>> ERIC: IT'S BEGINNING TO FEEL LIKE A BROKEN RECORD TO SAY THE LEGISLATURE IS MOVING AT A FAST PACE THIS YEAR.

SO, I WON'T SAY IT BEFORE I INTRODUCE THE COUCH FULL OF POLITICAL ANALYSTS.

DFLERS UP FIRST TONIGHT.

JEFF HAYDEN IS A FORMER STATE SENATE LEADER, NOW LOBBYIST.

ALICE HAUSMAN RECENTLY RETIRED FROM THE MINNESOTA HOUSE WHERE THE LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE LIBRARY SAYS SHE SERVED 12,095 DAYS.

>> DID NOT KNOW THAT.

>> Eric: IN THE HOUSE, THERE YOU GUY.

THERE YOU GO.

REPUBLICANS ON THE COUCH TONIGHT.

BRIAN MCDANIEL, ATTORNEY, LOBBYIST, AND STAND- UP COMEDIAN.

AND WE WELCOME BACK JEN DEJOURNETT, A POLITICAL OPERATIVE WHO RAN RYAN WILSON'S AUDITOR CAMPAIGN LAST FALL.

SENATOR HAYDEN.

>> YES.

>> Eric: ON THIS PACKAGE OF VOTING CHANGES, AND THERE'S A HANDFUL OF THEM, THE OLD BROMIDE WAS, WE MUST HAVE BIPARTISAN BUY-IN TO MAKE ELECTION LAW CHANGES.

IS THAT NO LONGER OPERATIVE?

>> NO LONGER OPERATIVE.

NOTHING CHANGED BECAUSE OF THAT.

SO, IT'S TIME FOR CHANGE, AND I HINK DFLers HAVE RUN ON THAT.

AND THEY WANT CHANGE O HAPPEN SO THEY'RE GOING TO START TO MAKE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE AND GET MORE PEOPLE IN THE VOTING ROLLS.

>> Eric: DO REPUBLICANS FEEL LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE MORE DFLers TURNING OUT BECAUSE OF THIS OR NOT?

DO WE HAVE DATA?

>> WELL, I DO THINK THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS KIND OF PUSHING REPUBLICAN OPPOSITION TO SOME OF THESE MEASURES.

BUT I ALSO THINK THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT KIND OF CITIZENS, AS WE'RE TRYING TO REBUILD OUR WORLD A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, THE THOUGHT THAT, YOU KNOW, TAKING AWAY SOMEONE'S VOTING RIGHTS IS GOING TO MAKE THEM, YOU KNOW, SOMEHOW BE A DETERRENT TO CRIME, I MEAN, THAT'S RIDICULOUS.

WE WANT TO, PEOPLE PAID THEIR DEBT TO SOCIETY, GET BACK INTO FUNCTIONING IN SOCIETY.

LET'S WORK TO GET THESE PEOPLE EMBRACE OUR VALUES.

>> Eric: WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?

>> IT'S JUST NOT ABOUT THE VOTING RIGHTS AND THE RESTORATION THAT'S IN SOME OF THESE ELECTION PACKETS THAT ARE NOT GETTING FULLY DISCUSSED FOR ALL MINNESOTANS TO UNDERSTAND.

INSIDE SOME OF THESE ELECTION BILLS ARE WHOLESALE CHANGES, LIKE OUR POLITICAL CONTRIBUTION REFUND PROGRAM IS BEING CHANGED TO DEMOCRACY DOLLARS, WHERE VOUCHERS WILL BE SENT TO ALL REGISTERED VOTERS TO BE MAILED BACK, WHICH FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGES HOW CAMPAIGNS ARE FINANCED AND RUN.

AND THERE'S OTHER DETAILS THAT ARE IN THERE THAT ARE NOT BEING DISCUSSED OPENLY.

AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM RIGHT NOW WHEN YOU HAVE SINGLE-PARTY CONTROL, IS THAT A LOT OF THESE DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE IN THE BACK ROOMS AND IS THAT REALLY GOOD FOR MINNESOTA?

I MEAN, OR WOULD WE REALLY HAVE OPEN ISCUSSION WHERE PEOPLE ARE HAVING DETAILED CONVERSATIONS.

>> Eric: MADAM CHAIR, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> WELL, I REALLY HAVE NOTHING MORE TO ADD ON THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A CONVERSATION I WISH WE WEREN'T HAVING TO TALK ABOUT.

>> Eric: HOW SO?

>> THAT WE HAVE THIS STRONG FEELING THAT THE PROCESS IS SO DOMINATED BY PARTISAN POLITICS.

OF EVERY SINGLE ISSUE.

