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IT'S WEEK TWO OF THE TWENTY TWENTY ONE INDIANA GENERAL ASSEMBLY WITH THE HOUSE AND SENATE PROCEEDING WITH THEIR COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND FLOOR ACTION BY WEDNESDAY'S DEADLINE, MORE THAN 1000 BILLS HAD BEEN FILED FOR CONSIDERATION, INCLUDING A NUMBER OF MEASURES RELATED TO PANDEMIC ISSUES AND LIMITING THE POWERS OF THE GOVERNOR DURING A STATE OF EMERGENCY.

NOW IN THESE EARLY DAYS, NEWS COVERAGE OF PROPOSED LEGISLATION HAS EQUALED THE REPORTING ON THE LEGISLATURE'S LOGISTICS DUE TO COVID-19 THE HOUSE HAS BEEN CONDUCTING BUSINESS IN THE INDIANA GOVERNMENT CENTER WHILE THE SENATE USES THE LOWER AND UPPER LEVELS OF ITS CHAMBER TO ACHIEVE SOCIAL DISTANCING COMMITTEE WORK FINDS MEMBERS IN ONE ROOM AND THOSE TESTIFYING DOING SO VIRTUALLY.

HOUSE SPEAKER TODD HOUSTON HAS ASKED FOR PATIENCE IN NAVIGATING THESE UNCHARTED WATERS.

WHILE WE'LL ASK OUR GUESTS TONIGHT HOW THEY'RE FINDING THEIR WAY PHYSICALLY AND LEGISLATIVELY ON THIS EDITION OF PRIMETIME.

AND GOOD EVENING.

I'M BRUCE HAYNES.

WE WILL BE TALKING THIS WEEK WITH 15TH DISTRICT REPUBLICAN STATE SENATOR LIZ BROWN.

SENATOR BROWN IS ASSISTANT MAJORITY FLOOR LEADER FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND SHE IS THE CHAIR OF THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE.

ALSO WITH US IS 80 2ND DISTRICT REPUBLICAN STATE REPRESENTATIVE DAVID ABBOTT AND WE WELCOME YOU AS WELL TO OUR CONVERSATION.

JUST CALL IN YOUR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS TO THE NUMBER THAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN AND WE WELCOME BOTH OF OUR GUESTS.

THERE'S LIZ AND THERE'S DAVE.

GOOD EVENING TO YOU BOTH.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

THANK YOU.

THANKS FOR HAVING US TONIGHT.

BEFORE WE GET STARTED WITH WHAT I THOUGHT WE WOULD BE TALKING ABOUT CAME A NEW PIECE OF INFORMATION FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND IT MAY BE THAT YOUR CELL PHONES AND EMAILS HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED THIS.

BUT TO VIEWERS WATCHING AS WELL ,THE NEWS RELEASE LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON SAYS IN CONSULTATION WITH SECURITY OFFICIALS AND THE LEADERSHIP OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, GOVERNOR HOLCOMB IS ANNOUNCING OUT OF AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION THAT STATE GOVERNMENT THE STATE GOVERNMENT COMPLEX WILL BE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY IN LIGHT OF RECENT NATIONAL EVENTS, THREATS TO OTHER STATE CAPITALS AND COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS HEED THE RELEASE SAYS THERE ARE NO CREDIBLE THREATS AGAINST THE STATE HOUSE .

ADDITIONALLY, THE GOVERNOR WILL BE VIRTUALLY DELIVERING HIS TWENTY ONE STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS ON TUESDAY THE 19TH AT SEVEN O'CLOCK AND FORT WAYNE WILL BE CARRYING THAT ADDRESS TUESDAY NIGHT SEVEN O'CLOCK SENATE PRESIDENT PRO TEM RODERICK BRAY AND HOUSE SPEAKER TODD HOUSTON HAVE CANCELED LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITY FOR ALL OF NEXT WEEK.

BRAI IN HOUSTON SAID NO COMMITTEE OR SESSION MEETINGS WILL BE HELD NEXT WEEK AND STAFF WILL WORK REMOTELY UNTIL INSTRUCT TO RETURN TO THE BUILDING.

SO LET ME ASK YOU BOTH AND LISEL I'LL START WITH YOU YOUR THOUGHTS AND REACTIONS TO THE NEWS HERE THIS AFTERNOON.

