REPRESENTATIVE WHO STARTED HIS CAREER AS A TEACHER.

BUT WE'RE GOING TO START TONIGHT WITH A PAIR OF INFLUENTIAL SENATORS, JOHN HOFFMAN AND JIM ABELER.

THEY ARE LEADS OF THE HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE.

CHAIRMAN HOFFMAN, LET ME START WITH YOU.

THE HEARINGS THIS WEEK WERE WRAPPED AROUND THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEADERS OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE COMING UP WITH BUDGET TARGETS.

AND I THINK A HALF DOZEN TIMES TODAY IN COMMITTEE, YOU EXPRESSED DISAPPOINTMENT IN YOUR TARGET.

WHAT'S GOING TO BE MISSING FROM WHAT YOU WANT TO DO?

>> I'M GLAD -- HALF A DOZEN TIMES.

THAT'S PRETTY GOOD.

YOU COUNTED HALF A DOZEN TIMES.

I MUST HAVE SAID IT AT LEAST 20 TIMES TODAY ON IT.

YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FACT OF OUR NEEDS FOR THE LONG-TERM CARE INDUSTRY, RIGHT, IS THIS $5.4 BILLION, ADD IT UP, SAY, ALL RIGHT, HOW ARE WE GOING TO TRULY FIX IT?

>> TO GET TO $20 AN HOUR.

>> Eric: THAT'S THE PAY WAGE FOR A PROVIDER?

>> CORRECT, YEAH.

>> Eric: WORKFORCE.

>> GIVE BACK 1.3 BILLION FOR TWO YEARS, 1.5 BILLION ONGOING IN THE TAILS WHEN YOU LOOK AT FACT THAT 30% OF OUR BUDGET REALLY IS IN HUMAN SERVICES, TO ME, IT WAS VERY DISAPPOINTING TO SEE.

>> Eric: THE NURSING HOMES, THERE WAS A VERY POIGNANT MOMENT IN THE COMMITTEE HERE EARLIER IN THE WEEK WHERE A FELLA CAME ON AND SAID, WHAT, IN THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, THERE WERE 11,000 -- >> 11,000 PEOPLE TURNED AWAY.

>> Eric: AND IT BASICALLY STOPPED THE HEARING.

I MEAN IT WAS A DRAMATIC MOMENT.

>> IT'S AN INCREDIBLE NUMBER.

AND WE CAN'T SEEM TO GET THE ATTENTION OF THE ADMINISTRATION.

HELLO!

COMMITTED TO ONE MINNESOTA.

WHAT ABOUT THE SENIORS?

WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES?

>> Eric: IS THE STATE, THOUGH, MOVING TOWARD A NEW MODEL OF SENIOR CARE HAT IS NOT A NURSING HOME, THAT'S HOME CARE, COMMUNITY CARE, SOME OF THE THINGS -- THE PROGRAMS THAT I HEAR ABOUT IN THE COMMITTEE?

>> THAT'S BRAND -- BRAND-NEW NEWS TO ME WE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT THIS YEARS AGO.

JIM AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE SILVER TSUNAMI, IT'S NOW HERE, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY, 1.3 MILLION PEOPLE 65 AND OLDER IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA.

IN K-12 EDUCATION 850,000.

IT'S BEEN THE SAME FOR MANY MANY YEARS.

SO THAT WOULD BE A FIRST FOR ME.

BUT WHAT I DO KNOW IS THIS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT 11,000 NUMBER THAT WAS SAID, THERE WAS A PAUSE BECAUSE IT WAS A SHOCK.

AND THEN MY MIND WENT TO, THE 20%, ALMOST 20% OF THE BED SPACE IN OUR HOSPITALS ARE PEOPLE THAT SHOULD EITHER BE IN THEIR HOME, IN ASSISTED LIVING, OR IN NURSING HOMES.

AND IF WE CAN'T FIX THE SYSTEM, RIGHT, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO BECAUSE THERE ARE TWO PROGRAMS THAT ARE MANDATED SERVICES UNDER MEDICAID.

HOSPITALIZATION AND NURSING HOMES.

SAD.

>> Eric: COVID DID WHAT TO THE INDUSTRY?

TO HUMAN SERVICES IN GENERAL.

>> IT'S A BIG MESS.

THERE'S A CONTINUUM OF CARE.

PEOPLE WANT TO STAY IN THEIR HOMES, NEED HOME CARE WORKERS.

THEY GO INTO A FACILITY, THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE GETTING COVID.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DIED IN NURSING HOMES.

AND THEN PLUS WAGES WENT UP, LIKE, 5 BUCKS IN A YEAR.

AND IT PUT THE WHOLE SYSTEM ON ITS BACK.

AND SO BEFORE PEOPLE DIDN'T MIND WORKING OR $14, NOW YOU GET CLOSE TO 20.

SO WE'RE SHORT 53,000 WORKERS IN INDUSTRY.

THAT'S A LOT TOO.

AND THAT'S WHY 11,000 PEOPLE ARE TURNED AWAY FROM NURSING HOMES BACK IN OCTOBER.

THAT'S WHY WE NEED REALLY $5 BILLION TO BRING PEOPLE UP TO 20 BUCKS AN HOUR OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS AND THAT WOULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

>> Eric: WANT TO JUMP TO A DIFFERENT TOPIC.

I WAS INTERESTED IN COMMITTEE THIS WEEK, YOU ANNOUNCED THAT YOU HAD A DEATH THREAT OVER THE MARIJUANA BILL.

>> I DID.

>> Eric: I KEEP HEARING A LITTLE BIT OF MURMURING THAT MAYBE IT'S NEXT YEAR FOR LEGALIZED RECREATIONAL POT.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> I DON'T KNOW.

I MEAN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE CARED ABOUT IN OUR COMMITTEE WAS THE FACT THAT YOU GOT TO HAVE SUBSTANCE PREVENTION, YOU GOT TO HAVE TREATMENT AND YOU GOT TO HAVE RECOVERY.

IF YOU'RE HAVING IT.

BECAUSE ADDICTION IS ADDICTION IS ADDICTION, RIGHT, ERIC, WE KNOW THAT.

AS I STARTED TO VOICE THAT OUT, AND WE GOT THAT LANGUAGE IN THERE, LET'S HOPE IT STAYS IN THERE.

BUT PEOPLE WERE ALREADY -- THEY WERE BACKED UP SAYING, THEY MADE A COMMENT, AND I WON'T GO INTO DEPTH ABOUT THE COMMENT WAS, BUT IT WAS ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

ABOUT HOW DO YOU GET TO HOFFMAN BECAUSE THEY SEE ME AT THE CUB STORE, THEY SEE ME ALL OVER THE PLACE IN CHAMPLIN, SEND HIM A HORSE HEAD.

SO I JUST SAY, JIM KNOWS SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT I KNOW FROM MY WIFE'S RADIO AND TV DAYS, RIGHT, HER MORNING SHOW PARTNER, LAST NAME'S FRATO, FATHER WAS LOU FRATO, RIGHT?

TO ME, THAT'S NOW -- WHEN SHE COMES DOWN AND SAYS TO ME, I'M SCARED, WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO AT THAT POINT?

>> Eric: YOU TALKED ABOUT IN COMMITTEE ABOUT SPENDING THE MONEY WISELY IN HUMAN SERVICES.

AND I GOT THE IMPRESSION YOU DON'T THINK IT'S MABEL TOTALLY BEING SPENT -- AYBE TOTALLY BEING SPENT APPROPRIATELY.

>> WE SPEND, I THINK, $30 BILLION IN TWO YEARS IN THE AREA THAT WE SERVE TO SERVE 100 OR 200,000 PEOPLE.

AND HOW DO YOU MAKE IT GO THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY?

WE'RE BESIEGED BY A LOT OF FEDERAL RULES AND DEPARTMENTAL RULES.

AND IF WE COULD HAVE A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBILITY, WE ACTUALLY DO COULD DO A BETTER JOB.

WE NEED SOME RAW MONEY AS WELL.

UNDER OUR WATCH WE TRIED TO STRETCH IT TO GO AS FAR AS IT CAN TO SERVE MORE PEOPLE.

>> Eric: DO YOU HAVE AN APPEALS PROCESS?

THE TARGET ARE BROAD OUTLINES, THEN FILL IN THE PROGRAMS UNDERNEATH THE TARGET.

IS THERE AN APPEALS PROCESS WHERE YOU CAN GET MORE?

OR WHAT HAPPENS GOING FORWARD HERE?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, LEADERSHIP NEGOTIATED WITH LEADERSHIP.

RIGHT?

BUT THEY DIDN'T COME BACK TO THE RANK-AND-FILE EMBERS OF THE CAUCUS SAYING, HERE, WHAT DO OU GUYS THINK OF THIS?

THEY SAID, HERE YOU GO.

