>> CATHY: IN THE NEXT HOUR WE'LL CHECK IN WITH THE MPR NEWS REPORTER COVERING THE MAYOR'S RACE IN DULUTH, LARRY FITZGERALD IS HERE TO ASSESS THE VIKINGS CHANCES WITHOUT INJURED STAR QB KIRK COUSINS, AND TANE DANGER HAS BROUGHT A FRIEND ALONG WITH HIM TONIGHT.

>> ERIC: WE START TONIGHT WITH YESTERDAY'S STATE APPEALS COURT RULING ON THE NEW MINNESOTA LAW THAT RESTORED VOTING RIGHTS TO SOME FELONS.

THE DECISION SAID THAT IT WAS NOT LEGAL FOR A MILLE LACS COUNTY JUDGE TO TELL DEFENDANTS THEY COULD NOT VOTE AND THE JUDGE COULD NOT DECLARE THE NEW LAW UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

THE LAW IN QUESTION RESTORED VOTING RIGHTS TO MORE THAN 50,000 MINNESOTANS.

HERE WITH MORE, DFL STATE SENATOR BOBBY JOE CHAMPION, PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND CHIEF AUTHOR OF THE "RESTORE THE VOTE" BILL THAT BECAME LAW EARLIER THIS YEAR.

Mr. PRESIDENT, THIS IS FOR FOLKS THAT HAVE HAD A FELONY, FINISHED THEIR JAIL, PRISON SENTENCE, BUT STILL MAY BE ON PAROLE OR PROBATION?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> Eric: HOW -- ARE PEOPLE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF IT?

>> I BELIEVE SO.

AND PEOPLE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LEARNED IS THAT THE 55,000 PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES WOULD BE IMPACTED OR HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY THE INABILITY TO VOTE AND NOW THEY WILL BE ABLE TO VOTE IS ALL ACROSS MINNESOTA.

MOST PEOPLE THINK IT'S AN URBAN ISSUE, BUT IT'S NOT.

ONLY 36% OF THAT 55,000 IS FROM HENNEPIN AND RAMSEY COUNTY.

WHERE 64% IS OUTSTATE AND IN THE SUBURBS.

SO, THEY ARE EXCITED ABOUT IT.

IT'S OUR FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS, FAMILY MEMBERS, WHO NOW WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE.

AND IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT VOTING.

IT'S RESTORING THEIR DIGNITY, BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO NEVER WENT TO PRISON, BECAUSE IN MINNESOTA, WE HAVE WHAT THEY CALL LONG PROBATIONARY PERIODS WHERE ONE PERSON TESTIFIED THAT JUDGE GAVE HER 40 YEARS ON PROBATION.

SO SHE WOULD BE 71 YEARS OLD BEFORE SHE WOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE.

THAT'S NOT WHAT WE WOULD WANT TO HAPPEN.

AND, SO, THAT'S WHY RESTORE THE VOTE IS SOMETHING THAT A CROSS-SECTION OF PEOPLE CAME TOGETHER, COALITIONS, TO SAY, THIS WILL RESTORE ONE'S DIGNITY AND WE SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE BECAUSE OUR VOICE SHOULD BE HEARD.

>> Cathy: I'M SURE YOU WERE THINKING THERE WERE GOING TO BE CHALLENGES TO THIS LAW, RIGHT?

BUT I'M WONDERING, DID YOU SEE IT COMING ROM A MILLE LACS JUDGE WHO CALLED THE LAW INTO QUESTION?

>> LET ME JUST SAY, LET ME GRAB MY CRYSTAL BALL, NO, I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS GOING TO COME FROM A MILLE LACS JUDGE.

BUT I REALIZED THAT THERE'S BEEN A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE TRIED TO STOP INDIVIDUALS FROM BEING ABLE TO VOTE, TO UNDERMINE OUR DEMOCRACY.

SO WE KNEW THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME PUSHBACK SOMEPLACE.