WELL, I THINK THAT I APPRECIATE THE GOVERNOR AND THE STATE POLICE FOR JUST BEING CONSIDERED NOT JUST OF THE LEGISLATORS BUT ALSO OF THE SAFETY OF OUR STAFF AND TO TO PARAPHRASE YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THEY'RE BEING ABUNDANTLY CAUTIOUS AND EVEN THOUGH THEY SAY THERE ARE NO I THINK VERIFIABLE THREATS RIGHT NOW, I THINK THEY ARE UNDERSTANDING THAT MAYBE WE CAN TAKE A SHORT BREAK FOR TWO DAYS.

YEAH, DAVE HOW ABOUT YOU, SIR?

WELL, I ECHO WHAT LIZ SAID, YOU KNOW, OUT OF ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION.

WE APPRECIATE THAT AND KNOW WE DID GET NOTIFIED BY THE SPEAKER THAT HE HAD BEEN IN CONVERSATION ALONG WITH SENATE PRO TEM BRING THAT CAR TO THE COMMISSIONER, SUPERINTENDENTS AND STATE POLICE THAT HAD RECOMMENDED THAT WE NOT BE IN SESSION.

SO WE'VE CANCELED OUR COMMITTEE MEETINGS FOR MONDAY AND TUESDAY OR I'M SORRY TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY AND THEN ALSO SESSION ON THURSDAY.

SO WE'LL BE FLEXIBLE.

IT IS A LITTLE BIT OF A DISAPPOINTMENT.

YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.

WE'RE BEHIND NOW AS IT IS SO WE'LL DEAL WITH IT.

IN FACT, LET ME THEN GO TO THAT OTHER NOTION OF IT MAY NOT IT CERTAINLY NEW AND IT MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE NORMAL BUT WHAT HAS THIS TIME SO FAR AT THE STATE HOUSE FELT LIKE RELATIVE TO PAST SESSIONS, LIZ?

WELL, WE'VE ALREADY HAD TWO COMMITTEE HEARINGS AND SO WE WERE ONE OF THE GUINEA PIGS WITH THIS REMOTE TESTIMONY.

I HAVE A COMMITTEE HEARING IN THE BASEMENT OF THE BUILDING IN ONE THIRTY AND THE WITNESSES FOR JUDICIARY TEST ALL THE WAY AT THE TOP FLOOR AND FOUR FOR AND I THINK IT'S WORKED WELL.

PEOPLE SIGN UP ONLINE AND THERE'S SOCIAL DISTANCING AND THEY CLEAN THEIR MIKES UP THERE AND OUR COMMITTEE IS SOCIALLY DISTANCE DOWNSTAIRS.

IT IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT TO HAVE THEM ACTUALLY IN THE ROOM BUT I THINK IT'S WORKED VERY SEAMLESSLY SO FAR AND I'VE HEARD SEVERAL BILLS WE'VE PASSED SOME OUT OF COMMITTEE AND ALREADY AND WE WERE PLANNING TO AIR SEVERAL MORE.

SO FOR US IT'S WORKED WELL WE HAVE OUR REGULAR SESSION DAYS OF MONDAY, TUESDAY, THURSDAY.

SO UNLIKE THE HOUSE WE DID NOT COMPRESS OUR SESSION DAYS EITHER.

AND DAVE, THAT'S A GOOD SEGWAY.

WHAT HAS YOUR EXPERIENCE BEEN ON THE HOUSE SIDE?

WELL, IT'S DIFFERENT TO SAY THE LEAST.

SO WE'RE MEETING IN THE GOVERNMENT SELF-LOADING FOR OUR SESSION ON THE HOUSE CHAMBERS ARE BEING RESERVED RIGHT NOW CURRENTLY FOR COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND WE'RE ALSO USING THE CHAMBERS IN THE GOVERNMENT S BUILDING FOR COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND THAT'S SO WE CAN ALLOW IN-PERSON TESTIMONY WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING.

WE WERE GOING TO USE SMALL COMMITTEE ROOMS WITH A VIDEO LINK TO TESTIMONY BUT IN THE END WE DECIDED THAT WE WOULD DEFER OUR SESSIONS OF THURSDAY ONLY AND ALLOW COMMITTEE DAYS TO UTILIZE THE CHAMBERS.

SO WE HAVE THE REGULAR CHAMBERS AND THEN THE CHAMBERS IN THE SELF-GOVERNMENT CENTER.

IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

I KIND OF I KIND OF EQUATE IT TO AN NRA CONVENTION AT THE BEST WESTERN MOTEL YOU GOT THE LOW CEILINGS, YOU GOT PILLARS IN THE WAY SOUND SYSTEM HAS SOMETHING TO BE DESIRED BUT WE'RE FLEXIBLE.

I GUESS IF OUR ANCESTORS COULD MEET UNDER THE CONSTITUTIONAL ELM TREE WE CAN WE CAN WORK IT OUT TOO.

SO I KNOW NEW SOURCES WE'RE FOLLOWING THIS WEEK THE HEARING THAT TOOK PLACE ON SENATE BILL 74 VACCINATION BILL WHICH I GUESS BECOMES IRONIC BECAUSE THOSE THAT WERE TESTIFYING ABOUT THE VACCINATION BILL HAD A SIDEBAR SET OF CONCERNS RELATIVE TO WEARING MASKS IN THE STATE HOUSE IN ORDER TO PRESENT TESTIMONY, THE MEDIA AND STAFF ARE WEARING MASKS OF DO YOU AND OF COURSE I KNOW REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT HAVE BEEN WORKING THROUGH ORGANIZATION DAY ON TRYING TO ESTABLISH WHATEVER THE MIDDLE PATH IS.

CAN I ASK YOU BOTH WHAT YOUR SENSE IS ON THE THE BALANCE OF MASKS WITHIN THE STATE HOUSE AT THIS TIME WHEN WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT NEW VARIANCES IN INDIANA AND ALLEN COUNTY IN PARTICULAR AND OTHERS THAT ARE CHANGING COLORS ALL THE TIME?

DAVE, HOW ABOUT YOU?

OK, WELL, I MEAN WE WERE WE WERE OUR MASTIN CHAMBERS.

WE WERE OUR MASK IN THE STATE HOUSE.

WE'VE BEEN COMPLIANT VERY WELL.

I THINK WITH THE EXCEPTION MAYBE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE BUT FOR THE MOST PART UNLESS WE'RE IN OUR OFFICES WHAT WE HAVE AND WE MAINTAIN IF ANYONE COMES IN SIX FOOT SOCIAL DISTANCE, I DON'T THINK WE'VE HAD A PROBLEM WITH IT.

I THINK EVERYONE HAS BEEN VERY COMPLIANT.

I'VE WALKED OUT OF MY OFFICE SOMETIMES I DIDN'T REALIZE I TOOK IT OFF AND SOMEONE SOMEONE YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE DOOR KEEPERS IS SOMEONE WILL REMIND ME.

SO IT'S YOU KNOW, IT'S A REMINDER SOMETIMES YOU TAKE IT FOR GRANTED AND I CARRY WITH ME PUT RIGHT BACK ON BUT I DON'T I DON'T STILL BIG ISSUES WITH THE LEGISLATURE IN OUR STAFFING.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE PUBLIC SO MUCH BUT FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN MOST OF THE PEOPLE ARE MASKING UP VERY WELL.

OH RIGHT.

I AGREE.

WELL, IT IS ONE THAT OF COURSE WE'RE STILL ADJUSTING YOU KNOW, ALL OF US JUST IN OUR EVERYDAY LIVES TO BE TO BE SURE THAT WE HAVE SPARE MASKS IN OUR CARS AND AND WE COME TO APPRECIATE WHAT SIX FEET ONE INCH LOOKS LIKE OR AT LEAST APPROXIMATES ITSELF TO BE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REMAINS THE FOCAL POINT.

AND LIZ, THIS IS A GOOD WAY TO MOVE INTO THIS UNDER COVID THE THE SHARED CONCERN IN HOUSE AND SENATE IN TERMS OF LEAD LEGISLATION IT SEEMS OUR BILLS RELATED TO LIABILITY CONCERNS FOR FOR COVID YOUR AUTHOR OF ONE OF THOSE IN THE SENATE.

TELL US WHAT THAT'S ALL ABOUT.

YES, WE HAD A SENATE BILL ONE ACTUALLY IS THAT COVID IMMUNITY BILL AND WE HAD HEARINGS AND AMENDED IT LAST WEDNESDAY AND PASSED IT OUT AND THIS PROTECTS WE HAD SCHOOLS IN FAVOR OF IT, BUSINESSES, MANUFACTURERS, THE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION NOT FOR PROFIT.

