>> Eric: FIRST WEEK OF JULY IS OFTEN A TIME FOR GREAT FUN FOR POLITICAL REPORTERS HERE IN MINNESOTA AS THEY DIVE INTO DETAILS OF NEW LAWS THAT HAVE JUST BEGUN AND THIS YEAR'S LEGISLATIVE SESSION CERTAINLY PROVIDED HOURS OF FUN FOR THE CURRENT CAPITOL PRESS CORPS AND JOINING US ARE TWO OF THE MANY REPORTERS WHO TOIL AWAY AND PROVIDE READERS AND VIEWERS WITH FASCINATING FACTS AND PRACTICAL POLICY IMPLICATIONS.

YOU CAN CATCH JOHN CROMAN'S POLITICAL WORK ON KARE-11 TV.

AND WE WELCOME MICHELLE GRIFFITH, WHO COVERS POLITICS FOR THE ONLINE NEWS SITE MINNESOTA REFORMER.

JOHN, THERE'S A $352 MILLION MISTAKE IN THE TAX CUT BILL?

>> THAT'S NEWS TO ME BUT THANK YOU FOR TELLING ME.

[ LAUGHTER ] THAT'S HOW THE SESSION HAS BEEN, I MEAN IT WENT SO FAST WE HAVE A LOT OF NPACKING TO DO.

>> Eric: THE REPUBLICANS ARE SAYING THAT THIS AND OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE SESSION IS IT WAS A CONSEQUENCE OF RECKLESS LEGISLATING.

>> YEAH, SOMEONE MENTIONED THE ACRONYM LFG, WHICH I THINK STANDS FOR LIGHTNING FAST GOVERNMENT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

AND THE DEMOCRATS I THINK WERE JUST IN THE PAST WHEN WE HAD A TRIFECTA WE DIDN'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT AND THEY WERE DETERMINE TODAY MAKE IT COUNT THIS TIME.

>> Cathy: MICHELLE, S THIS ERROR GOING TO GET FIXED?

>> YEAH, THAT'S WHAT THE LEADERSHIP IS SAYING, THEY'RE SAYING IT'S A TECHNICAL ERROR AND IT'S SOMETHING THEY WILL PROPOSE RIGHT AWAY AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SESSION.

NEXT YEAR.

>> Cathy: OKAY, AND JOHN WAS TALKING ABOUT HOW SOME FOLKS THINK IT WAS JUST THERE WAS A LOT THAT WAS HAPPENING THIS SESSION.

>> YES.

>> Cathy: A LOT CAME OVER MAYBE TOO FAST?

>> YOU KNOW, THIS WAS MY FIRST SESSION HERE IN MINNESOTA SO I DON'T REALLY HAVE A BAROMETER THAT WELL BUT IT WAS VERY FAST AND, YEAH, A LOT GOT DONE AND I WASN'T EXPECTING THAT, TO BE HONEST.

SO IT WAS QUITE A BIT TO JUMP INTO.

>> Eric: WHAT ABOUT ALL THESE LAWSUITS?

NOT A LOT, THREE OF LAWSUITS BY GROUPS, DRUG COMPANIES ARE UPSET AND VOTING RIGHTS FOLKS ARE UPSET.

>> RIGHT, IF YOU CAN'T STOP A BILL IN THE LEGISLATURE YOU TRY TO STOP IT IN THE COURTS.

THEY MAY HAVE MERIT.

RIGHT NOW THE PEOPLE THAT WROTE THOSE BILLS ARE NOT COMMENTING EXCEPT THAT THEY'RE CONFIDENT IT WILL WITHSTAND A COURT CHALLENGE.

WE'LL SEE HOW IT GOES BUT LIKE TODAY I COVERED A VOTER REGISTRATION THING TODAY FOR FORMER FELONY OFFENDERS THAT CAN NOW VOTE WHILE STILL ON PAROLE AND THAT'S SUBJECT TO A COURT CHALLENGE RIGHT NOW AND STEVE SIMON SECRETARY OF STATE SAID HE CAN'T TALK ABOUT THE MERITS BUT HE CAN SAY THAT HE THINKS IT'S GOING TO SURVIVE.