AND I THINK THE LAST TIME I WAS ON WITH YOU, I REFLECTED A LITTLE BIT THAT I BELIEVE YOU GO THERE AND WHETHER YOU'RE IN THE MAJORITY OR THE MINORITY, YOU'RE THERE TO GET THINGS DONE AND THAT REQUIRES RELATIONSHIP BUILDING AND BUILDING TRUST.

AND THAT DOES NOT FIT WITH THE POWER MODEL WHICH I SO OFTEN FEEL GETS CONNECTED TO CONVERSATIONS LIKE THIS THAT IS MORE -- IT BECOMES MORE ABOUT WHICH PARTY IS GOING TO HAVE MORE POWER.

I UST DON'T KNOW THAT THOSE ARE HELPFUL KINDS OF TONES OF CONVERSATION.

>> SO CAN I JUST INTERJECT?

I FEEL LIKE WE'RE HAVING MORE HEARINGS THAN WE'VE EVER HAD BEFORE.

I'M RUNNING AROUND THE CAPITOL AND I'M -- I THINK -- SO I DISAGREE.

I THINK WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT IT.

I THINK THE LAST SIX YEARS IN THE SENATE, WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT MUCH, SO I ACTUALLY BELIEVE THAT THESE BILLS ARE GETTING VETTED AND WE'RE HEARING A LOT ABOUT 'EM.

>> Eric: BUT A LOT OF REPUBLICAN AMENDMENTS ARE GETTING REJECTED ON PARTY-LINE VOTES.

>> WELL, I MEAN, I MEAN, IT'S THE JOB OF THE MINORITY TO BE REALLY LOUD AND TO TAKE -- TAKE A LOOK AT THESE BILLS THAT JEN'S TALKING ABOUT, PICK OUT THE THINGS THAT ARE NOT REALLY SUPPOSED TO BE IN THERE, AND ALL YOU CAN DO IS MAKE NOISE AND TRY TO GET ATTENTION FOR IT.

YOU KNOW, ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES.

AND WHEN YOU DO -- WHEN YOU HAVE FEWER MEMBERS THAN THE MAJORITY, YOU'RE JUST NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO PASS TOO MANY THINGS.

YOU CAN REACH ACROSS THE AISLE.

THAT'S IMPORTANT.

BUT, REALLY, THE MAIN THING YOU CAN DO IS JUST BE REALLY LOUD.

>> WELL, IT'S NOT THAT THEY'RE HAVING HEARINGS, IT'S THAT SOME OF THE TOPICS THAT ARE MASSIVE CHANGES, ESPECIALLY TO SMALL BUSINESSES AND MINNESOTANS ACROSS.

SO, YES, WE'RE HAVING MORE HEARINGS ON SOME THINGS, BUT ON OTHER THINGS, WE'RE NOT.

WE'RE HAVING -- I SAT IN A HEARING THE OTHER DAY AND THEY WERE, LIKE, WELL, WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE MANY QUESTIONS TODAY, WE'RE GOING TO SPEED THROUGH SOME OF OUR TESTIFIERS.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A GOOD THING.

I DON'T KNOW IF A LOT OF THINGS GET DISCUSSED.

NOW, ON SOME OTHER ISSUES, YOU ARE SEEING BIPARTISAN COLLABORATION, LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, ON PFAS AND SOME OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT -- >> Eric: FOREVER CHEMICALS.

>> FOREVER CHEMICALS.

AND PEOPLE ARE WORKING TOGETHER AND CROSS-COLLABORATING BUT ON OTHER ISSUES THAT HAVE MASSIVE CHANGES, LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE STUFF, I MEAN, THAT IS JUST GETTING RAMRODDED THROUGH.

AND NOT REALLY TALKING THROUGH THE LONG-TERM ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES TO ALL MINNESOTA.

>> Cathy: DO YOU SEE PAID SICK LEAVE PASSING THE LEGISLATURE THIS SESSION?

>> IT PASSED THE HOUSE.

>> IN SOME FORM, YES.

>> Cathy: OKAY.

>> AND MY SENSE IS, JUST LOOKING AT THE BACKGROUND, A LOT OF THIS, THERE HAS TO BE AN AGREEMENT THAT ALL OF THIS -- THE THINGS THAT WE'VE TRIED BEFORE AND DIDN'T ACCOMPLISH, WE NEED TO MOVE QUICKLY ON.

I THINK THAT'S SOME OF THE REFLECTION WE'RE HEARING.

AND THAT WOULD CERTAINLY -- THAT WOULD CERTAINLY E ONE OF THEM.

BY THE WAY, I HOULD SAY, THAT WHEN I WAS INVITED TO BE ON THIS PANEL, ON TUESDAY, THIS WAS GOING TO ALL BE RETIRING LEGISLATORS AND, SO, THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO KIND OF REFLECT ON THE PAST.

AND UDDENLY I'M HERE WITH POLITICAL ANALYSTS.

SO THIS IS -- >> THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE NOW, ALICE.

