♪♪ >> ERIC: LEGISLATIVE LEADERS AND THE GOVERNOR ALL SAY THEY'RE GETTING CLOSE TO COMPLETING BUDGET BILLS FOR A SPECIAL SESSION POSSIBLY NEXT WEEK.

POLITICAL REPORTER MARY LAHAMMER BRINGS US CONTEXT TALKING TO KEY LAWMAKERS AND THE GOVERNOR ABOUT THIS UNPRECEDENTED AND HISTORIC LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

>> THE SENATE IS NOW ADJOURNED.

>> THE HOUSE STANDS ADJOURNED.

>> Mary: IN THE END, SESSION CONCLUDED THE WAY IT BEGAN.

WITH CLOSE MARGINS IN BOTH CHAMBERS, CREATING BLAME ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE.

>> WE HAVE TO FINISH THIS.

WE DON'T HAVE A CHOICE.

>> IT'S A LITTLE BIT DISAPPOINTING THAT THE SESSION REALLY PARTISAN ANTICS ON THE FLOOR.

>> Mary: WHAT DISOUNK THE SOONEST, I WAS JUST TALKING TO SOME LAWMAKERS, THEY WERE THINKING TUESDAY IS PROBABLY THE SOONEST YOU COULD CALL THEM ACK.

>> MAINLY BECAUSE IT'S MEMORIAL DAY.

>> IT IS HARD.

THIS IS ALWAYS A DIFFICULT TIME OF THE YEAR.

WE HAVE TO MAKE HARD CHOICES.

>> IT'S UNFORTUNATE WE'RE COMING TO THIS POINT WHERE WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE BILLS ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING LIKE.

THE DEMOCRATS IN THE HOUSE TOOK 23 DAYS AFTER IN THE BEGINNING OF SESSION.

>> Mary: DEMOCRATS IN THE HOUSE BOYCOTTED ALMOST A MONTH OF THE START OF SESSION.

OVER REPUBLICAN THREATS NOT TO SEAT A REPRESENTATIVE IN A RACE WITH RECOUNTS ND COURT CASES HE WON.

>> THEY'RE HOLDING OUT FOR MAKING SURE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO REPRESENT THE STATE OF MINNESOTA, BEING ABLE TO PROTECT PAID FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE, BEEN ABLE TO PROTECT CLIMATE, 100% CLEAN ENERGY, THE THINGS THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TO US, THAT MATTER IN MY COMMUNITY.

>> Mary: DEMOCRATS ARE REALLY TORN IN THIS STATE.

HOW DIFFICULT HAS IT BEEN TO BE A PART OF THAT?

>> IT'S AWFUL.

IT IS CRUELTY.

IT IS NOT GOOD FOR MINNESOTA.

IT'S NOT GOOD FOR THE PEOPLE OF MY DISTRICT.

WE HAVE WIDE RANGE OF DIVERSITY OF FOLKS, AND THIS WILL ABSOLUTELY AFFECT LIVES IN MY DISTRICT.

TAX-PAYING FOLKS THAT HAVE FAMILIES, THAT HAVE LIVED HERE FOR A LONG TIME.

[ KNOCKING ] >> Mary: DEMOCRATS DIVIDED BITTERLY OVER A BUDGET DEAL TO END HEALTHCARE FOR UNDOCUMENTED ADULT IMMIGRANTS, BREAKS FOR BIG-TECH BUSINESSES AND TAX INCREASES ON MARIJUANA.

>> YOU'RE KILLING OUR COMMUNITIES!

>> Mary: DO YOU RISK ALIENATING THAT PART, THE REALLY PROGRESSIVE PART OF YOUR PARTY?

>> SURE.

>> Mary: IF YOU'RE RUNNING AGAIN, IF YOU WANT A FUTURE, YOU NEED THEM, RIGHT?

>> OH, THAT'S THE LEAST OF MY WORRIES.

THIS IS TO GET IT DONE.

THIS ABOUT COMPROMISE AND PRAGMATIC.

>> Mary: A BIG FUND-RAISER, $1,000 A PLATE TO $4,000 A PLATE.

THAT SOUNDS LIKE SOMEBODY MIGHT BE RUNNING.

>> WELL, HELPING THE PARTY.

PUT YOURSELF IN A POSITION WHERE YOU CAN DO THIS.