BUT I DIDN'T THINK A MILLE LACS JUDGE WOULD GO SO FAR AS TO, IN HIS CAPACITY, TO SAY, THIS LEGISLATION IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

BUT I'M THANKFUL FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE, AS WELL AS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND OTHERS WHO RESPONDED EXPEDITIOUSLY IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS CLARIFIED.

AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT THE COURT OF APPEALS CLARIFIED.

>> Eric: THERE IS ANOTHER LAWSUIT THAT'S STILL PENDING, I THINK, ON THE LAW ITSELF.

THIS WAS FIST INTRODUCED BACK, I THINK, 2003.

FIRST.

WHAT TOOK SO LONG?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IT TAKES GETTING THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT PLACES AND IN THE RIGHT POSITIONS, NUMBER ONE.

AND I'M THANKFUL FOR NOW ATTORNEY GENERAL KEITH ELLISON AND FORMER STATE SENATOR LINDA HIGGINS, WHO CARRIED IT IN '03.

>> Eric: YEAH.

>> AND THEN ONCE THEY WERE NO LONGER IN THE LEGISLATURE, THEN I PICKED UP THE MEMENTO AND HAVE GONE FORWARD.

AND I'M THANKFUL ALSO TO THE HOUSE MEMBER, FRAZIER, WHO ALSO CARRIED IT ON THE HOUSE SIDE.

WHAT TOOK SO LONG, SOMETIMES PEOPLE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS BEING REQUESTED AND WHY.

AND THERE WAS?

OPPOSITION THAT DIDN'T REALLY AMOUNT TO -- AND THERE WAS SOME OPPOSITION THAT DIDN'T REALLY AMOUNT TO MUCH, RIGHT?

SO WHEN WE THINK IN TERMS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE -- WHO HAVE COMMITTED FELONIES, THEY'RE PAYING TAXES, THEY'RE RAISING FAMILIES, THEY'RE BEING LAW ABIDING AND ALL THE LAWS SUGGEST WHEN THEY'RE BEING INVOLVED IN PRO SOCIAL ACTIVITIES, THEY'RE A PART OF SOCIETY, RECIDIVISM GOES DOWN.

WHAT DO WE WANT?

WE WANT INDIVIDUALS TO FEEL INCLUDED, A PART OF OUR SOCIETY, AND FOR US NOT TO ALWAYS JUDGE THEM ON THEIR PAST INFRACTION.

>> Cathy: DO YOU KNOW, DO YOU HAVE ANY SENSE AS TO HOW THESE FOLKS MIGHT FIT INTO GET OUT THE VOTE EFFORTS COMING UP HERE IN THIS NEXT ELECTION AND THE ELECTION AFTER THAT EVEN?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

IN FACT, I WOULD JUST ADD, AN EVENT RIGHT BEFORE -- I WAS AT AN EVENT RIGHT BEFORE I CAME HERE, ALL SQUARED, THAT'S A PLACE WHERE INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY HAVE HAD A TOUGH TIME IN THE PAST, WHO PAID THEIR DEBT TO SOCIETY, BUT THEY'RE WORKING, AND THEY HAD A RALLY OF RESTORING THE VOTE AND REGISTERING PEOPLE TO VOTE.

AND BEFORE THAT, ON SATURDAY, I WAS AT AN ORGANIZATION CALLED PEOPLE OF POWER.

THEY HAD A COLLABORATION WITH LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS TO MAKE SURE INDIVIDUALS ARE REGISTERED AND THEY COULD ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT CANDIDATES AND THEY CAN DO -- AND GO THROUGH ALL THE PACE THAT IS ARE REQUIRED.

AND, SO, I JUST THINK THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL EFFORTS IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE, NUMBER ONE, KNOW ABOUT THE LAW.

>> Eric: YEAH.

>> NUMBER TWO, SUPPORT IT.

NUMBER THREE, MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN INCREASE VOTER TURNOUT.

>> Eric: IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT EFFECT IT HAS ON VOTER TURNOUT.

THANKS VERY MUCH FOR COMING OVER.

APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

AND I