>> "ALMANAC AT THE CAPITOL" IS A PRODUCTION OF TWIN CITIES PBS FOR THE STATIONS OF MINNESOTA PUBLIC TELEVISION ASSOCIATION.

>> Mary: LAWMAKERS HAVE A DOZEN DAYS LEFT TO GET ALL THEIR WORK DONE ON TIME.

WE'LL TALK LIVE WITH HOUSE LEADERS TO SEE IF THEY CAN DO IT.

THAT'S COMING UP ON "ALMANAC IF HE CAPITOL."

♪♪ "ALMANAC AT THE CAPITOL" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY MEMBERS OF THIS PUBLIC TV STATION.

SUPPORT IS ALSO PROVIDED BY... GREAT RIVER ENERGY: PROVIDING WHOLESALE POWER TO 28 MINNESOTA ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES.

MANITOBA HYDRO: PROVIDING CLEAN, RENEWABLE ENERGY TO MINNESOTA UTILITIES FOR NEARLY 50 YEARS.

MANITOBAHYDROPOWER.COM.

ENBRIDGE: CONNECTING MINNESOTANS WITH ENERGY FOR OVER 70 YEARS.

MORE AT ENBRIDGE.COM/LINE3US.

LIUNA: MINNESOTA'S INFRASTRUCTURE UNION, REPRESENTING 12,000 SKILLED CONSTRUCTION LABORERS.

LIUNAMINNESOTA.ORG.

MINNESOTA LOTTERY.

PLAYING OUR PART BY GENERATING FUNDS FOR MINNESOTA.

IF YOU'RE GAME, JUST SAY I'M IN.

AND THE SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY: A TRIBAL NATION FOCUSED ON COMMUNITY AND COLLABORATION, ESPECIALLY IN TIMES LIKE TODAY.

GOVERNOR WALZ IS SET TO TURN THE DIALS ON COVID RESTRICTIONS TOMORROW AND A LOOSENING OF SOME RESTRICTIONS COULD LEAD TO A DEAL AT THE CAPITOL.

HOUSE LEADERS WINKLER AND DAUDT WILL JOIN ME LIVE IN JUST A FEW MINUTES TO TALK ABOUT THAT AND MORE.

>> WE HAVE TRIALS COMING UP IN JUNE.

GOD HELP US IF WE DON'T HAVE SOMETHING SET UP.

>> THESE HAVE TO BE A PRIORITY.

AS THE GOVERNOR JUST SAID, THE LONGER WE STATE AND STATISTICALLY IT SAYS, IN ABOUT 8 TO 12 MONTHS, POLICE OFFICER KILLED SOMEONE IN THIS STATE.

THAT BORE OUT WITH DAUNTE WRIGHT AND I WANT TO SEE THAT STOP HAPPENING.

I BELIEVE WE HAVE BILLS IN THIS MEASURE THAT CAN PREVENT THOSE THINGS FROM HAPPENING, AND I STAND VERY CLEAR AND VERY FIRM THAT I WANT TO SEE THOSE BILLS MOVE FORWARD AS A PRIORITY.

>> TOO MANY PEOPLE, I FEEL LIKE, HAVE THROWN THE POLICE UNDER THE BUS.

I'VE SAID A NUMBER OF TIMES THE POLICE IN MINNESOTA, MANY ARE VERY DEMORALIZED BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF APPRECIATION FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO.

>> Mary: HOUSE AND SENATE CHAIR STARTED WORKING THROUGH THEIR DIFFERENCES.

THE.

>> YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD NOT TO NOTICE THAT BOTH BILLS ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

THE HOUSE BILL IS LITTLE BIT BIGGER THAN THE SENATE BILL AND, ACTUALLY, IT'S ABOUT FOUR TIMES LARGER.

>> HE SENATE, FROM THE HOUSE PERSPECTIVE, HAS A VERY THIN BILL AND QUITE FRANKLY, I'M CONCERNED THAT THE THINNESS OF THAT BILL FAILS TO ADDRESS SOME VITALLY IMPORTANT REALITIES THAT ARE QUITE TIMLY RIGHT NOW FOR MINNESOTANS.

>> I PERSONALLY DON'T WANT TO VILLAINIZE ALL POLICE OFFICERS DUE TO RECENT EVENTS.

HOWEVER, I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT RECENT EVENTS RECOGNIZE WHAT WE WOULD CALL THE BAD APPLES.

>> THE HOUSE BELIEVES THAT WE'VE PUT TOGETHER AN ANTI-BAD-APPLE BILL.

WE'VE PUT TOGETHER A BILL THAT IS ANTI-BAD COP AND WE FULLY INVITE THE SENATE TO JOIN US IN POSTURING AND CTING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT SYSTEMS DON'T ENCOURAGE THE KIND OF BEHAVIOR THAT WE SAW THAT LED TO THE DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD.

>> Mary: AND THE SENATE FOLLOWED OTHER STATES IN PASSING A BILL REQUIRING VOTER I.D.

TO CAST A BALLOT.

>> BILLS LIKE THIS ONE PRIMARILY DISENFRANCHISE BLACK, BROWN, INDIGENOUS, NEW AMERICAN VOTERS AND THE ELDERLY SENIORS, STUDENTS, THE DISABLED AND LGBTQ COMMUNITIES.

THEY'RE POWERFUL TOOLS THAT WORK TO KEEP COMMUNITIES FROM EXERCISING THE RIGHT TO VOTE.

>> IT'S THE LIE THAT ALL SOBER AND SPONSIBLE LEGISLATORS IN THIS CHAMBER AND EVERY CHAMBER SHOULD BE WORKING TO DISMANTLE TO RESTORE FAITH IN THE INTEGRITY OF OUR ELECTIONS,.

>> BE TO ADVANCE THE IDEA THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH ELECTORAL INTEGRITY OR VOTER INTEGRITY.

>> THE ELECTION INVOLVING JOE BIDEN AND DONALD TRUMP HAVE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH ME BRINGING THIS BILL FORWARD AT THIS TIME.

I CATEGORICALLY DENY THE ASSERTION.

>> MEMBERS, THIS MAKES IT EASIER FOR MORE PEOPLE 20 VOTE AND THAT THEY WILL HAVE THEIR VOTE COUNT.

IT'S SIMPLE, IT'S COMMON SENSE, IT'S SUPPORTED BY 75% OF AMERICANS, 69% OF THEM MINNESOTANS SUPPORT THIS IDEA BECAUSE IT'S COMMON SENSE AND IT'S EASY.

ON POLICE REFORM WITHOUT BUY-IN TO POLICE REFORM.

THE WORK IS IMPORTANT, WE HAVE OUR WORK CUT OUT FOR US TO GET IT DONE BUT IT CAN BE DONE AND THERE ARE COMMON SENSE WAYS NOR PEOPLE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC SAFETY AND REDUCE RACIAL DISPARITIES AND IT'S TIME TO GET GOING ON THAT NOW.

>> Mary: REPRESENTATIVE DAUDT, WHERE IS THE COMPROMISE LANGUAGE?

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BIPARTISAN LANGUAGE THAT COULD GET THROUGH ON THIS ISSUE?

>> WELL, AGAIN, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE BOTH SIDES AT THE TABLE.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT POLICE OFFICERS WHO ARE ACTUALLY OUT THERE IN THE STREETS WORKING EVERY DAY TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE, THAT THEY HAVE A VOICE AT THE TABLE.

I KNOW THAT REPRESENTATIVE WINKLER HIMSELF VOTED FOR THE PRIMARY SEAT BELT LAW IN THE PAST SO HE UNDERSTANDS THAT POLICE DO NEED THE TOOLS TO KEEP US SAFE AND I KNOW THERE ARE MANY, MANY EXAMPLES WHERE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN PULLED OVER FOR TABS OR SEAT BELTS OR OTHER THINGS WHEN -- WHEN, YOU KNOW, FUTURE CRIMES WERE STOPPED AND CRIMINALS WHO WERE FUGITIVES OF THE LAW WERE APPREHENDED, AND OUR STREETS AND OUR CITIZENS WERE SAFER BECAUSE OF THAT.

