AND SOME BIG MATH ON THAT QUESTION.

>> Eric: THANKS FOR COMING ON.

BIGGEST BIG OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS NOW LAW.

WITH NO SIGNING CEREMONY, GOVERNOR TIM WALZ APPROVED A HARD-FOUGHT COMPROMISE ON SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS.

THE BIPARTISAN DEAL TOOK MONTHS TO HASH OUT AND REPORTER MARY LAHAMMER TAKES US INSIDE THE PROCESS WITH THE ONLY LAWMAKER WHO WAS A POLICE OFFICER IN SCHOOLS.

>> THE BILL IS PASSED AND ITS TITLE AGREED TO.

[ Banging Gavel ] >> A BILL TO GET POLICE OFFICERS BACK IN SCHOOLS QUICKLY GOT THE GOVERNOR'S SIGNATURE.

>> SOME GUARDRAILS THAT HAVE NOT EXISTED PRIOR TO THIS TIME, INCLUDING TRAINING, INCLUDING A MODEL POLICY.

>> WE CAN KEEP OUR STUDENTS SAFE IN SCHOOL AND THE FOLKS WHO DO THAT JOB CAN DO SO KNOWING THERE ARE RULES AROUND WHAT THEY CAN DO, TO BE PROTECTED.

>> LET'S LIGHT THE BOARD UP GREEN AGAIN.

THE BILL IS SIMILAR TO WHAT WE PASSED, IT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE PASSED LAST TIME SO LET'S GET THIS MOVING AND BE DONE WITH IT.

>> THE COMPROMISE CONFERENCE REPORT NEEDED SUPPORT FROM REPUBLICANS TO PASS WITH HELP OF A KEY MEMBER OF THE MINORITY CAUCUS.

>> THEY NEEDED YOU AND YOUR CAUCUS, THAT'S A HARSH REALITY.

>> I HAD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, I THINK THAT'S THE PART I COULD BRING.

I WAS ALSO AN SRO FOR 27 YEARS OF MY CAREER WITH BURNSVILLE P.D.

>> AND YOU'RE THE ONLY MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATURE WHO'S DONE THAT JOB THAT'S BEEN DEBATED FOR THE LAST EIGHT MONTHS.

>> EXACTLY.

EXACTLY.

SO YOU KNOW YOU HAVE THAT REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE.

>> THAT EXPERIENCE GOT THE FRESHMAN FROM A SWING DISTRICT ON A COVETED CONFERENCE COMMITTEE.

>> I WILL SIT ON THAT KIND OF CONFERENCE COMMITTEE ALL THE TIME WHEN WE COME TO AGREEANCE AND OBVIOUSLY THE SENATE CREED TO THE HOUSE IN WHAT WE BROUGHT FORTH IN A BILL.

I PPRECIATE MY COLLEAGUES ACROSS THE AISLE, FINALLY -- I HAD MY HAND EXTENDED THE WHOLE TIME.

>> TOOK LITTLE WHILE.

>> TO GRAB THAT, AND I THINK IT WAS HELPFUL.

>> THE REPUBLICANS STILL RIPPED THE ORIGINAL BILL THAT HAD TO BE FIXED BUT THEY LARGELY VOTED FOR IT.

>> NO INCIDENCES REPORTED OF SROs EVER ACTING IMPROPERLY.

SO, YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC COULD BE SCRATCHING THEIR HEAD SAYING, WELL, WHY IN THE WORLD DID WE END UP WITH THIS TERRIBLE SRO LAW, THEN?

>> THIS WAS A GOVERNOR WALZ INITIATIVE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT HAD THE VERY INTENDED CONSEQUENCES IN WHICH WERE DISCOVERED.

WE REMOVED SCHOOL RESOURCE PERSONNEL, SCHOOL SAFETY PERSONNEL FROM OUR SCHOOLS AND VIOLENCE HAS CONTINUED.

>> NOBODY CAN POINT TO THIS WRATH OF OFFICERS IN THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE ABUSING AND CAUSING HARM TO CHILDREN.

IT'S NOT HAPPENING.