I MEAN THIS IS PROTECTING EVERYBODY IF YOU COULD BE A FOOD BANK FROM THE RED CROSS TO ANY KIND OF ORGANIZATION IF YOU MADE THE GM MADE VENTILATOR'S OR IF YOU VOLUNTARILY MADE HANDS HAND SANITIZER OR MASKS AND THE IDEA IS DOESN'T MEAN YOU GET A FREE PASS BUT IF YOU ARE BY CLEAR AND CONVINCING EVIDENCE YOU'VE BEEN WILL FOR WHAT WANT IN TERMS OF MISCONDUCT OR GROSS NEGLIGENCE.

YOU'RE NOT YOU'RE GOING TO BE FOUND LIABLE.

SOMEONE CAN BRING A TORT CLAIM AGAINST YOU BUT IF YOU WERE TRYING TO FOLLOW THE FRANKLY HUNDREDS OF DIFFERENT RULES THEY WERE RAPIDLY CHANGING THROUGH ALL THIS PANDEMIC.

SOMEONE CAN'T COME AFTER YOU JUST BECAUSE THEY THINK THAT YOU DIDN'T FOLLOW RULE TEN AND YOU WERE FOLLOWING RULE ONE THROUGH NINE AND YOU KNOW THAT THAT CHANGES AS YOU'VE SEEN CHANGE BY EACH COUNTY.

SO I THINK THIS IS A GOOD THING OUR BUSINESS AND OUR NOT FOR PROFITS CHURCHES EVERYONE YOU KNOW, THEY JUST NEED TO KNOW CERTAINTY AND WE DON'T NEED TO, YOU KNOW, INVITE THESE SORT OF SCURRILOUS LAWSUIT.

RIGHT.

DAVE, I UNDERSTAND THAT A DISTINGUISHING DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SENATE LEGISLATION AND HOUSE LEGISLATION ON THIS MATTER IS ADDITIONAL PROTECTION ON THE HOUSE SIDE FOR THOSE IN THE MEDICAL FIELD IN THE HEALTH COMMUNITY.

DAVID, LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT THAT.

THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL PROTECTION APPARENTLY FOR HEALTH CARE WORKERS FROM CERTAIN PROFESSIONAL DISCIPLINES DURING A STATE EMERGENCY FROM FEBRUARY OF 2020 THROUGH APRIL 1ST OF TWENTY TWENTY TWO.

THAT DOES SEEM LIKE AN ADDITIONAL SHIELD OF SORTS FOR THEM.

WHAT'S YOUR WHAT'S YOUR SENSE OF THE HOUSE LEGISLATION IN AND OF ITSELF AND THEN PERHAPS RELATIVE TO WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE SENATE?

I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE SENATE AND I'M NOT COMPLETELY FAMILIAR WITH THE HOUSE LEGISLATION VERSION BUT WE DO HAVE A CONCERN THAT WHEN PEOPLE ESPECIALLY THEY'RE COMING IN FROM OUT OF STATE AND THEY'RE WORKING IN THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY AND THEY'RE WORKING UNDER STRAIN CONDITIONS LONG HOURS AND YOU KNOW, THEY NEED THAT PROTECTION.

THEY DON'T WANT TO HAVE FRIVOLOUS LAWSUITS AND IS LIKEWISE WHAT WAS SAID WITH THE YOU KNOW, THE BUSINESSES WE WANT THEM TO BE WITH.

THEY'RE USING CDC RECOMMENDATIONS AND THEY'RE TAKING THEIR BEST APPROACHES POSSIBLE THAT WE DON'T WANT THEM TO BE HELD LIABLE FOR FRIVOLOUS LAWSUITS EITHER.

AND THERE THEY'RE A CRITICAL FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE FOR US RIGHT NOW.

SO WE NEED TO PROTECT THEM AS MUCH AS WE CAN AND I THINK THAT DOVETAILS WITH THE SENATE FAIRLY WELL.

LISTEN, IS IT YOUR SENSE THAT THESE TWO CHAMBERS WITH THEIR LEGISLATION IS MORE SIMILAR THAN DIFFERENT?

I THINK IT IS.

OURS GOES TO TWENTY TWENTY FOUR.