YOU HAVE TO WEIGH PUBLIC SAFETY BUT WE ALSO FEEL VERY STRONGLY, AND THIS IS WHERE I AGREE WITH REPRESENTATIVE WINKLER, PEOPLE NEED TO FEEL SAFE AND THEY NEED TO FEEL SAFE AND TRUST THE POLICE ARE GOING TO KEEP THEM SAFE.

AND NOT FEEL IN DANGER SO WE'RE ABSOLUTELY OPEN TO THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS AT THE TABLE WHEN WE HAVE THEM.

>> Mary: HOW ABOUT THE OTHER ISSUE THAT THE STORY TEED UP WITH THE SENATE PASSING VOTER I.D., SOMETHING VOTERS ESSENTIALLY REJECTED ABOUT A DECADE AGO BUT THERE IS INTEREST IN CHANGING VOTING LAWS IN BOTH CHAMBERS, JUST VERY DIFFERENT INTERESTS.

IS THERE ANY COMPROMISE LANGUAGE THAT IS REALISTIC, REPRESENTATIVE WINKLER?

>> WELL, WE ARE STARTING FROM TWO VERY DIFFERENT PLACES.

WE BELIEVE THAT THE ELECTION SYSTEM IS BASICALLY SOUND, BASICALLY FAIR.

THERE IS LITTLE OR NO FRAUD IN THE SYSTEM AND THE IDEA THAT SOMEHOW DONALD TRUMP LOST THE ELECTION BECAUSE OF VOTER FRAUD IS A MASSIVE CONSPIRACY THEY ARERY THAT HAS BEEN COOKED UP ON SOCIAL MEDIA BY DONALD TRUMP AND PEOPLE LIKE HIM.

THAT IS NOT A BASIS FOR CHANGING MINNESOTA LAW.

WE HAVE A LARGELY GOOD ELECTION SYSTEM, EXPANDING THE FRANCHISE TO INCLUDE MORE PEOPLE, MAKING IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO PARENT FAIRLY, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM.

AND IF SENATE REPUBLICANS JUST WANT TO CONTINUE WITH THE KIND OF FAR-RIGHT CONSPIRACY THEORY-BASED POLITICS, WE'RE.

>> INTERESTED IN HAVING THAT CONVERSATION.

>> Mary: REPRESENTATIVE DAUDT, DO YOU THINK THERE'S ANY COMPROMISE IN MINNESOTA?

THERE IS THAT NORM IN MINNESOTA LAW THAT THE GOVERNOR WON'T SIGN ANYTHING THAT'S NOT BIPARTISAN.

>> I HEAR A LOT OF IDEOLOGY AND RHETORIC COMING FROM THE DEMOCRATS.

THE REALITY IS THAT SHOWING A DRIVER'S LICENSE TO VOTE DOES MAKE OUR ELECTIONS MORE SECURE AND IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS A BARRIER TO VOTING.

I MEAN, WE REQUIRE A DRIVER'S LICENSE OR A PHOTO I.D.

TO GET WELFARE IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA.

AND THE SENATE BILL ACTUALLY PROVIDES A REE DRIVER'S LICENSE OR-NOT DRIVER'S LICENSE BUT A FREE PHOTO I.D.

TO ANYBODY THAT CAN'T GET ONE IN THEIR BILL SO THIS IS NOT A BARRIER AND I DON'T ACCEPT THE PLIGHTICSIZATION OF THIS ISSUE, TRYING TO SCARE PEOPLE OR TRYING TO DIVIDE PEOPLE BY SAYING THIS IS A VOTER OPPRESSION THING.

THIS LITERALLY IS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT EACH PERSON GETS ONE VOTE AND THIS IS THE SORT OF PROVISION THAT WE NEED IN LAW TO PROTECT YOUR VOTE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT DIDN'T DILUTED.