>> WE'RE VERY, VERY VERY CAREFUL NOT TO POLITICIZE THE ISSUE BECAUSE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OUR KIDS IN OUR SCHOOLS.

>> THE SENATOR AND THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM LAKEVILLE BOTH BECAME THE LEAD VOICES IN THEIR CAUCUS ON THE ISSUE OF SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS.

AND TURNS OUT THE REPRESENTATIVE WON A SEAT IN THE COMPETITIVE SUBURB BY JUST 700 VOTES.

>> SENATOR ZACH DUCKWORTH AND I HAVE A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP AND WHEN THIS FIRST CAME TO ME I WENT TO MY CAUCUS TO MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, HEY, WE NEED TO LEAD ON THIS.

AND THAT WAS THE GOAL.

LET'S LEAD, LET'S FIND A SOLUTION, LET'S HAVE OUR HAND OUT WITH A BIPARTISAN -- BUT ALSO MENTIONED TO SENATOR ZACH DUCKWORTH WHO IS A VETERAN BUT ALSO VOLUNTEER FIRE MEMBER BUT ALSO ON THE SCHOOL BOARD SO HE UNDERSTOOD THE IMPORTANCE OF IT.

>> THE FINAL VOTES WERE SPLIT.

>> I'M NOT GOING TO BE VOTE FOR IT TODAY.

I WANT US ALL TO TRULY HOLD THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS AND NOT JUST THE PHYSICAL SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS BUT ALSO THE SAFETY EMOTIONALLY.

>> I WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT DID NOT VOTE FOR THIS AS IT MOVED OFF THE FLOOR.

I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE VERY MINDFUL WORK THAT WAS DONE AS WE TRY TO BALANCE MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE TREATING ALL CHILDREN AS CHILDREN AND TREATING THEM WITH EQUITY AND MAKING SURE WE ARE NOT DOING MORE HARM TO THEM.

>> SOME PEOPLE SAY THIS IS NOT A PERFECT BILL.

WELL, QUITE HONESTLY, WHAT BILL IS PERFECT WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH 201 LEGISLATORS?

BUT THIS PARTICULAR BILL IS SEVERAL, IT HAS THE SUPPORT OF ALL THREE MAJOR LAW ENFORCEMENT PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.

>> THE LEGISLATURE HAS HAD A RECKONING WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AFTER GEORGE FLOYD'S MURDER.

BUT THE DEATH OF BURNSVILLE FIRST RESPONDERS HAD LAWMAKERS RALLYING AROUND OFFICERS AT THE MEMORIAL.

>> I DECIDED NOT TO SIT WITH MY CAUCUS OR THE ELECTED OFFICIALS.

I SAT WITH MY ALUMNI FAMILY WITH BURNSVILLE AND THAT WAS TOUGH BECAUSE I'M WATCHING PEOPLE THAT I HAD TRAINED AND HAD, WAS SIDE BY SIDE ON THE STREET WALKED BY AND THAT WAS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART FOR ME.

>> SO YOU PUT ON YOUR LAW ENFORCEMENT HAT NOT YOUR LAWMAKER HAT THAT DAY.

>> EXACTLY.

AND I WAS IN THE RIGHT PLACE WHERE I NEEDED TO BE THAT DAY.

>> SAYS HE'S APPROACHING BEING A NEW LAWMAKER JUST LIKE BEING A NEW OFFICER.

>> I KEPT MY EYES AND EARS WIDE OPEN AND MY MOUTH SHUT AND I REALLY TRIED TO LEARN AND I TRIED TO BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND WHEN THE SUMMER CAME AND LAW ENFORCEMENT CAME TO ME WITH THIS I JUST RELIED ON THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.

ROLLED UP MY SLEEVES AND TRIED TO WORK BOTH WAYS.

>> ANYTHING ELSE THAT WOULD SURPRISE PEOPLE THAT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THIS WHOLE PROCESS YOU WENT THROUGH ON THIS HUGE ISSUE?

>> I THINK MINNESOTANS WANT THIS.

THEY WANT US WORKING TOGETHER.

I THINK BY COMING TOGETHER I THINK WE HAVE TRONGER LEGISLATION BECAUSE WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER,