♪♪ >> MARY: THEY'VE BEEN WORKING LONG HOURS ON THE SENATE FLOOR.

DFL ASSISTANT MAJORITY LEADER NICK FRENTZ AND REPUBLICAN ASSISTANT MINORITY LEADER ZACH DUCKWORTH.

WELL, LET'S START WITH THE ETHICS HEARING WHICH IS WHAT ALL OF US IN THE PRESS CORPS WERE WATCHING LAST NIGHT.

WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY WITH?

ISSUE WITH SENATOR MITCHELL NOT BEING RESOLIDS AMOUNT WILL CONTINUE INTO ANOTHER ETHICS HEARING.

IT'S NOT OVER.

>> FIRST OF ALL, MARY, THANKS FOR HAVING OPE.

THE SENATE HAS NEVER FAILED TO WAIT FOR THE CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS TO BE RESOLVED BEFORE TAKING ACTION ON AN ETHICS COMPLAINT.

AS YOU'VE REPORTED, WE'VE HAD MANY LEGISLATORS OVER THE YEARS WHO HAVE FACED CRIMINAL CHARGES AND THERE IS A REASON WE DO IT THAT WAY.

THE MAIN REASON IS, NONE OF US HAVE ALL THE FACTS AND IN ORDER TO BRING THOSE FACTS OUT, WE NEED TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AND LET THE CRIMINAL PROCESS RESOLVE.

>> Mary: SO WHY IS THIS DIFFERENT?

WHY SHOULD THIS PROCESS BE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT'S HAPPENED BEFORE?

>> I THINK THE PEOPLE OF MINNESOTA EXPECT SOME ACCOUNTABILITY, I THINK THEY'RE FRUSTRATED AFTER LAST NIGHT, THEY WANTED SOME ANSWERS AND THEY WANTED TO SEE SOMEONE BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR CONDUCT THAT FOLKS THINK MAYBE IS NOT UPSTANDING FORMING A MEMBER OF THE MINNESOTA SENATE.

THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN YET SO THE SAGA CONTINUES AND ALL THE WHILE THE MINNESOTA SENATE IS OPERATING WITH A BLACK MARK ON IT.

>> Mary: YOU THEY WOULD HER VOTE, TO BE FRANK, IT IS A ONE-VOTE MARGIN, OUR VIEWERS ARE AWARE OF THAT.

33-33 DOESN'T ALLOW YOU TO GET ANYTHING THROUGH SO YOU NEED HER.

>> I THINK THE PEOPLE IN HER DISTRICT NEED HER.

ONE REASON YOU CAN'T JUST PLUG ANOTHER PERSON IN THERE IS THAT'S WHO THOSE VOTERS ELECTED AND THEY CAN REMOVE HER IF THEY CHOSE.

WHILE WE CAN MAKE CHANGES TO THE COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS, WHICH IS A PRIVILEGE THAT WE GIVE TO ALL MEMBERS ABILITY CAN BE TAKEN AWAY BY THE AGREEMENT OF THE MAJORITY LEADER AND THE MINORITY, THE RIGHT TO BE ON THE FLOOR HAS NEVER BEEN TAKEN AWAY.

>> Mary: RECALL IS POSSIBLE, IT'S.

>> UNDERWAY.

DOES THAT TELL OUT SOMETHING?

>> I'VE HEARD PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT IT BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT A MEMBER CAN DO THEMSELVES.

ONE IS TO RESIGN OR ONE IS TO JUST POTENTIALLY TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF A LEAVE, THOSE ARE OPTIONS THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO MOVE FORWARD.

AND AS FAR AS 3-33 GOES, THAT'S ASSUMING ALL REPUBLICANS VOTE ONE WAY AND THE DEMOCRATS ALL VOTE ONE WAY.

>> Mary: ITS AIDS NOT ALWAYS TRUE.

>> WE'VE SHOWN IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS THAT REPUBLICANS ARE WILLING TO JOIN OUR FRIENDS ACROSS THE AISLE ON GOOD BIPARTISANSHIP LEGISLATION.

>> Mary: LET'S TALK ABOUT THE ENERGY BILL, WHAT WAS THE VOTE ON THAT?

>> WE COMBINED 'BIND IT WITH COMMERCE AND AGRICULTURE AND I THINK WE WERE 36 VOTES.

>> Mary: THAT INCLUDES REPUBLICANS, SO PEOPLE AT HOME CAN COUNT.

YOU NEED THE OTHERS TO GET ALL THE OTHER BILLS THROUGH.

>> IT'S A LITTLE CHOPPY IF WE'RE LANDING A PLANE, THERE IS AN OCCASIONAL CROSS WEDGED, A POTHOLE OR TWO ON EVERY END OF SESSION AND I THINK WHAT THE PEOPLE OF MINNESOTA RE SAYING, WE CENTER YOU P THERE TO GET WORK DONE AND MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN MY DISTRICT DON'T LIKE IT WHEN SOME OF THE WORK IS NOT DONE.

>> Mary: WHAT ARE THE POLICY POTHOLES AHEAD THAT YOU SEE?

>> I THINK WE HAVE TO GET UBER AND LYFT FIGURED OUT, A BONDING BILL THAT HAS TO GET DISCUSSED, A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS.

JUST YESTERDAY WE RESOLVED A BIG ONE, MAKING SURE WE'RE UPHOLDING RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND LIB FOR THE FOR PEOPLE IN MINNESOTA.

>> Mary: THAT WAS A BIG COMPROMISE.

>> IT AS, BIPARTISAN WORK CAN GET DONE BUT UNTIL OR UNLESS WE RESOLVE SOME SIGNIFICANT ISSUES THAT ARE OUTSTANDING ON SOME OF THESE BILLS AND IN GENERAL, IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGHER TO LAND THAT PLANE.