WE WEREN'T SURE EXACTLY WHEN WE COULD SAY THE PANDEMIC WAS THROUGH AND WE HAVE A PRODUCT LIABILITY PIECE IN THIS THAT I WOULD SAY PROTECTS FOR EXAMPLE THE USE OF MEDICATIONS AND TESTING AS LONG AS THEY'VE BEEN APPROVED BY THE FDA.

I THINK THAT AH WE MAY HAVE TO ADD SOMETHING.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE GOVERNOR ALLOWED EASING OF THOSE WHO ARE LICENSED IN OTHER STATES TO COME IN.

BUT I THINK THAT OUR SENATE BILL ONE IS BROAD ENOUGH TO PROTECT HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES AND THE PRACTICES THAT THEY USED EARLIER IN THE PANDEMIC.

BUT I THINK WE'RE BOTH LOOKING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYONE IS TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING IN TERMS OF WHETHER IT'S TAKING CARE OF PATIENTS OR OPENING THEIR BUSINESSES OR OFFERING SOME SORT OF CARE, IF YOU WILL.

I KNOW THESE ARE SUCH UNIQUE TIMES AND I BELIEVE THAT THE UNIQUENESS OF IT I WON'T SAY IT'S UNPRECEDENT BECAUSE WE HAVE NINETEEN EIGHTEEN AND WE HAVE OTHER INSTANCES IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD BUT RELATIVE TO LEGISLATION THAT PROVIDES CONTEXT FOR ACTION, I KNOW THAT THE LEGISLATURE CAME TOGETHER IN JANUARY WITH SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE POWER OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH IN DECLARING MEDICAL EMERGENCIES HOUSE BILL ELEVEN TWENTY THREE APPARENTLY IS ONE DAY OF THAT REPRESENTATIVE LEHMAN IS IS WORKING ON TO TRY TO FIND I GUESS A LITTLE BIT MORE CONNECTIVE TISSUE, IF YOU WILL, BETWEEN LEGISLATIVE AND EXECUTIVE.

CAN YOU TALK TO US ABOUT WHAT YOUR SENSE IS EITHER OF THAT BILL OR OF THIS IDEA OF MODIFYING THE GOVERNOR'S POWER WITHOUT HAMSTRINGING THE GOVERNOR'S POWER?

SURE.

WELL, YOU KNOW, I WAS PART OF THAT BILL.

I WORKED ON IT.

WE A WORK GROUP THAT STARTED LAST LATE SUMMER WORK THROUGH THE THROUGH THE FALL WITH DIFFERENT VARIATIONS OF WHAT WE THOUGHT NEEDED TO BE INCLUDED AND THE IDEA WAS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE THOUGHT THE GOVERNOR HAD THESE EXECUTIVE POWERS FOR WHAT WOULD BE NORMALLY DEEMED MAYBE A NATURAL DISASTER, A FLOOD WOULD BE A CHEMICAL SPILL, A SHORT LIVED EMERGENCY THAT WOULD EXPIRE PROBABLY WITHIN 30 DAYS.

YOU KNOW, EIGHT MONTHS LATER WE FIND THAT WE'RE STILL IN RENEWED EXECUTIVE EMERGENCY ORDERS AND THE EXECUTIVE ORDER HAS BEEN RENEWED EVERY 30 DAYS.

WE FEEL WE NEEDED TO HAVE A PLACE AT THE TABLE NOT THAT WE DISAGREED BUT THAT WE NEED TO BE PART OF THE DISCUSSION.

WHAT HAPPENS IN ORDER TO GO OUT AND THEN WE WOULD FIND A LOT OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES MULTIPLE MULTIPLE CALLS TO THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE FOR CLARIFICATION SOMETIMES CHANGES AND IT ONLY MADE SENSE THAT IF SOMETHING WAS GOING TO BE EXTENDED THIS LONG IT NEED LEGISLATIVE INPUT ALSO.

SO WE WORKED ON SOME DIFFERENT ITERATIONS.

WHAT'S COMING THROUGH ON THE LEHMAN BILL IS 30 DAYS ONCE 30 DAYS HAS EXPIRED THEN EITHER THE EMERGENCY ORDER WOULD EXPIRE OR WE WOULD AUTOMATICALLY BE CALLED INTO SESSION AND THEN IT WOULD STILL ALLOW FOR THE EMERGENCY ORDER TO BE RENEWED BUT ONLY WITH LEGISLATIVE PARTICIPATION BASED ON REOCCURRING TIME PERIOD SO THAT WE WOULD BE ACTIVELY ENGAGED THROUGHOUT ANY EMERGENCY.