>> Mary: NEXT ISSUE, THE GOVERNOR TOMORROW IS GOING TO BE TURNING THE IAL ON COVID RESTRICTIONS.

HOW IMPORTANT IS THAT IN THE CLOSING WEEKS HERE AND IS IT POSSIBLE, WHAT DO YOU KNOW, REPRESENTATIVE WINKLER, ABOUT THE GOVERNOR MAYBE BACKING OFF ON SOME OF HIS EMERGENCY POWERS THAT COULD HELP YOU COME TO A BIPARTISAN DEAL FOR THE BUDGET, AND EVERYTHING LEFT TO GO?

>> WELL, WE'RE FORTUNATE THAT MINNESOTANS HAVE BEEN GETTING VACCINATED, THEY'VE BEEN GETTING SIGNED UP, OUR SYSTEM IS WORKING FOR GETTING THOSE VACCINES OUT.

IT ALLOWED US TO GET VACCINES OUT AHEAD OF THE SPRING SURGE IN COVID, AND I THINK WE ARE AT A PLACE WHERE DIALING BACK THE RESTRICTIONS IS ABOUT TIME TO HAPPEN.

AND SO THAT'S POSITIVE, GETTING THE ECONOMY FULLY OPEN, GETTING MINNESOTANS FULLY BACK TO WORK, BACK TO OUR LIVES I THINK WILL BE A POSITIVE THIS SUMMER.

THAT'S THE FOCUS OF THE THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE CLOSING OUT COVID IN THE RIGHT WAY, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE PUTTING THE MONEY THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS SENT MINNESOTA ALONG WITH DEMOCRATS IN CONGRESS GETTING THAT DEPLOYED, GETTING PEOPLE BACK TO WORK, DEALING WITH OUR RACIAL DISPARITIES IN POLICING IS VITALLY IMPORTANT.

>> Mary: WHAT ABOUT THE GOVERNOR, DO YOU EXPECT HIM TO BACK FF ON EMERGENCY POWERS AND MAYBE GET A DEAL GOING IN THE LEGISLATURE?

>> I THINK THE GOVERNOR -- I THINK THE GOVERNOR IS GOING TO TAKE HIS EMERGENCY POWERS, MAKE SURE THAT MINNESOTANS ARE SAFE, HAVE THE ECONOMY AS OPEN AS POSSIBLE AND I THINK BECAUSE OF THE SUCCESS IN VACCINES, WE'RE GOING TO SEE SOME STEPS FORWARD BY THE GOVERNOR TOMORROW THAT SHOULD MAKE IT EASIER TO EXPAND -- OPEN THE ECONOMY TOTALLY AND MOVE THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

>> Mary: REPRESENTATIVE DAUDT, DOES THAT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BREAK THINGS LOOSE AND GET A DEAL GOING IN THE LEGISLATURE?

>> I FULLY EXPECT THE GOVERNOR WILL GIVE US AT LEAST A TIMELINE AND I EXPECT THAT HE -- IF HE DOESN'T, HE SHOULD GIVE US A TIMELINE ON WHEN ALL OF THE DIALS WILL TURN AND WHEN WE'LL BE BACK TO NORMAL.

THE GOOD NEWS IS AND I AGREE WITH REPRESENTATIVE WINKLER, THE VACCINATION, WE'RE FAR OVER 50% OF MINNESOTANS VACCINATED NOW.

THAT HAS CRASHED OUR NUMBERS AND ALL IN A GOOD DIRECTION.

SO IT'S REALLY GOOD FOR THE STATE OF MINNESOTA.

I THINK WHERE THE GOVERNOR HAS A PROBLEM IS, IF WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE OUR HIGH VACCINATION RATE IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA, YOU HAVE TO GIVE SOMEBODY A REWARD FOR GETTING VACCINATED.

YOU CAN'T ASK SOMEBODY TO GET VACCINATED AND THEN STILL EXPECT THEM TO WEAR A MASK EVERYWHERE THAT THEY GO OR FOLLOW EVERY SINGLE -- THERE HAS TO BE SOME REWARD WHERE YOU SAY IF YOU GET VACCINATED, WE WILL DO THIS.

