINISTRATION TO FIGURE OUT HOW O, YOU KNOW, MAKE THAT -- >> Mary: KITE BE A POLITICAL PROBLEM, AN ISSUE?

I'M HEARING REPUBLICANS SAYING THERE ARE GOING TO MAKE CAMPAIGN ADS OUT OF THIS.

>> THAT'S THEIR CHOICE.

WE'RE GOING TO KEEP FOCUSING ON MAKING SURE MINNESOTA IS THE BEST PLACE TO RAISE A CHILD AND THAT'S WHERE WE'VE BEEN FOCUS