NOW THERE'S ALSO SOME OTHER BILLS THAT ARE COMING THROUGH THE HOUSE MAYBE FIVE OR SIX MORE THAT HAVE VARYING DEGREES OF THAT SAME THOSE SAME TERMS AND LESS MAYBE A LITTLE MORE SHORTER PERIOD OF TIME TO START OUT.

OTHERS HAVE MORE CONTROL AT THE LOCAL LEVEL AS FAR AS WHAT HEALTH DEPARTMENTS CAN DO, WHAT BUSINESSES ARE ESSENTIAL NON-ESSENTIAL THAT'S ALL IN DISCUSSION RIGHT NOW AND THAT'S GOING TO COME THROUGH IN THE END PROBABLY THROUGH SOME AMENDMENTS POSSIBLY IN THE LEHMANN'S BILL MAYBE AS A SEPARATE BILL.

BUT THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO DO YET.

BUT I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF A LOT OF COMMON THOUGHT ON WHAT WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH AND THAT'S TO BE PART OF THE EQUATION.

WE HAVE A SEPARATION OF POWERS BUT WE ALSO NEED TO BE INVOLVED LEGISLATIVELY AND ALSO BUT ALSO CARES THAT HOW THAT'S DISTRIBUTED.

WE NEED TO HAVE A VOICE IN THAT TOO.

SO WE WANT TO PARTNER WITH THE GOVERNMENT.

WE'RE NOT TRYING TO FIGHT HIM.

WE WANT TO BE PART OF THE DISCUSSION.

YEAH, OK, LIZ, WHAT'S YOUR WHAT'S YOUR SENSE?

I KNOW THERE WILL BE A BILL MOVING THROUGH THE SENATE ALSO ON THIS TOPIC.

YES.

I THINK THE IDEA TO SORT OF ECHO REPRESENTATIVE ABETZ IS IS WE WANT TO PARTNERSHIPS OBVIOUSLY THIS PANDEMIC HAS BEEN A BIG LIFT FOR THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH AND I THINK THAT IF WE MAKE SOME CHANGES THAT THE HELP THAT WE CAN GIVE IN A LOCAL LEVEL AS WE ARE IN DIRECT CONTACT WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS AND WE CAN ACTUALLY SEE HOW DIFFERENT AUDIENCE EXECUTIVE ORDERS AFFECT DIFFERENT BUSINESSES, IT'S EASIER FOR US TO SEE THAT AND GIVE OUR FEEDBACK AND MAKE CHANGES SO I THINK THERE WILL BE SOME LEGISLATION COMING OUT.

BUT THE IDEA IS LET'S LET'S ALL BE IN THIS BE PARTNERS TOGETHER.

RIGHT?

WE HAVE MIKE ON THE PHONE AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING HERE PRIMETIME THIS EVENING YOU CAN JOIN US WITH YOUR QUESTION OR COMMENT AND MIKE HAS ONE QUESTION FOR LIZ.

MIKE, GOOD EVENING.

WELCOME TO PRIME TIME, SIR.

GO AHEAD, MIKE.

ARE YOU THERE, SIR?

WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO MIKE'S RETURN JUST TO SEE WHERE HE MAY WELL HAVE BEEN.

BUT WHILE WE WHILE WE WAIT FOR MIKE, LET ME ASK YOU, LIZ, YOU'RE CHAIRING A NEW COMMITTEE NOT NEW IN THE SENSE OF ITS BEING AROUND BUT YOU'RE HEADING JUDICIARY IN THE SENATE.

LET ME ASK YOU AND THEN DAVE AS WELL WHAT KIND OF ACTIVITY YOU'RE EXPECTING TO CONSIDER IN JUDICIARY?

WELL, AS I'VE SAID, WE'VE HEARD SEVERAL BILLS ALREADY SENT ALONG WITH THE COVERT IMMUNITY BILL.

WE WILL BE LOOKING AT A BILL FROM SENATOR ROGERS THAT'S GOING TO CLARIFY WHAT ADVANCED DIRECTIVES ARE AND AND HAVE A UNIFORM FORM, IF YOU WILL, WHICH WOULD I THINK WILL BE HELPFUL.

WE'RE CURRENTLY LOOKING AT AN UNCLAIMED PROPERTY ACT UPDATE.