>> Mary: ORIGINALLY YOU SAID AFTER SESSION, I'M WONDERING IF IT'S AFTER SPECIAL SESSION, EVERYTHING TO BE WRAPPED BEFORE MAKING IT PUBLIC.

>> I THINK IT'S BEST TO WRAP IT UP, SEE WHERE WE'RE AT.

>> Mary: SPECIAL SESSION IS NECESSARY O FINISH PASSING BUDGET BILLS TO AVOID A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN.

AND IT WAS THE STATE GOVERNMENT BILL THAT WAS THE LAST ONE PASSED IN THE REGULAR SESSION.

>> SO YOU HEARD US SAY WHEN WE WERE INTRODUCING BILLS, THIS IS NOT THE BILL THAT I WOULD HAVE WRITTEN, BOTH CHAIRS HAVE SAID THAT, AND I'LL USE CHAIR KLEVORN AND MYSELF, WHO WERE ON YOUR SHOW, "ALMANAC: AT THE CAPITOL," NEITHER OF US WOULD HAVE WRITTEN THE BILL THIS WAY, BUT BOTH OF US HAVE WORKED VERY WELL TOGETHER.

>> Mary: DO YOU THINK IN THE END, THE HOUSE BEING TIED AND HAVING TO BE BIPARTISAN ON EVERYTHING ENDS UP BEING KIND OF A SUPER POWER AGAINST THE SENATE AND THE GOVERNOR, IN SOME WAY?

>> I DO.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE LEARNED IN THIS AST YEAR OF TIME IS, YOU LEARN TO BOTH GET THE STUFF THAT YOUR SIDE NEEDS WHILE ALSO SUPPORTING SOME OF THE STUFF THAT YOU KNOW THE OTHER SIDE NEEDS AS LONG AS IT'S NOT CRAZY.

IT'S BASICALLY WHAT'S FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER THAT WE'VE BEEN PASSING.

>> Mary: FOR A FRESHMAN WHO FLIPPED A SEAT FOR HE FIRST TIME IN ALMOST A CENTURY, SESSION WAS AN EDUCATION.

>> THE LAST DAY IS KIND OF SURREAL THAT IT'S FINALLY HERE.

I RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S JUST A LOT OF CLINGS HAPPENING IN THE BACKGROUND.

WE'VE GOT SOME REALLY GREAT LEADERSHIP IN OUR TEAM.

I CAN'T EVEN BELIEVE HOW LUCKY WE GOT WITH ISA AS SPEAKER.

I COULDN'T BE MORE IMPRESSED WITH HER, HONESTLY.

>> Mary: THERE'S STRIFE IN THE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS, STRIFE IN THE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS, IT ISN'T EASY AND HUNKY-DORY, IS IT?

>> IT'S NOT EASY.

I LOVE IT WHEN WE HAVE A UNIFIED FRONT, TOO.

BUT WHEN YOU'RE IN CAUCUS AND YOU HEAR ALL THE INTERNAL STRUGGLES, WHAT YOU CAN RECOGNIZE IS HOW UNIQUE ALL OF OUR DISTRICTS ARE.

THIS IS A 24/7 PART-TIME JOB.

[ Laughter ] THAT REQUIRES A LOT OF THOUGHT AND A LOT OF COMMITMENT.

AND I'M STILL HERE FOR IT, BUT THIS IS -- THIS IS ENDLESS WORK.

AND IT'S IMPORTANT WORK.

>> Mary: FOR A GOVERNOR COMING OFF A LIFE-CHANGING CAMPAIGN FOR VICE PRESIDENT, THIS SESSION WAS A UNIQUE CHALLENGE, WHILE MAINTAINING A NATIONAL PROFILE.

HOW MUCH MORE TRAVELING, HAS IT BEEN A DISTRACTION, HAVE YOU BEEN HERE ENOUGH?

>> I THINK IT WAS FIVE DAYS.

YEAH, A COUPLE WEEKENDS OFF, WE DO THAT.

CERTAINLY HERE A LOT.

WE HAVE A PLATFORM, AND I KEEP SAYING THIS, I THINK THE REASON I WAS ON THAT TICKET IS THAT MINNESOTA, A LOT OF THINGS WORK, WHETHER T'S FROM HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION, WE'RE TACKLING THINGS, VERY PROUD THAT WE'RE SEEING SOME SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS, DECADES LOWS IN CRIME AND SOME OF THOSE THINGS.