♪♪ >> ERIC: THIS WEEK THE STATE SUPREME COURT ISSUED A DECISION ON THE RESTORATION OF VOTING RIGHTS FOR FELONS, ESSENTIALLY SAYING IT'S THE LEGISLATURE'S JOB TO DECIDE.

POLITICAL REPORTER MARY LAHAMMER SHOWS WHAT'S AHEAD NEXT FOR THE ISSUE AND WHY VOTING MATTERS SO MUCH IN MINNESOTA.

>> THIS IS A BAD DAY FOR DEMOCRACY.

>> Mary: THE SECRETARY OF STATE RAN ON DEMOCRACY AND PROVED THE TOP VOTE ETTER IN MINNESOTA, AND HE WANTS VOTING RIGHTS RESTORED FOR RELEASED FELONS.

REACTION, GENERALLY, TO THE MINNESOTA SUPREME COURT DECISION ON VOTING RIGHTS?

>> IT'S WHAT WE EXPECTED AND WHAT THE COURT, BOTTOM LINE, SAID ON A 6-1 BASIS, MAJORITY OPINION WAS, LOOK IT, IF YOU'RE GOING TO CHANGE THE LAW ON THE SUBJECT, WHICH I SUPPORT, FROM A POLICY STANDPOINT, IT REALLY IS THE LEGISLATURE THAT HAS TO CHANGE THE LAWS, NOT GOING TO BE DONE THROUGH THE COURTS.

>> Mary: FASCINATING THAT THE OPINION WAS WRITTEN BY A FORMER LAWMAKER, FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER, PAUL THISSEN.

SO DOES HE CARRY GREATER AUTHORITY ON THE SEPARATION OF POWERS AND WHAT THE LEGISLATURE SHOULD BE DOING?

>> IT'S HARD TO READ INTO THE AUTHOR OF ANY COURT OPINION AND MAKE THOSE DETERMINATIONS.

BUT FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO INTERPRET IT THAT WAY, I WOULD WELCOME THAT INTERPRETATION.

A PERSON, LIKE ME, CAN BELIEVE WE OUGHT TO CHANGE THE LAW, BUT THAT'S A DIFFERENT QUESTION THAN WHETHER THE CURRENT LAW SAYS WHAT SOME PEOPLE THINK IT SAYS.

>> Mary: RACIAL DISPARITIES DISPROPORTIONATELY HIT COMMUNITIES OF COLOR ON THIS ISSUE.

>> BLACK PEOPLE COMPRISE ABOUT 6% OF MINNESOTA'S OTING AGE POPULATION, BUT 24% OF THESE DISENFRANCHISED VOTERS.

>> IT HURTS.

I ADMIT, IT HURTS.

THAT THE HIGH COURTS OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA DIDN'T MAKE DRASTIC MEASURES AND CHANGES TO ENSURE THAT WE ALL CAN USE OUR VOICES.

>> THIS IS A DARK DAY AND, YET, ANOTHER STAIN N DEMOCRACY.

>> Mary: THE PLAINTIFFS SAY THIS WAS A BAD DAY FOR DEMOCRACY.

>> I UNDERSTAND THE DISAPPOINTMENT OF ANYONE WHO IS NOT ON THE REVAILING SIDE IN A COURT CASE.

BUT THEY SHOULD BE HEARTENED BY THE FACT THAT IN TERMS OF THE ULTIMATE OUTCOME, THERE'S A BILL MOVING IN THE LEGISLATURE THAT I STRONGLY SUPPORT AND WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT.

>> Mary: ONE OTHER ASPECT FROM THE ACLU AND THE PLAINTIFFS, THEY DEFINITELY TALK ABOUT THE RACIAL DISPARITY AND HOW DEVASTATING AND DISPROPORTIONATE THIS IS FOR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.

CAN YOU ADDRESS THAT?

>> I THINK THEY'RE RIGHT.

WHAT THEY SUBMITTED IN THE BRIEFS, THEY PAINTED A PRETTY DEVASTATING PICTURE.

BUT, AGAIN, WHAT THE SUPREME COURT SAID WAS, THESE THINGS MAY BE TRUE AND CORRECT, BUT THE PLACE TO TAKE THAT UP IS THE LEGISLATURE, NOT THE COURTS.