>> YOU'RE A PUNDIT.

>> TAKE OFF ONE HAT, PUT ON ANOTHER ONE.

>> Cathy: DIFFERENT HAT.

LET ME ASK YOU ALL, WE STARTED THE PROGRAM TALKING ABOUT SCHOOL SAFETY, IN LIGHT OF THE HARDING STABBING.

AND THAT HASN'T REALLY BEEN TALKED A LOT ABOUT IN THE LEGISLATURE, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO VIOLENCE IN SCHOOLS.

AND I'M CURIOUS, WHERE DOES THIS GO NOW IN THE LEGISLATURE WITH THE HARDING STABBING?

HARDING HIGH SCHOOL STABBING.

>> NOW, I THOUGHT ONE BILL HAD ALREADY BEEN HEARD IN COMMITTEE AND IS MOVING.

BUT THAT, TOO, IS ONE THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN MOVING LAST YEAR.

AND THAT THEY'RE RETURNING TO.

SO I GUESS I AVE HEARD AT LEAST A LITTLE BIT OF COVERAGE ABOUT IT.

>> SO I THINK IT'S LOCAL CONTROL, RIGHT?

LIKE SOME OF THE ISSUES AROUND CSRs, CROs, THE COPS THAT WERE IN THE SCHOOLS, YOU KNOW, AFTER GEORGE FLOYD, THERE WAS KIND OF IMMEDIATE PUSH TO PUSH THE COPS OUT.

WHAT I'M HEARING FROM PRINCIPALS AND EDUCATORS, A LOT OF THEM, THEY DEFLECTED AND DEFUSED A LOT OF THOSE ISSUES.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT -- I KNOW WHAT I HEARD, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH THIS VIOLENCE AT HARDING HIGH SCHOOL.

SO I DON'T WANT TO GO TOO FAR BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO BE CONJECTURE, BUT ONE PRINCIPAL SAID TO ME, OFF-LINE, THAT THIS PROBABLY COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF THE CSOs OR CROs WERE THERE.

>> THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION AT A PRESS CONFERENCE IN St. PAUL ABOUT THAT, AND THEY DO BELIEVE THEY'LL BE COMING BACK, BUT IN A DIFFERENT FORM.

WE'VE LEARNED SOMETHING ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAVE WORKED IN THIS INSTANCE.

AND, SO, AT LEAST IN THE PRESS CONFERENCE IN St. PAUL, I DID HEAR IT.

>> Eric: WERE YOU SURPRISED THE STAR STRIB UNI"HE HAD TOARL TODAY CAME OUT THE UNIVERSAL EVERYBODY GETS A FREE LUNCH.

>> A LITTLE BIT.

BECAUSE USUALLY THE "STAR TRIBUNE" TAKES A MORE LEFTIST POSITION.

>> Eric: WHERE ARE YOU ON THAT ONE?

>> FIRST OF ALL, I THINK ALL KIDS NEED TO BE FED F. THERE'S A HUNGRY KID IN SCHOOL, THEY CAN'T LEARN.

IT IMPACTS THEIR ABILITY TO READ AND COMPREHEND.

AND THE KIDS FELL SO FAR BEHIND IN THE PANDEMIC, EVEN MY SEVENTH GRADER IS STILL STRUGGLING TO CATCH UP.

SO, WE WANT ALL KIDS FED.

NOW, USING OUR TAX DOLLARS WISELY AND HOW THAT GETS DISTRIBUTED TO GIVE FLEXIBILITY TO LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS AND NOT CREATING ANOTHER UNFUNDED MANDATE, I WISH THEY WOULD HAVE -- I LISTENED TO THAT WHOLE HEARING, AND I LISTENED TO THE DEBATE ON THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE, AND I WISH SOME OF THOSE AMENDMENTS WOULD HAVE CRESTED THROUGH, THAT IF YOU'RE A FAMILY THAT DOESN'T NEED IT AND WANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT ANOTHER KID WHO DOES NEED IT GOT THOSE DOLLARS, WE COULD HAVE ADDED SOME OF THOSE AMENDMENTS AND THEN ALSO TRANSFER SOME OF THAT CONTROL TO SCHOOL BOARDS, WHO ARE SMART, WHO WANT TO DO THAT WORK, AND WHO JUST NEED THE FLEXIBILITY IN THEIR BUDGETS.

>> Eric: WHAT'S THE RATIONALE BEHIND EVERYBODY GETTING, EVEN IF YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY AFFORD IT?

>> WELL, I MEAN, WE NEED TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF THE PEOPLE'S MONEY.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVEN THOUGH WE'RE IN A TIME NOW WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF MONEY AT THE STATE LEVEL, THAT'S THE PEOPLE'S MONEY.

IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, THE STATE'S DOING BETTER THAN MOST MINNESOTANS, SO, I MEAN, I DON'T THINK IT'S OUT OF LINE TO SAY THAT FAMILIES THAT CAN AFFORD TO FEED THEIR KIDS SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT SO THAT WAY THERE'S MORE MONEY TO PUT TOWARDS KIDS WHO DON'T HAVE THAT.

HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, JUST BECAUSE YOUR FAMILY HAS MONEY DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT THEY ARE USING IT TO THE BENEFIT OF THEIR KIDS.

THERE HAS TO BE A COMMON-SENSE MIDDLE GROUND ON THIS.

AND I REALLY JUST IMPLORE EVERYBODY TO REALLY TRY TO WORK TOGETHER ON THIS BECAUSE EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY WANTS EVERY KID TO BE FED.

>> WE WANT EVERY DOLLAR OF EDUCATION MONEY WELL SPENT, TOO.

AND FOOD INSECURITY AND HOUSING INSTABILITY BOTH AFFECT A CHILD'S ABILITY TO LEARN.

THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA HAS DONE RESEARCH SPECIFICALLY ON THE HOUSING STABILITY.

WE WANT ALL OF THOSE DOLLARS WELL SPENT.

BUT THE OTHER PIECE THAT'S BEEN PRESENT IN THE CULTURE OF THE SCHOOL IS THIS SHAMING, WHEN CHILDREN ARE TREATED DIFFERENTLY, THAT HAS A PROFOUND EFFECT AND THAT ALSO AFFECTS A HILD'S ABILITY TO LEARN.

SO I THINK THAT'S PART OF WHAT IS AT THE CORE OF THIS CONVERSATION.

>> Cathy: SAY, I WAS TALKING TO REPRESENTATIVE FRAZIER ON THE AIR, ON MPR EARLIER IN THE WEEK, ABOUT HIS RED FLAG BILL THAT HAS GONE THROUGH THE HOUSE AND THE OTHER BILLS -- GUN CONTROL BILLS ARE GOING THROUGH THE HOUSE.

BUT THERE SEEMS TO BE A LITTLE QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER THEY CAN PASS THE SENATE.

DO WE THINK THAT'S TRUE?

>> YEAH, SO THERE ARE -- I THINK IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THAT THERE ARE SOME NEW MEMBERS THAT ARE REALLY TRYING TO FIGURE THIS OUT.

SO THEY'RE TAKING THEIR TIME TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE HOUSE IS KIND OF GONE THROUGH THIS A FEW TIMES AND REALLY KIND OF KNOW THE BILLS.

SO THERE ARE MEMBERS THAT ARE REALLY LISTENING TO THEIR COMMUNITIES, THEY'RE TALKING TO THEIR LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITIES.

THERE WAS A GREAT POLL OUT THERE THAT JUST SAID THAT, LIKE, THIS IS OVERWHELMINGLY POPULAR EVEN IN RED ISTRICTS.

HOWEVER, THOSE NEW MEMBERS HAVE TO REALLY HEAR THAT AND THEY WON BY A FEW VOTES.

SO DO THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO KIND OF PUSH FORWARD WITH THAT, BUT I THINK IT WILL BE A LITTLE MORE TIME IN THE SENATE.

>> WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TAKING AWAY SOMEONE'S CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS, WE DON'T RANK CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS, YOU HAVE A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO OWN A FIREARM.

THESE RED FLAG LAWS ARE ALREADY IN PLACE IN MANY STATES, CALIFORNIA, COLORADO, I BELIEVE NEW YORK, WHERE THERE IS AN INTENSE AMOUNT OF CRIME.

THEY DON'T WORK THE WAY YOU WOULD WANT THEM TO WORK.

SO, YOU KNOW, JEFF'S TALKING ABOUT, IN RED DISTRICTS, IT'S POPULAR.

I THINK THAT THE NAME IS POPULAR, AS IS COMMON-SENSE GUN REFORM, BUT WHEN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THAT IS, YOU REALLY START LOSING SUPPORT.

AND THIS IS A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT AND I'M GLAD THAT THERE'S SUCH INTENSE DEBATE ON IT.

>> Eric: MADAM CHAIR, I HOPE YOU'LL COME BACK, AND WE'LL GET -- >>>> Cathy: WE'LL HAVE FORMER LAWMAKERS, YES, WE WILL.

>> Eric: BUT WE'LL GET PRESCRIPTION ON HOW TO DO A BONDING BILL.

>> I WAS HOPING WE WERE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT.

I HAVE SOME VERY STRONG FEELINGS, I USED TO CHAIR THAT, AND THEN I CHAIRED HOUSING.

THE SAME STRONG OPINIONS I HAD BEFORE, I STILL HAVE TODAY.

AND I'M SCRUTINIZING AND HAVE A HIGH ANXIETY LEVEL ABOUT HOUSING IN THIS, AS THESE