UM -- AND THE GOVERNOR KEEPING HIS EMERGENCY POWERS SHOULD NOT BE A NEGOTIATED TOOL.

THOSE NEED TO END AND NOT BECAUSE ANYBODY WANTS TO END A CERTAIN EXECUTIVE ORDER OR NOT, BECAUSE THE GOVERNOR SHOULD BE WORKING WITH THE LEGISLATURE.

THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT, AND THE LEGISLATURE HAS BEEN EXCLUDED FROM THIS PROCESS AND THE GOVERNOR'S BEEN GOING IT ALONE WHEN -- WHEN, FRANKLY, I THINK THAT SHOWS A LACK OF LEADERSHIP ON THE GOVERNOR'S PART.

>> Mary: LET'S TRY TO GET THROUGH ANOTHER ISSUE.

REPRESENTATIVE WINKLER, YOUR ADULT USE CANNABIS BILL CLEARED ITS 11th COMMITTEE TODAY, BIPARTISAN VOTES, REPRESENTATIVE GAROFALO GOT AN AMENDMENT ON, IS THIS GOING TO BE A BIPARTISAN THING THAT YOU CAN GET MOVING IN THE SENATE?

>> WELL, I THINK IT WILL E A BIPARTISAN BILL PASSING THE MINNESOTA HOUSE, AND I THINK THERE IS BIPARTISAN SUPPORT IN THE MINNESOTA SENATE.

I DON'T KNOW THAT KNOWLEDGE REP -- SENATOR GAZELKA AND HIS TEAM ARE WILLING TO HAVE THIS VOTE TAKE PLACE IN THE MINNESOTA SENATE BECAUSE I THINK THEY KNOW IT WOULD PROBABLY PASS AND MOST MINNESOTANS WOULD BE VERY HAPPY IF IT DID.

I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THE HOLD-UP IS.

I HOPE IT ISN'T JUST ABOUT ELECTORAL PROTECTION FOR HIM IN A RACE FOR GOVERNOR OR SOMETHING ABOUT PROTECTING SENATE SEATS BY HAVING THIRD-PARTY CANDIDATES RUN AS SPOILERS.

I HOPE IT'S NOT ABOUT THAT POLITICS.

I HOPE THAT IN FACT THEY WILL JUST LISTEN TO THE VOTERS OF MINNESOTA, LISTEN TO THE BIPARTISAN SUPPORT AND GET ON BOARD.

AT LEAST WE NEED TO MAKE CHANGES TO OUR MEDICAL CANNABIS PROGRAM, AT LEAST WE SHOULD WORK ON DECRIMINALIZATION AND MOVE TOWARDS FULL LEGALIZATION.

POLITICS SHOULD NOT GET N THE WASTE OF WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT ON THIS.

>> Mary: RUNNING OUT OF TIME, LAST COMMENT ON WHETHER YOU'RE GOING TO FINISH AND GET THOSE TARGETS OUT, REPRESENTATIVE DAUDT, DO YOU THINK IT'S REALISTIC THAT SIGNIFICANCE WILL FINISH ON TIME?

>> WHAT ARE WE, TWO WEEKS FROM THIS LAST ONDAY, A LITTLE MORE THAN A WEEK AND A HALF TO GO?

I ACTUALLY EXPECT THAT E WILL.

I THINK WITH THE FEDERAL DOLLARS WE HAVE AND THE NATIONAL SURPLUS THAT WE HAVE, THAT WE HAVE THE TOOLS TO BALANCE THIS BUDGET WITHOUT RAISING TAXES.

WE CAN CURB THE GOVERNOR'S EMERGENCY POWERS, WE CAN GRAB CONTROL AND MAKE SURE THE LEGISLATURE IS APPROPRIATING THE $2.6 BILLION IN SPENDING AND WE HAVE ALL THE TOOLS RIGHT AT OUR FINGERTIPS TO WRAP THIS UP.

WE HAVE TO DUMP THE -- U.I.~ INSURANCE AND I THINK WE'LL GET IT DONE.