SO IT'S A CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTION AND WHETHER FULLY DISCHARGED MEANS ARE YOU DONE WITH YOUR SENTENCE WHEN YOU WALK OUT OF THE DOOR OF THE PRISON OR ARE YOU DONE WHEN YOU PAY YOUR RESTITUTION AND DO YOUR PROBATION, SO.

>> Eric: YOU LOOKED AT HUMAN SERVICES DURING THE SESSION.

>> YES.

>> Eric: TELL US ABOUT THAT, THAT'S BEEN BROKEN UP INTO TWO OR THREE ENTITIES AND A TON OF DOUGH SPENT.

>> YEAH, IT WAS A LUGE BILL AND I THINK ONE OF THE MORE SIGNIFICANT PROVISIONS IN IT IS THE CREATION OF A NEW DEPARTMENT ALTOGETHER.

SO THEY DECIDED TO CREATE THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES.

AND SO IT'S GOING TO TAKE UP A BUNCH OF RESPONSIBILITIES FROM OTHER AGENCIES THAT HAVE, YOU KNOW, FAMILY INVOLVEMENT RIGHT NOW, AND THEN IT WILL TRANSITION TO THIS NEW DEPARTMENT.

AND THE IDEA IS JUST TO HAVE KIND OF A MORE LIKE FAMILY FOCUSED ENTITY.

>> Eric: WITH THE FEEDING OUR FUTURE IF IF FIASCO WHICH HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS APPARENTLY GOT MISUSED, IS THERE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR SOME OF THESE, INCREASED ACCOUNTABILITY FOR SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS THROUGH THE HUMAN SERVICES BILL?

>> YEAH, WELL, I'M NOT ENTIRELY SURE ABOUT THE HUMAN SERVICES BILL BUT THE EDUCATION BILL CREATED A NEW OFFICE OF I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT NAME BUT IT'S KIND OF AN OFFICE OF ACCOUNTABILITY TO OVERSEE FUNDS THAT ARE BEING DISTRIBUTED TO VARIOUS NON-PROFITS TO AVOID A POTENTIAL FEEDING OUR FUTURE CASE.

>> Cathy: WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THE SOUTHWEST LIGHT RAIL FIASCO IN TERMS OF THE AUDIT CAME OUT LAST WEEK, THIRD OF FOUR AUDITS, I BELIEVE.

AGAIN, THAT'S KIND OF A MESS.

WILL THE LEGISLATURE LEAP INTO THAT NEXT SESSION?

>> THEY MAY.

THE DIFFERENCE WITH THAT IS REPUBLICANS HAVE GENERALLY BEEN AGAINST THAT TYPE OF TRANSIT, THEY THINK IT'S 1895 TECHNOLOGY AND THE DIFFERENCE NOW IS THAT TO DEMOCRATS, VERY HIGHLY PLACED DEMOCRATS DIBBLE AND HORNSTEIN, ARE NOT HAPPY WITH HOW IT'S BEING BUILT AND COST OVERRUNS AND ROUTING ITSELF AND THINGS HAT WEREN'T SEEN.

BUT THE PEOPLE BUILDING IT ARE SAYING YOU JUST DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT HOW THESE THINGS WORK AND THESE ARE HUGE HUGE PROJECTS AND THE BIG DIG IN BOSTON HAD MORE PROBLEMS THAN THIS.

SO THAT'S THEIR RESPONSE.

I MEAN CHARLIE ZELLE WHO'S THE HEAD OF THE MET COUNCIL HE'S GOING TO HAVE TO WALK THIS FINE LINE.

BUT THEY'RE GOING TO NEED TO FIND THIS HALF HALF-BILLION DOLLARS THAT THEY'RE SHORT AT SOME POINT AND THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LIKE TRY TO CONVINCE THE PUBLIC THAT IT'S BETTER TO FINISH IT THAN TO THROW OUT WHAT THEY'VE DONE.

