>> Mary: WELCOME TO "ALMANAC: AT THE CAPITOL," I'M MARY LAHAMMER, WITH A VERY DIFFERENT START TO THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

THE LONGEST-SERVING FEMALE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE IN STATE HISTORY IS GONE.

GUNNED DOWN AT HER HOME.

IT HAS LEFT THIS PLACE FOREVER CHANGED.

I'LL BE TALKING WITH THE CURRENT SPEAKER AND LEADER IN JUST A MOMENT, AND ALSO WE'LL BE CHATTING WITH KEY RETIRING MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE ALL SEASON LONG, AND WE'LL BE STARTING WITH A SMART, FEISTY, IMPORTANT SENATOR ANN REST.

BUT, FIRST, SESSION PRIORITIES, ALONG WITH BEGINNING OF THE LEGISLATURE, HONORING MEMBERS TARGETED BY AN ASSASSIN.

[ BANGING GAVEL ] >> THE HOUSE WILL COME TO ORDER.

>> Mary: A SOMBER START TO SESSION, AS LAWMAKERS REMEMBERED THE SSASSINATED FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER MELISSA HORTMAN.

>> COLIN, OPHIE, ENTIRE FAMILY, HARD TO COME UP THE WORDS, BUT AS I THINK EIGHT MONTHS OF THIS TRAGEDY AND WATCHING YOU HAVE TO ENDURE NOT JUST THE LOSS BUT THE VERY PUBLIC GRIEVING, THE GRACE AND DIGNITY AND DECENCY THAT YOU'VE CONDUCTED YOURSELF IS A LESSON FOR ALL OF US.

>> ON JUNE 14th, HER BRIGHT LIGHT WAS EXTINGUISHED.

ALONG WITH MARK AND GILBERT.

AND THAT DAY WAS THE START OF WHAT HAS BEEN THE LONGEST SUMMER AND THE HARDEST WINTER.

CHILDREN KILLED IN A CHURCH.

MINNESOTANS KILLED IN THE STREET.

>> Mary: THE SENATE WELCOMED BACK SENATOR JOHN HOFFMAN, WHO SURVIVED THE SAME ASSASSIN.

>> FOR THE MINNESOTA STATE TROOPERS, WHO PROTECTED MY FAMILY AND ME IN THE MERGENCY ROOM, IN THE ICU, THROUGHOUT RECOVERY AND AT OUR HOME, AND THEY ESCORTED ME UP THE STEPS AND BACK INTO THIS CHAMBER TODAY, THEY WERE THERE IN THE ICU AS I LEARNED TO WALK AGAIN AND ESTABLISHED A GOAL TO WALK UP THOSE CAPITOL STEPS WITH THEM, THEY KEPT WATCH DURING OUR MOST VULNERABLE HOURS.

I AM GRATEFUL TO THEM FOREVER.

I RETURN CHANGED BUT OT DETERRED.

MORE CONVINCED THAN EVER THAT THE LEADERSHIP IS MEASURED NOT BY HOW WE RESPOND WHEN EVERYTHING IS GOING RIGHT, BUT HOW WE RESPOND IN OUR HARDEST HOURS.

MEMBERS, LET'S RISE ABOVE THE NOISE AND LET US GOVERN WITH HUMILITY AND LET US PROVE THROUGH OUR ACTIONS, NOT JUST WORDS R THAT DEMOCRACY IS STRONGER THAN FEAR.

>> Mary: SECURITY HAS CHANGED AT THE CAPITOL, WITH WEAPONS SCREENINGS AND ADDITIONAL CHECKPOINTS.

THE REPUBLICAN PRIORITY FOR SESSION REMAINS STOPPING FRAUD.

THEY'RE LED BY THE HOUSE SPEAKER, WHO'S RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR.

>> YOU HAD LEADERS, CITY AND STATE LEADERS, CALLING ON BUSINESSES TO SHUT OWN FOR A DAY AND TO STRIKE.

THAT IS A CHOICE.

NOT ALL BUSINESSES CHOSE TO DO THAT.

>> WE'VE SEEN A LOT F DAMAGE TO BUSINESSES AS A RESULT OF GOVERNOR WALZ'S POLICIES AND DEMOCRAT POLICIES OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.

THE IDEA THAT E'RE GOING TO DO SOME SORT OF BAILOUT INSTEAD OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO FIX OUR BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT, I DON'T THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE BIPARTISAN SUPPORT FOR.

>> Mary: EMOCRATS ARE NOT GOING TO LET THE IMTBRAITION ISSUE AND ITS IMPACT FADE.

>> THE RESULT OF OPERATION METRO SURGE, WHICH IS NOT OVER YET, I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR, WE ARE STILL SEEING ACTIVITY THE IN OUR COMMUNITIES, WE ARE STILL HAVING OUR NEIGHBORS KIDNAPPED, WE ARE STILL HAVING OBSERVERS BEING AGGRESIVELY TARGETED AND EOPLE BEING DETAINED.

THIS HAS BROUGHT GENERATIONAL DEVASTATION.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT TRUMP AND EPUBLICANS HAVE BROUGHT BECAUSE REPUBLICANS IN MINNESOTA WILL NOT STAND UP TO HIM.

>> Mary: BILLS WOULD MEAN NO MORE MASKS FOR ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND NO MORE UNMARKED VEHICLES.

>> LET'S STAND TOGETHER AS A DFL AND A MINNESOTA GOP AND SAY, NO MORE.

THIS IS THE KIND OF MOMENT IN HISTORY WHERE WE MUST SAY, NEVER AGAIN WILL WE ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN ANYWHERE, IN MINNESOTA OR ANY STATE IN THE UNITED STATES.

>> VOTERS ARE WATCHING.

AND VOTERS WILL HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE IF THEY