>> Mary: WE HAVE TO WRAP THIS UP, THANK YOU SO MUCH, Mr.

MINORITY LEADER AND Mr.

MAJORITY LEADER.

APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

♪♪ >> MARY: UP NEXT, A FIRST-TERM LAWMAKER WHO FLIPPED A DISTRICT BEATING AN INCUMBENT OF THE OPPOSITE PARTY WHO THINKS HIS DISTRICT IS A CROSS-SECTION OF AMERICA ITSELF.

>> I'M.

DRIVEN TO BE A POLITICIAN.

>> I KNOW YOU RAN FOR OFFICE MORE THAN ONCE BUT WHY DID YOU WANT TO BE AND RUN IN THE STATE SENATE IN PARTICULAR?

>> WELL, SO I RAN FOR THE MINNESOTA HOUSE IN 206 AND AGAIN IN 2018 AND THERE'S SOMETHING TO ME AT LEAST ABOUT THE PROCESS OF RUNNING FOR POLITICS THAT IN MANY WAYS IS VERY UPLIFTING.

I KNOW THIS MIGHT SOUND A LITTLE BIT NAIVE AND I'M COMFORTABLE WITH THAT BUT I'M A LOT MORE INTERESTED IN THE PROCESS THAN I AM IN THE RESULT.

AND SO HROUGH THE ACTIVE CAMPAIGNING, YOU CAN MAKE YOUR COMMUNITY STRONGER.

AND SO THAT'S WHY I'VE STAYED IN THE BUSINESS.

>> Mary: HAVE YOU DISCOVERED SINCE YOU'RE NOW IN THE LEGISLATURE THAT THE SENATE IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN THE HOUSE?

>> YES, THAT IS TOTALLY TRANSPARENT.

OBVIOUSLY NEVER HAVING SERVED IN THE HOUSE, I STILL KNOW A LOT OF FOLKS OVER THERE, I WAS FAIRLY INVOLVED WITH THEM BECAUSE I WAS CAMPAIGNING WITH THEM IT'S CLEARLY A COMPLETELY OTHER WORLD.

TO BE TOTALLY CANDID, BECAUSE IT'S JUST ME AND YOU, RIGHT, I THINK I ENDED UP WHERE I BELONG.

>> Mary: LET'S TALK GEOGRAPHY, THE POLITICS OF GEOGRAPHY BECAUSE YOU STAND OUT AS THE RARE UNUSUAL DEMOCRAT WHO TOOK A REPUBLICAN SEAT OUTSIDE THE METRO AREA.

NOW, I KNOW THE St.

CLOUD AREA IS A POPULATION CENTER BUT IT'S OUTSIDE THE METRO.

HOW DID YOU DO THAT?

>> WELL, A COUPLE THINGS.

ONE, I THINK THAT SOMETIMES TOO OFTEN WE GIVE TOO MUCH CREDIT TO POLITICIANS, AND THAT IT'S NOTHING THAT I SPECIFICALLY DID.

I THINK MY COMMUNITY WAS READY FOR A CHANGE OF PACE.

AND St.

CLOUD IS A FASCINATING PLACE.

IT REALLY IS.

I GENUINELY BELIEVE THAT.

RIGHT BEFORE COVID, I WAS AT TOWNSHIP TUESDAY IN HAYDEN TOWNSHIP BECAUSE THERE IS St.

CLOUD BUT THERE'S ALSO St. AUGUSTTAKE, WE HAVE FARMERS, LOCAL AREAS, WE HAVE ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT FOLKS GOING ON.

AND WE HAD A COUPLE HOUR-LONG CONVERSATION GOING ON ABOUT THE GOPHER BOUNTY, ABOUT HOW CAN YOU GET KIDS THESE DAYS TO HUNT GOPHERS, BECAUSE THEY WON'T DO IT FOR $3, IF WE GO TO 4, ARE WE SPLITTING THEM, SHOULD WE GO TO 3.50?

IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD, I THOUGHT IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD, THE CAN IT WHO NEEDS TO BE INSPIRED TO GO HUNT GOPHERS FOR $3.50 IS SITTING IGHT NOW IN A MIDDLE SCHOOL NEXT TO A KID WHO FLED IVIL WAR IN KENYA.

St.

CLOUD IS AMERICA.

IT IS COMPLEX, IT IS FULL OF POTENTIAL.

AND I'M DEEPLY COMMITTED TO THE PLACE AND SO, FOR ME, I DON'T THINK MY ELECTION WAS AN ABERRATION OR SOMETHING STRANGE.

I THINK IT WAS JUST AN ALIGNMENT WITH WHO WE ARE.

>> Mary: HOW IS St.

CLOUD DOING WITH THE DIVERSITY ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF THE STATE, THE NATION REALLY HURTING AND REALLY STRUGGLING THROUGH A LOT OF ISSUES WITH RACE AND POLICING AND IMMIGRATION.

St.

CLOUD IS KIND OF A MICROCOSM OF A LOT OF THOSE ISSUES, ISN'T IT?

>> OH, YEAH, IT ABSOLUTELY IS.

AND NOT AT THE RISK OF BEING A LITTLE BIT TOO OPTIMISTIC, WHICH IS KIND OF WHERE I AM ALL THE TIME, I THINK THAT WE'RE DOING PRETTY WELL.

AND I SAY THAT WITH THE PAUSE INTENTIONAL BECAUSE WE'RE NOT PERFECT, WE'RE NOT DOING NECESSARILY AWESOMELY BUT WE'RE DOING PRETTY WELL WITH THE TOUGH LIFT.

OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT IN St.

CLOUD IN WAITE PARK HAVE BOTH BEEN DOING SOME REALLY INNOVATIVE STUFF, CO-RESPONDERS FOR CIVIL YEARS NOW.

WE HAVE SOCIAL WORKERS GOING OUTS ON CALLS ALREADY WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT HERE.

WE HAVE A COP HOUSE HERE WHERE WE HAVE A RESIDENTIAL SPACE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE WE HAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTUALLY LIVING IN THE COMMUNITY WITH THE PEOPLE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE WORKING WITH AND TOM EMMER, OUR CONGRESSMAN, IS GOING TO TAKE OUR MODEL OF WHAT WE'RE DOING IN St.

CLOUD AND TRY TO ROLL IT OUT ON THE NATIONAL STAGE.

SO WE'RE DOING INNOVATIVE, COOL THINGS, BUT IN THE CONTEXT OF TREMENDOUS DIFFICULT.

SO I WOULD SAY THAT WE'RE DOING WELL, CONSIDERATION.

>> SO WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST SURPRISES OR CHALLENGES YOU'VE FACED?

>> YOU KNOW, ON THE D.F.L.

SIDE, WE'RE ALL VERY ATTUNED TO COVID PROTOCOLS AND SO THERE'S NOT A TON OF US IN THE OFFICE ALL THE TIME.

AND THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DISAPPOINTING BECAUSE I WOULD REALLY LIKE ORE OF THOSE KIND OF INFORMAL CONVERSATIONS, YOU KNOW, AND THE MAJORITY ON THE FLOOR ABOVE US, IT'S NOT LIKE I CAN BUMP INTO PAUL GAZELKA AT THE WATER COOLER AND THOSE ARE THE KIND OF CONVERSATIONS THAT I THINK ARE MOST PRODUCTIVE, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE OF COVID, WE HAVEN'T HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THOSE KIND OF CONVERSATIONS AS MUCH.

SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE ONE KIND OF IF NOT SURPRISE, DISAPPOINTMENT, REALLY.

♪♪ >> MY WIFE AND I MOVED INTO A HOUSE THAT HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY THE CHILDHOOD HOME OF A WALTER MONDALE.

HE'S A AIRLY FAMOUS HUMAN BEING IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA SO I'M A HISTORY TEACHER, AS WELL.