AS YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GO TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S WEBSITE, SEE IF YOU'RE MISSING SOME MONEY SOMEWHERE AS YOU MOVED AROUND AND FORGOT IT, THINGS LIKE THAT.

WE HAD A BILL REALLY SMALL ONE ON ALLOWING RESIDENTIAL UNITS TO TRAVEL TO CONTRACT WITH POLICE TO COURT TO HAND OUT TICKETS IN APARTMENT COMPLEXES .

I MEAN IT RUNS THE GAMUT.

IT SAYS IT'S QUITE INTERESTING AND DAVE, YOU'RE CHAIRING NATURAL OR VICE CHAIR RATHER NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE.

WHAT'S TAKING PLACE THERE?

AND THEN WE'LL BE GOING AROUND WITH WITH A QUESTION FOR EACH OF YOU REGARDING LEGISLATION THAT YOU'RE PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN FOLLOWING AS THE DAYS GO ON.

BUT HOW ABOUT WITH WITH NATURAL RESOURCES, DAVE?

WELL, YES, I AM VICE CHAIR OF NATURAL RESOURCES NOW WE'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO HAVE A LOT ON THE AGENDA AS FAR AS WE HAVE THE AGENCY AND YOUR AGENCY BUILT FROM THE DNR WHICH ADDRESSES A MULTITUDE OF DIFFERENT AGENDA ITEMS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.

I PERSONALLY HAVE TWO BILLS THAT WILL BE GOING THROUGH NATURAL RESOURCES.

ONE IS EXOTIC ANIMALS AND THIS IS WHAT IT'S A BILL THAT I INTRODUCED LAST YEAR.

WE'VE TRIMMED IT BACK TO INCLUDE JUST BASICALLY THE MISUSE AND THE MISTREATMENT OF LIONS, TIGERS AND BEARS FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM AND WHAT'S HAPPENING IS THERE'S A LOT OF ROADSIDE ZOOS.

THERE'S THERE'S SMALL OUTFITS.

IT'S SET UP LIKE THIS.

YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH TIGER WORLD FOR INSTANCE, WHERE THEY HAVE INDREK THEY HAVE DIRECT CONTACT WITH THESE ANIMALS, THESE ANIMALS ARE RAISED A LOT OF TIMES THEY'RE MISTREATED.

THEY OUTGROW THEIR FACILITIES.

THEY GET SOLD ON THE BLACK MARKET OR THEY GET SOLD TO TAIWAN WHERE SUPPOSEDLY THEY'RE IN GOOD CONDITION BUT THEY'RE IN HORRIBLE CONDITIONS WHEN THEY'RE SOLD OUT LIKE THAT.

BUT WE WANT TO KEEP THE CONTACT BETWEEN THE PUBLIC AND THE PRIVATE AND THE ANIMALS THEMSELVES SEPARATE.

THEY CAN STILL BE THERE.

THEY CAN STILL LOOK AT THEM LIKE YOU WOULD AT A ZOO, TAKE PICTURES WITH THEM BUT WE DON'T WANT THEM IN CONTACT WITH THEM AND THAT'S REALLY THE MAIN PART OF THAT BILL.

BUT WE UNDERSTAND MIKE IS BACK SO WE WILL LOOK FOR A GOOD CONNECTION.

MIKE, WELCOME TO PRIME TIME, SIR.

GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

GOOD EVENING.

CAN YOU HEAR?

YES, SIR.

GO AHEAD.

VERY GOOD.

I JUST HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE LEGISLATORS.

I HAD A SITUATION WHERE I'M A LANDLORD WITH HALF A DOZEN RENTAL PROPERTIES AND I RELY ON THAT FOR MY RETIREMENT INCOME AND THE EXECUTIVE ORDERS THAT CAME DOWN FROM THE GOVERNOR IN REGARDS TO PROPERTY RIGHTS AND THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO EVEN ACCESS THE COURT SYSTEM FOR LANDLORDS WAS COMPLETELY TAKEN AWAY FROM US AND I BELIEVE IT WAS IN VIOLATION OF THE STATE LAW PUT IN PLACE BY THE LEGISLATURE.

AND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I KIND OF FELL ON DEAF EARS AND I KNOW I DON'T THINK THAT THESE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN MADE WHOLE THAT HAVE BEEN A SITUATION THAT MYSELF IS IN AS WELL AS I THINK THERE'S A GROUP THAT'S ACTUALLY FILED IN FEDERAL COURT A CASE AGAINST THE GOVERNOR FOR THE ACTIONS THAT HE'S TAKEN.