AND I LOOKED AT, HERE YOU GO, AND WHAT I NEED, AND I SAID, THERE'S A DISCONNECT HERE, RIGHT?

AND IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE SOME MONEY COME BACK, I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.

WE'RE ABOUT $400 MILLION TO MAKE THINGS WORK, ABOUT $400 MILLION SHORT.

AND THAT WOULD BE $185 MILLION IN THE FIRST TWO YEARS AND $215 MILLION IN YEARS THREE AND FOUR.

>> NOT TO MENTION THE PAID FAMILY LEAVE COST.

>> THANK YOU, JIM.

THAT WAS THE OTHER ONE.

>> Eric: $600 MILLION SOMETHING.

>> EXACTLY.

HERE'S THE KICKER.

THE ONLY WAY THAT THESE FOLKS GET PAID, A VENDOR, AN ORGANIZATION GETS PAID IS WHEN THE STATE DECIDES TO UP THEIR GAME.

NOW YOU'RE GOING TO SAY, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU MONEY, BUT THEN WE'RE GOING TO TAKE IT AWAY.

TO ME, IT'S NOT OKAY.

THE SAME TIME, SAFE AND SICK, HERE YOU GO -- >> COUPLE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS, IMPACT NURSING HOMES AND GROUP HOMES.

THAT IS OTHERWISE ACCOUNTED FOR, WE PUT IN THE AMENDMENT TO PAY FOR THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO HARM THE PLACES BY DOING THE GOOD OF PAID FAMILY LEAVE.

>> Eric: WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THE PACE OF THE SESSION, AS FAR AS GETTING IT RIGHT?

ENORMOUS REVISOR'S BILL CORRECTING A LOT OF MISTAKES?

[ Laughter ] >> IT'S LIKE, OKAY, DRINKING WATER FROM A FIRE HOSE, A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE, THAT THE PACE IS THERE, THEY MOVED THE TIMELINES UP.

FOR EXAMPLE, JUST THIS BUDGET PROCESS, ABOUT GETTING A FORECAST, I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST NOT APPEN UNTIL LIKE LATE IN APRIL.

>> RIGHT.

>> HERE WE ARE, LATE IN MARCH AND IT'S HAPPENING.

SO WE'RE A MONTH AHEAD OF WHERE WE SHOULD BE.

AND, YOU KNOW, MY WIFE SAYS, I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU IN FIVE DAYS, WELL, SHE'S COMPLETELY SERIOUS BECAUSE I GET HOME, BY THAT TIME, SHE'S IN BED, SHE GETS UP, GOES DOES ER SCHOOL WORK IN THE MORNING, THAT'S IT.

>> Eric: A LOT OF PEOPLE THOUGHT THE SENATE WAS GOING TO REMAIN REPUBLICAN AFTER THE ELECTION.

AND IT DIDN'T.

AND I WONDER HOW FRUSTRATING OR TRAUMATIC THAT HAS BEEN FOR THE REPUBLICAN SENATE CAUCUS.

>> IT'S HARD TO BE LEFT OUT.

THE BEST GOVERNMENT IS WHEN PEOPLE WORK TOGETHER.

JOHN AND I BOTH MODELED THAT, WHEN I WAS A CHAIR, NOW WHEN HE'S THE CHAIR.

THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE WANT US TO DO.

WORK TOGETHER, GET THINGS DONE.

THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT GETTING THINGS DONE IS.

BUT THEY FIGURE THEY TRUST US.

THAT'S NOT HAPPENING.

IT'S BEEN SO ONE-SIDED, SO FRUSTRATING.

A FEW THINGS BEHIND THE SCENES THAT ARE SMALL.

BUT PEOPLE WANT US TO WORK TOGETHER.

AND I JUST URGE THE GOVERNOR AND THE EADERS, REPRESENTATIVE HORTMAN AND SENATOR DZIEDZIC AND THE REST OF THE SENATE HERE TO WORK WITH US.

BECAUSE WE'RE NOT AGAINST EVERYTHING.

IT'S BETTER WHEN PEOPLE WORK TOGETHER.

YOU GET A BETTER PRODUCT.

>> Eric: HOFFMAN AND ABELER.

>> GOT IT.

>> Eric: ACROSS THE AISLE, SITTING TOGETHER ON THE SENATE FLOOR FOR HOW MANY YEARS?

>> THERE YOU GO.

>> I DON'T KNOW, TEN YEARS.

>> I'VE BEEN HER