I THOUGHT THAT WAS PRETTY AWESOME, YOU KNOW, KNOWING THAT HE ACTUALLY ANNOUNCED HIS CANDIDACY FOR PRESIDENT BACK IN THE 1980s FROM MY BACK IMPORTANT: HE MEANT A LOT O A LOT OF PEOPLE, HE MINUTES A LOT TO SOMEONE FROM ELMORE, ESPECIALLY, DOESN'T MATTER WHAT SIDE OF THE AISLE YOU'RE ON, THE FACT THAT HE WAS HERE FOR MINNESOTA, HE WAS FOR MINNESOTANS AND HIS NUMBER ONE GOAL REGARDLESS OF WHAT SIDE OF THE AISLE YOU'RE ON, YOU CAN'T ARGUE THAT HE WAS NOT FOR THE PEOPLE.

HE WAS TUTLY FOR PEOPLE.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK INTO AND JUST SAY, HEY, IS WHAT WE'RE DOING, IS IT FOR PEOPLE BECAUSE IF IT IS, WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.

>> MARY: THAT'S OUR SHOW FOR TONIGHT.

MAKE SURE TO TUNE IN AGAIN NEXT WEDNESDAY NIGHT WHEN THE LEGISLATURE WILL HAVE JUST A FEW DAYS LEFT TO COMPLETE THEIR WORK BEFORE THEY ADJOURN.

UNTIL THEN, YOU CAN HEAD TO OUR WEBSITE, TPT.ORG/AATC, WATCH ANY OF OUR SHOWS, INCLUDING TONIGHT'S.

FOLLOW US ALL WEEK ON FACEBOOK, LOOK FOR LEGISLATIVE UPDATES AND MORE FROM OUR TEAM ON TWITTER.

THAT'S ALL AT TPT.ORG/AATC WHEN THE LEGISLATURE IS IN SESSION, YOU CAN FOLLOW HOUSE AND SENATE FLOOR ACTION, COMMITTEE HEARINGS AND MORE, EVERY MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY ON THE PBS STATION YOU ARE WATCHING RIGHT NOW.

MAKE SURE TO TUNE IN TO "ALMANAC" ON FRIDAY NIGHT.

KEVIN KLING HAS A SPECIAL MOTHER'S DAY ESSAY FOR US.

ERIC AND CATHY WILL TALK WITH A COUPLE OF CAPITOL REPORTERS, AND I'LL TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT GOVERNOR WALZ TURNING THE DIAL ON COVID RESTRICTIONS TOWARDS LARGER CAPACITY GATHERINGS AND MORE.

THAT'S OUR SHOW.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

GOOD NIGHT.

Captioned by: Paradigm Reporting/Captioning www.paradigmreporting.com "ALMANAC AT THE CAPITOL" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY MEMBERS OF THIS PUBLIC TV STATION.

SUPPORT IS ALSO PROVIDED BY... GREAT RIVER ENERGY: POWERING WHAT'S POSSIBLE.

MANITOBA HYDRO: PROVIDING CLEAN, RENEWABLE ENERGY TO MINNESOTA UTILITIES FOR NEARLY 50 YEARS.

MANITOBAHYDROPOWER.COM.

ENBRIDGE: CONNECTING MINNESOTANS WITH ENERGY FOR OVER 70 YEARS.

MORE AT ENBRIDGE.COM/LINE3US.

LIUNA: MINNESOTA'S INFRASTRUCTURE UNION, REPRESENTING 12,000 SKILLED CONSTRUCTION LABORERS.

LIUNAMINNESOTA.ORG.

MINNESOTA LOTTERY.

PLAYING OUR PART BY GENERATING FUNDS FOR MINNESOTA.

IF YOU'RE GAME, JUST SAY I'M IN.

AND THE SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY: A TRIBAL NATION FOCUSED ON COMMUNITY AND COLLABORATION, ESPECIALLY IN TIMES LIKE TODAY.

"ALMANAC AT THE CAPITOL" IS A PRODUCTION OF TWIN CITIES PBS FOR THE STATIONS OF MINNESOTA PUBLIC TELEVISION ASSOCIATION.