>> Cathy: YOU MENTIONED THE MET COUNCIL, DO YOU THINK IT HAS A TARGET ON ITS BACK THIS COMING SESSION IN TERMS OF MAYBE THERE'S BEEN EFFORTS IN THE PAST TO ELECT MET COUNCIL MEMBERS?

I WONDER IF THAT HAS LEGS.

>> IT MAY, THERE'S APPETITE EVEN WITH SOME DEMOCRATS TO REORGANIZE OR APPOINT IT BY CITIES AND COUNTIES RATHER THAN ALL BY THE GOVERNOR SO THERE'S MORE KIND OF A REGIONAL BALANCE IS THE WAY THEY PUT IT SO YOU MIGHT SEE THAT.

THIS SESSION TO ME WAS JUST KIND OF BLINDINGLY FAST AND WE, I MEAN, THEY HAD ALL THESE PENT UP THINGS THEY'D WANTED TO DO IN DIVIDED LEGISLATURE AND YOU ALL REMEMBER OUR STORIES ALWAYS ENDED WELL, MICHELLE WON'T REMEMBER BUT OUR STORIES ALWAYS REMEMBERED PASSED THE DEMOCRATIC CONTROLLED HOUSE BUT YET TO RECEIVE A HEARING IN REPUBLICAN CONTROLLED SENATE.

THIS YEAR THEY JUST WENT AFTER IT, ALL THESE THINGS LIKE FELON VOTERS, IMMIGRANT DRIVER'S LICENSES, ALL THESE PENT-UP BILLS THAT HAD BEEN D.F.L.

PRIORITIES FOR A LONG TIME SUDDENLY BECAME REALITY.

>> Eric: THE MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION BILL FULLY FORMED OR IS THAT GOING TO NEED A BILL EVERY YEAR TO TWEAK IT?

>> I CAN'T REMEMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD BUT PART OF THE TAX PORTIONS OF THE BILL HAVE ALREADY GONE INTO EFFECT.

SO BUT THE ONE THAT EVERYONE CARES ABOUT, YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUAL POSSESSION GOES INTO EFFECT IN AUGUST.

SO IT WAS A BIG CHANGE ND IT WAS SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT THE SENATE WAS KIND OF SHAKY ON AT THE BEGINNING, BUT ULTIMATELY THEY WERE ABLE TO KEEP THEIR 34 MAJORITY.

>> Eric: THIS IS YOUR FIRST SESSION HERE SO YOU HAVE NO BASIS FOR COMPARISON OF THE PAST, BUT HOW DID YOU FIND MINNESOTA LAWMAKING?

[ LAUGHTER ] >> HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE IT?

>> YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY IT'S EXCITING.

I MEAN, IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING TO SEE ALL THESE INTEREST GROUPS AT THE CAPITOL AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GETTING WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR.

AND I'VE NEVER REALLY SEEN THAT BEFORE, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A TYPICAL GOVERNMENT, YOU KNOW, LIKE HEDGE.

BUT NOW IT WAS QUITE AN IMPACT.

>> Eric: AND WHAT ABOUT HE, ALL THE NATIONAL PRESS MINNESOTA'S GETTING AND WHAT'S GOVERNOR WALZ UP TO?

>> YEAH, I DON'T KNOW, E KEEP ASKING HIM, WHAT ARE YOU REALLY RUNNING FOR NOW?

OF COURSE NOTHING, HE'S JUST TRYING TO GET THE WORD OUT THAT WE DID THINGS RIGHT IN THIS STATE IN THE WAYS HE SEES IT.

IT WILL BE INTERESTING.

MY FAVORITE BILL OF THE SESSION OF COURSE WAS THE FINAL BAN ON COMMERCIAL TURTLE TRAPPING, BECAUSE WE ALL LOVE TURTLES AND THEY BASICALLY SAID YOU CAN'T TRAP THEM AND ELL THEM ALL OVER THE WORLD NOW.

>> Eric: HOW ABOUT A SIX-WEEK 2024 SESSION?

>> SURE, LET'S DO THAT.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> Cathy: HE'S BEEN TRYING TO PUSH THIS.

>> THE ES COLA SESSION.