AND THAT'S WHAT SO MANY OF US ARE TRYING TO DO.

>> Mary: HERE IN THE HOUSE, THEY'VE ALREADY PASSED VOTING RIGHTS RESTORATION.

IT'S NOT SCHEDULED FOR ACTION YET ON THE SENATE FLOOR.

BUT A SOURCE TELLS ME IT COULD COME UP AS SOON AS NEXT WEEK.

>> I URGE THE MINNESOTA LEGISLATURE TO RESTORE MY RIGHT TO VOTE.

IF YOU DON'T ACT, MY SON WILL NEVER SEE ME CAST A BALLOT.

I STAND HERE REPRESENTING ALL THE PEOPLE WITHOUT A VOICE.

ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON PROBATION AND HAVE BEEN LABELED FELONS.

>> Mary: THE PLAINTIFF HAS A FELONY DRUG CONVICTION AND IS NOW CLEAN AND A DRUG COUNSELOR.

SHE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO VOTE UNTIL SHE'S 71 YEARS OLD.

ACLU ATTORNEYS SAY STOPPING PRODUCTIVE CITIZENS FROM VOTING NO LONGER MAKES SENSE.

>> NO ONE HAS EVER ARTICULATED ANY SOUND REASON THAT DISENFRANCHISED PERSONS WHO LIVE AND WORK IN OUR COMMUNITIES ON SUPERVISED RELEASE, AND IT'S CORROSIVE TO OUR DEMOCRACY.

>> REHABILITATION OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS, IT SERVES PUBLIC SAFETY FOR THE EXTENDED COMMUNITIES AFFECTED AND IT PROMOTES DEMOCRACY.

THERE HAS BEEN A GROWING TREND, PARTICULARLY IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS, TOWARDS EITHER DISENFRANCHISING FEWER PEOPLE OR RESTORING THEIR RIGHTS MORE QUICKLY.

>> Mary: SO PRESSURE ON THE SENATE?

HAVE YOU TALKED TO AND LEANED ON SENATE LEADERS OR INDIVIDUAL SENATORS SINCE THIS OPINION LANDED?

>> I WILL JUST SAY, GENERALLY, THAT I HAVE TALKED WITH SENATORS, MANY OF THEM, AND WITH SENATE LEADERSHIP ABOUT THIS.

AND ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING THIS DONE.

IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

WE NOW FRONT AND CENTER KNOW THAT THIS IS THE MISSION.

CAN'T GET IT DONE ANY MORE THROUGH THE COURTS.

SO THAT I HOPE PUTS SOME POSITIVE PRESSURE ON PEOPLE TO DO WHAT I AT LEAST BELIEVE IS THE RIGHT THING.

WHAT MANY OTHER STATES HAVE DONE.

NORTH DAKOTA, IOWA'S HEADED IN THAT DIRECTION, FLORIDA'S HEADED IN THAT DIRECTION, A GROWING LIST OF STATES, RED, BLUE, EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN, HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT RESTORING THE RIGHT TO VOTE FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE LEFT PRISON BEHIND IS A GOOD THING TO DO.

>> THEY ARE OUR NEIGHBORS, OUR FRIENDS, OUR DAUGHTERS, OUR SONS, OUR COUSINS, OUR MOTHERS, OUR FATHERS.

THEY HAVE JOBS.

THEY HELP TAKE CARE OF THEIR FAMILIES.

THEY PAY TAXES.

THEY ARE SUBJECT TO THE LAWS AND POLICY DECISIONS HAT WE MAKE IN THIS BODY.

BUT IN OUR REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT, THEY ARE DEPRIVED OF THE FOUNDATIONAL RIGHT TO VOTE.

>> I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR YOUR BILL BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A GOOD START.

AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO WORK ON THESE THINGS THAT WILL BRING US CLOSER TOGETHER.

>> Mary: SUPPORT IN THE HOUSE WAS BIPARTISAN, BUT NOT UNIVERSAL.

>> THE REALITY IS, UNDER THIS BILL, SOMEONE WHO'S CONVICTED OF FELONY VOTER FRAUD, WHO ISN'T INCARCERATED, WHO MIGHT ONLY GET