ALL OF STATE GOVERNMENT IS AT STAKE THIS FALL.

AFTER THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION CONCLUDES, HOUSE MEMBERS WILL HIT THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL.

AS REPORTER MARY LAHAMMER SHOWS US, THE ELECTION AHEAD COULD FRAME WHAT DOES OR DOESN'T GET DONE IN A SESSION WITH A SMALLER TO-DO LIST.

[ Banging Gavel ] >> THE HOUSE WILL COME TO ORDERS.

>> Mary: THE 2024 LEGISLATIVE SESSION HAS BEGUN.

BUT NOT BEFORE GOVERNOR WALZ, SPATULA IN HANDS, TRIED TO CREATE A SWEET START TO WHAT'S BECOME A TRADITION.

>> APPLE BLONDE DES, WE'RE TRYING SOMETHING NEW.

A LITTLE HEALTHIER, KIND OF THE CINNAMON APPLE ON HE TOP.

>> Mary: IS IT GOING TO SWEETEN UP SESSION FOR YOU?

>> IT'S GO GOING TO SOUTHEASTEN UP SESSION, A GESTURE OF FRIENDSHIP TO START THE SESSION OFF.

IN THE MINNESOTA TRADITION, WE'VE BEEN DOING IT EVERY YEAR.

>> Mary: A GOOD CONVERSATION STARTER FOR WHAT'S USUALLY THE MAIN WORK OF EVEN YOUR SESSIONS A BONDING BILL, WHICH WILL NEEDS REPUBLICAN SUPPORT TO BUILD A SUPER MAJORITY.

>> HOW ABOUT BONDING, YOU GUYS GOING TO PUT A BONDING BILL TOGETHER?

>> BONDING IS SOMETHING WE'LL WAIT AND SEE THE LANGUAGE OF THAT BILL.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE KNOW OUR VOTES ARE GOING TO BE NEEDED BUT WE DON'T HAVE A CAUCUS POSITION ON IT.

>> Mary: IT MAY BE THE ONLY BILL THE DFL TRIFECTA NEEDS THE MINORITY.

>> ALSO ANTICIPATE THAT WE'LL BE DOING A CAPITAL INVESTMENT BILL AND I'VE HAD GOOD CONVERSATIONS WITH REPUBLICAN LEADERS AND THE NEW SENATE MAJORITY LEADER TO GET US HEADED IN THAT DIRECTION.

>> Mary: I THINK YOU MADE HISTORY, I'VE BEEN CHECKING AROUND, I THINK YOU MIGHT BE THE FIRST PERSON TO BE THE MAJORITY LEADER IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE.

DO YOU THINK THAT'S TRUE?

>> OMEONE TOLD ME THAT IS TRUE.

WOMEN WILL RUN THE SHOW AGAIN IN THE LEGISLATURE AS DEMOCRATS SELECTED ERIN MURPHY TO LEAD THE CAUCUS.

>> SENATOR DZIEDZIC SHOWED US AND WE HAVE LEARNED THE LESSON WHEN WE ACT TOGETHER AND WORK TOGETHER, WE CAN DO IMPORTANT WORK TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF MINNESOTANS.

IT IS NATURAL FOR A GROUP OF 34 PEOPLE TO HAVE DIFFERENCES, THAT'S PART OF REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY, PART OF THIS PROCESS BUT WE UNDERSTAND THAT TO DO IT IS WORK MINNESOTANS CENTER US MEANS WE WILL STICK TOGETHER AND WE WILL.

>> THINGS WILL GETS MORE INTERESTING GOING FORWARDS BASED ON HE AGENDA THAT THE DEMOCRATS HAVE, BUT THEN ALSO THE WORK THAT SENATE REPUBLICANS ARE DOING N REPAIRING A LOT OF THE DAMAGE THAT WAS DONE LAST SESSION.

WE SAW THE TRIFECTA AND THE EXTREME PACE THE WAY THEY WENT FORWARD, AND WE ARE REALLY WORKING HARD AS A TEAM TO ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS, POINT THEM UT AND SHOW SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE.