MY QUESTION IS TO THE LEGISLATORS IF THEY'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING TO MAKE SURE THAT STATE LAWS ARE FOLLOWED REGARDLESS BECAUSE THAT'S A SITUATION WE HAD WITH THE FEDERAL ELECTIONS.

SO I THINK THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT MAYBE THOSE EXECUTIVE POWERS FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE BE SCRUTINIZED AND LOOKED AND EVEN IF THE EXECUTIVE ORDERS ARE MADE I DON'T BELIEVE YOUR JUDICIAL REVIEW SHOULD BE TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU.

SO THAT WOULD BE MY QUESTION IF THERE'S ANYTHING COMING IN THIS SESSION THAT WOULD ADDRESS THAT MIKE, THANK YOU.

AND LET ME HAVE LIZ RESPOND FIRST.

THANK YOU, MIKE.

I SHARE YOUR CONCERNS.

I'VE ACTUALLY CALLED THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE LAST SUMMER WHEN THE EVICTION MORATORIUM WAS EXTENDED AND I CERTAINLY SYMPATHIZE WITH THOSE WHO WERE OUT OF WORK BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC AND COULDN'T PAY THEIR RENT.

BUT I ALSO WARNED THE GOVERNOR THAT WE PROBABLY NEEDED TO TAKE STEPS TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE WERE ANTICIPATING EVENTUALLY PAYING RENT AND AND OR THAT WE WERE SOMEHOW MAKING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THEM IF THEY WEREN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO BECAUSE TO YOUR POINT, MIKE, WE HAD LANDLORDS THAT OWN PROPERTY AND STILL HAVE TO PAY PROPERTY TAXES AND ET CETERA.

AND SO I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.

I THINK I'VE SEEN THAT THE MOST RECENT STIMULUS PACKAGE HAS SOME ASSISTANCE LIKE THAT BUT IT IS IT IS TROUBLING BECAUSE WE CAN EXTEND THE WHERE THE FEDS HAVE EXTENDED THE EVICTION MORATORIUM BUT THEY HAVE NOT EXTENDED THE MORATORIUM ON YOUR OWN PERSONAL BILLS.

SO INDIRECTLY AND MAYBE I KNOW WILL BE ADDRESSED IN THE BILLS AND LEGISLATORS LOOKING AT THIS SESSION WITH RESPECT TO THE GOVERNOR'S EXECUTIVE ORDER POWER AND THE DAVE, ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THAT?

I THINK LIZ IS RIGHT ON ON THAT.

YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S ALL THE MORE REASON WHY WE NEED TO BE PART OF THAT DISCUSSION EARLY ON AT LEAST FROM THE STATE'S STANDPOINT.

THE FEDERAL WE CAN'T CONTROL SOME OF THE FEDERAL WITH THE STATE WE CAN WE CAN STEP IN THROUGH RESOLUTIONS AND IF WE'RE IN SESSION WE CAN WE CAN HAVE A SAY-SO ON THAT SO WE CAN ADD PROVISIONS NOW I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT'S GOING TO BE COMING IN THIS SESSION.

I'M NOT AWARE AT THIS POINT WHAT WILL DIRECTLY ADDRESS THAT ALTHOUGH I DO KNOW IS LISTED THERE WILL BE SOME I THINK THERE ARE SOME GRANTS OR FUNDING PROGRAMS THAT MAY BE COMING THROUGH THAT WOULD HELP LANDLORDS AND OTHER BUSINESSES.

I KNOW THERE'S A FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLAR GRANT FOR SMALL BUSINESSES UNDER A HUNDRED EMPLOYEES.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WOULD EXTEND ON TO APARTMENTS FOR LOSS OF ISTORE PAYROLL AND AND OTHER VARIOUS EXPENSES THAT WOULD QUALIFY AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LEAVE IT THERE.

I'M SO SORRY BUT WE ARE LOOKING SO FORWARD TO HAVING YOU BACK AGAIN.

REPRESENTATIVE DAVE EVERTZ, STATE SENATOR LIZ BROWN.

I'M BRUCE HAYNES FOR PRIMETIME.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING AND WE WILL SEE YOU BACK HERE AGAIN NEXT WEEK