>> Mary: LET'S TALK ABOUT UBEHR AND LIFT.

DEMOCRATS HAVE A DEAL BUT DIDN'T TALK TO THE COMPANIES?

>> IT'S A DEAL BETWEEN THOSE PEOPLE THAT SAID STEADS AN AGREEMENT.

SOMETIMES LEGISLATORS SAY I HAVE THIS AND THIS BUT UNTIL YOU HAVE EVERYBODY AT THE TABLE HARD TO SAY THERE IS A GLOBAL DEAL AND FOR ISSUES LIKE THIS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE BUY-IN FROM EVERYBODY IF YOU WANT TO GET IT ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.

>> Mary: UBER AND LYFT LEAVE, THOUGH, THAT IS A VERY BIG MPACT FOR THE STATE OF MINNESOTA.

>> WE DON'T WANT THAT.

WE WANT THIS TO GET WORKED OUT AND IN OTHER MAJOR MESH CITIES, THEY'VE HAD SIMILAR ISSUES AND THEY USUALLY GET IT WORKED OUT BUT WHAT YOU WANT FOR THEM TO DO IS MAYBE ATTENTION IN AIL ROOM AND WORK IT OUT.

IT SIMPLY WON'T WORK AND I THINK THEY WILL LEAVE IF THEY DON'T GET BUY-IN.

>> THEY'VE ALREADY BEGUN WINDING DOWN SOME OPERATIONS.

THIS IS NOT A BLUFF.

AT THIS POINT IN TIME, THINK THEY INTEND TO LEAVE.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE ALL PARTIES IN THE ROOM AND QUITE FRANKLY, I WAS A LITTLE DISEASE AINTERESTS PO'ED BECAUSE I THINK THE PEOPLE OF MINNESOTA WERE MISLED WHEN THERE WAS AN ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING AN AGREEMENT.

I DO COMPLIMENT FOLKS IN THE MEDIA FOR KIND OF SAYING, MAYBE THAT'S NOT TRULY THE INDICATION.

>> Mary: WE DO OUR JOB ONCE IN A WHILE.

>> YOU ABSOLUTELY DO.

>> Mary: TOMORROW YOU HAVE A GUN BILL UP.

THAT'S BEEN A TOUGH ISSUE FOR THE SENATE, A LOT OF RURAL MEMBERS, YOU'RE ONE OF THEM AND A LOT OF THEM HAVE UNS AND LIKE THAYER GUNS.

WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN?

>> FIRST OF ALL I I THINK DEMOCRATS HAVE THIS BASIC IDEA THAT WILD LIKE TO HAVE LEGS PEOPLE GET SHOT.

INTO THAT WE BRING SOME IDEAS AND SENATOR GUESS TO HAVE DAN FROM --ED >> Mary: DO YOU HAVE THE VOTES?

>> WE STILL TALK ABOUT IT AND I THINK WE WORKED THROUGH ALL THAT, TO BE BLUNT, I'M IN CAUCUS TONIGHT AND HAD TO LEAVE EARLY TO APPEAR ON "ALMANAC."

>> Mary: WE APPRECIATE THAT.

>> I THINK WHAT PEOPLE WANT 'WANT IS AN HONEST DEBATE AND I HINK WE GET THAT ON THE FLOOR FOR BOTH SIDES.

>> IT BOTH REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS WOULD AGREE THAT WE WANT GUN SAFETY, PEOPLE TO BE SAFE, OF COURSE.

I AM DISAPPOINTED THIS BILL SEEMS TO TAKE TWO THINGS AND PAIR THEM TOGETHER, ONE WHICH IS VERY BIPARTISAN WAS ACTUALLY A BILL INTRODUCED BRING REPUBLICAN WHICH IS INCREASING PERMITS FOR STRAW PURCHASERS AND THE OTHER ONE IS A LESS BIPARTISAN PROVISION.

IF WE WERE GOING TO DO THIS, I THINK THE RIGHT THING WOULD HAVE BEEN TO UNCOUPLE THEM AND LET'S HAVE THE DEBATE ON THE OTHER ONE.

>> Mary: WHY NOT SPLIT THEM?

>> WE LEAVE THAT UP TO THE BILL AUTHOR AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE TRY TO DO IS EMPOWER THE CHIEF OFFICERS.

WHEN I SERVED IN THE MINORITY, MY FRIENDS ACROSS THE AISLE DID THE SAME THING, THAT'S THE PERSON WHO KNOWS THE BILL THE BEST.

SOMETIMES THEY'RE COUPLED AND SOMETIMES NOT.

>> Mary: I SENSE A TOUCH ISSUE IN RURAL AREAS, BUT SUBURBAN VOTERS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT GUNS.

>> THEY ARE AND RIGHTFULLY SO.

I'VE GOT THREE LITTLE KIDS, I HAVE BINE ON A SCHOOL BOARD BEFORE, THERE ARE A LOT OF LEGITIMATE CONCERNS CONCERNING THE SAFETY OF FIREARMS IN THE STATE.

WE HAVE TO ENTAL THAT WITH CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND MAKE SURE THAT IF WE ARE GOING TO PASS SUCH LAWS, THAT THEY'RE PRACTICAL AND AREN'T GOING TO PUNISH LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS, WE WANT TO PUNISH THOSE WHO ARE ACTUALLY BREAKING THE LAW.

>> Mary: HE COULD OF SESSION, CHANGES OF GETTING OUT EARLY?

>> I WOULD SAY 30.0, IN THE ZERO RANGE.

>> Mary: DO YOU SHARE THAT?

>> I WOULD STAY THERE IS A 100% CHANCE