>> Mary: REPUBLICANS RIGHT AWAY MADE FIXES TO A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER BILL, A TOP PRIORITY AND IT WAS MOVING FAST, UNTIL IT STALLED IN THE HOUSE.

>> PLEASE LISTEN TO THOSE WHO WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS THE MOST, THE STUDENTS, AS WE ARE HERE TODAY, AND PLEASE LISTEN AND RESPECT US S THIS AFFECTS US, NOT ADULTS.

>> MANY OF Y PIERCE WHO ARE BLACK, BROWN, INDIGENOUS OR DISABILITIES, ARE BEING HELD FACE DOWN.

>> THIS SO-CALLED PROPER PRONE RESTRAINT IS INHUMANE, IT'S TRAUMATIC, IT'S INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS FOR CHILDREN.

>> WE TRULY DO SEE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR BIPARTISAN COLLABORATION TO PASS A BILL THAT WILL ACTUALLY FIX THE ISSUE ND, IN MY OPINION, THE BILL THAT WE HAVE BEFORE US TODAY WAS NOT READY.

>> Mary: REPUBLICANS WOULD LIKE TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE CHAMBER AND DEMOCRATS WILL BE DEFENDING COMPLETE CONTROL OF STATE GOVERNMENT ON THE BALLOT THIS FALL.

>> COMING BACK TO KEEPING CONTROL OF THE CHAMBER, WHAT'S THE CASE YOU HAVE TO START MAKING NOW?

>> WELL, WE USUALLY THINK ABOUT THAT ONCE WE LEAVE HERE.

WE'RE PRETTY FOCUSED ON THE WORK HERE.

EVEN THOUGH WE'RE NOT IN DIVIDED DO HAVE THE RIGHT NOW, THE ELECTION COULD BE ABOUT ISSUES WE DON'T FORESEE.

>> WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM MINNESOTANS ACROSS THE STATE IS THAT THEY NEED AFFORDABLE, SAFE LIVES AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PUSHING FOR, RIGHT NOW, UNDER FULL ONE-PARTY ONTROL BY THE DEMOCRATS, IT HAS BEEN IRRESPONSIBLE AND UNAFFORDABLE AND THAT'S NOT THE DIRECTION THAT WE CAN GO.

>> ALL THE WAY, WITH ERA.

ALL THE WAY WITH ERA.

>> Mary: DFL LEADERS SAY THEY EFFECTS THE PASSAGE OF THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENTS WHOSE SUPPORTERS FILLED THE CAPITOL ROW TUNE ARE TUNE DA TO PUSH FOR WOMEN'S RIGHTS.

>> WE ARE THE MAJORITY, AND WE DEMAND EQUALITIES.

>> WE NEED AN EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT FOR PROTECTION.

>> I HAVE BEEN FIRED UP AND READY TO GO BECAUSE WEPT THE E.R.A.

PASSED THIS YEAR.

>> E.R.A., E.R.A., E.R.A.. >> WHENEVER YOU EVER HAD THAT PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO TAKE YOUR RIGHTS AWAY RATHER THAN CURL UP AND HOPE IT STOPS, IT IS RIGHT AND IT IS JUST TO FIGHT BACK AND PUSH EVEN FURTHER THAN EVER BEFORE.

>> Mary: DEMOCRATS INTEND TO ADD ABORTION ACCESS LANGUAGE AS IT'S BEEN A WINNING ISSUE FOR THEM.

>> THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT HAS GENERALLY BEEN SEEN AS AN EQUAL RIGHTS FOR WOMEN ISSUE BUT IF THE LAW DOESN'T CHANGE AT THAT TIME BECAUSE WE PASS AN EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT, HASN'T DONE ANYTHING, I THINK WE NEED TO BE ABSOLUTELY CLEAR THAT THERE IS LEGAL EFFECT TO THE LANGUAGE AND THAT THE LANGUAGE PROTECTS REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM AND EXPRESSIONS OF GENDER IDENTITY.

>> Mary: THE PLAN IS FOR PASSAGE THIS YEAR TO GO ON THE