>> Barry: WE WILL COME BACK AND TALK ABOUT THE LEGACY ISSUE BECAUSE THAT'S SOME CONVERSATION WITH THE VIEWERS.

I WANT TO START WITH AN ISSUE THAT'S VERY MUCH IN THE FOREFRONT.

WE HAD SENATOR HOFFMAN AND ENGLER ON TO DISCUSS IT.

WE HAD A COUPLE OF WEEKS WHERE WE HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT ON IT.

LET'S GO TO SENATOR BOLDON AND TALK ABOUT NURSING HOME ISSUES, STAFFING QUESTIONS.

WE HAVE A SERIES OF QUESTIONS FROM A VARIETY OF VIEWERS AROUND THE VIEWING AREA WITH ISSUES, CONCERNS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT NURSING HOMES CAN STAY OPEN AND HOW WE DEAL WITH THE STAFFING PROBLEMS.

IT'S NOT LIMITED TO NURSING HOMES, BUT LET'S START WITH THAT.

TELL OUR VIEWERS WHAT MIGHT BE HAPPENING ON THAT ISSUE THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION, AND WE WILL GET TO THE REST OF THE PANEL.

>> I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION AND APPRECIATE YOUR VIEWERS RAISING IT.

IT'S IMPORTANT.

MY BACKGROUND IS A REGISTERED NURSE, AND MY VERY FIRST JOB IN HIGH SCHOOL IS AS A CNA IN A LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY.

I RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S A CHALLENGE AND IT IS HARD WORK AND IMPORTANT WORK, AND MAKING SURE THAT OTHER SENIORS ARE CARED FOR IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT, AND THERE ARE ABSOLUTE CHALLENGES WITH THAT RIGHT NOW.

I ALSO MENTIONED I SERVE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE, AND WE HAVE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS CERTAINLY, AND THE NEED TO MAKE INVESTMENTS SO FACILITIES CAN STAY OPEN AND STAFFING IS A PIECE OF THAT AS WELL.

STAFFING IN NURSING HOMES IS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S WORKFORCE CHALLENGES, BUT STAFFING OF THE NURSING HOME IS DEFINITELY DIFFERENT THAN STAFFING WITH A WIDGET FACTORY, AND TALKING ABOUT CARE OF OUR NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS AND FAMILY.

I EXPERIENCED FIRSTHAND STAFFING ISSUES WITH MY WORK IN THE HOSPITAL AS WELL.

WE ARE ABSOLUTELY HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND TALKING ABOUT PASSING A BUDGET, PART OF WHAT WE WILL SEE IN HHS BUDGET, I'M CERTAIN, MAYBE INVESTMENTS TO BE SURE WE CAN CONTINUE THAT WORK AND SENIORS CAN HAVE THE CARE THEY NEED AND DESERVE.

>> Barry: SENATOR LUCERO, NURSING HOME ISSUES, STAFFING QUESTIONS, ET CETERA.

>> WELL, I DON'T SIT ON ANY OF THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEES OR RELATED AREAS.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I AM AWARE OF IS THE BUDGET TARGETS ARE RELEASED BY MAJORITIES AND ARE SHORT OF WHAT IS NEEDED IN ORDER TO HELP THE LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES, ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES TO ENSURE THAT OUR SENIORS AND THE AGING HAVE THE DIGNITY AND HIGHEST QUALITY OF LIFE POSSIBLE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE HEARD THROUGH CONSTITUENTS AND COMMUNICATIONS FROM ACROSS THE STATE, AS A MATTER OF FACT, IS THE FACT THAT PEOPLE THAT ARE HELPING ARE SENIORS IN THIS AREA, WHETHER IT BE IN THE ASSISTED LIVING OR IN YOUR HOME IS THEY ARE NOT PAYING ENOUGH.

IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND THOSE THAT ARE WILLING AND ABLE TO HELP OUR SENIORS IN THESE ROLES.

SO THE FACT -- THE BUDGET TARGETS FALL SHORT OF WHAT IS NEEDED IN ORDER TO PROPERLY FUND NURSING LEVELS TO GIVE SENIORS IS INCREDIBLY DISTURBING.

>> Barry: REPRESENTATIVE HEINTZEMAN, YOUR THOUGHTS.

>> THANK YOU, BARRY, FOR THAT QUESTION.

IT IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL THAT WE GET THIS RIGHT.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE MINNESOTA ZOO HAS BEEN IN THE ENVIRONMENT BILL APPROPRIATED ALMOST $30 MILLION.

CUMULATIVELY IF YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE FUNDING OVER BASE THAT HAS BEEN PROPOSED ON OUR SIDE, AND BY THAT, I MEAN OVER ON THE HOUSE SIDE, WE ARE ONLY SEEING JUST SHY OF $4 MILLION TO GET AT THIS VERY CRITICAL ISSUE OF STAFFING.

IT'S NOT ENOUGH.

IT'S BEEN AN UPHILL BATTLE FOR US ON THE GOP SIDE OF THE AISLE TO TRY AND CONVINCE OUR COLLEAGUES THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT ABSOLUTELY HAS TO BE ADDRESSED AND IF THERE EVER WAS A TIME TO DO THAT, IT'S RIGHT NOW.

WE HAVE, DEPENDING ON HOW YOU WORK THE MATH, THERE WAS RECENTLY LEGISLATION THAT TAKES A DIFFERENT LOOK AT OUR CURRENT DOLLARS, BUT WITHOUT THE INFLATIONARY LANGUAGE THAT DEMOCRATS RECENTLY PASSED, WE HAVE NEARLY A $19 BILLION SURPLUS.

TO ONLY FIND JUST SHORT OF $3 MILLION FOR THIS SUBJECT AREA IS JUST MIND BLOWING.

I HAVE NO EXPLANATION.

IT CAN'T BE EXPLAINED.

I'M HOPING TO SEE SOMETHING COME THAT COULD POTENTIALLY ADDRESS THIS IN CONFERENCE COMMITTEE,