>> Eric: SOUNDS GREAT.

THANKS FOR COMING.

>> THANKS.

>> CATHY: THIS SUMMER, WE'RE TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT ISSUES THAT PASSED IN THE INCREDIBLY BUSY LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

THIS WEEK, REPORTER MARY LAHAMMER FOCUSES ON THE LARGEST BONDING BILL IN STATE HISTORY, THE ONLY LEGISLATION THAT REQUIRED BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.

MARY SHOWS US HOW IT CAME TOGETHER AND WHAT THE IMPACT IS ACROSS THE STATE.

>> LET'S START BUILDING.

[ Cheers and applause ] >> Mary: THE BONDING BILL FOR STATE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS WILL BUILD LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE IN MINNESOTA.

AND UNLIKE OTHER BILLS, BORROWING MONEY MEANS LAWMAKERS MUST BUILD A BIPARTISAN SUPERMAJORITY.

>> THIS IS TRULY THE GOLDEN AGE OF INFRASTRUCTURE CONSTRUCTION ACROSS THE STATE.

>> FIRST TIME I'VE SPOKEN AT THE REQUEST OF A GOVERNOR.

[ Laughter ] >> Mary: REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE DEAN URDAHL DELIVERED THE VOTES IN HIS CAUCUS EARLY.

>> A LOT OF BUMPS IN THE ROAD ALONG THE WAY, BUT THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN IN STATE GOVERNMENT WHEN PEOPLE DECIDE THAT REGARDLESS OF PARTY, OR WHERE YOU LIVE IN THE STATE, THAT YOU SHOULD GET TOGETHER AND TRY TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR THE STATE OF MINNESOTA.

[ Applause ] >> Mary: OF ALL THE BILLS THAT PASSED IN THIS BIG HUGE HISTORIC SESSION, THE BONDING BILL WAS THE ONLY ONE THEY NEEDED YOU ON.

>> RIGHT.

AND WE WERE WELL AWARE OF THAT.

I'VE BEEN ON CAPITAL INVESTMENT FOR 18 YEARS.

IT IS ACTUALLY UNLIKELY OR UNUSUAL FOR THE SENATE TO PASS THE BILL.

UNTIL FINAL PASSAGE.

>> Mary: SENATE REPUBLICANS INITIALLY REJECTED THE BILL, HOLDING OUT FOR A DEAL TO BUNDLE SEPARATE NURSING HOME FUNDING, BUT THEY DIDN'T ATTEND THE BILL SIGNING.

>> IT'S AN IMPORTANT BILL.

I WORKED HARD ON IT.

I WILL GO TO THE BILL SIGNING.

>> Mary: WHAT ABOUT MAKING THE GOVERNOR LOOK GOOD?

SHOULD A REPUBLICAN MAKE THE GOVERNOR LOOK GOOD?

>> I CERTAINLY WASN'T THERE TO MAKE THE GOVERNOR LOOK OOD.

WE DO BONDING FOR THE WHOLE STATED.

NOTICE I DIDN'T SAY ONE MINNESOTA HERE.

I'M NOT USING HIS TAG LINES.

>> THE LACK OF A BONDING BILL IN '21 AND '22 AND ALSO A $5.5 BILLION IN BACKLOG.

>> THE MOST HISTORIC INFRASTRUCTURE BILLS IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA'S HISTORY.

>> IS THE ADJECTIVE HISTORIC STARTED TO GET OLD?

>> NO!

[ Laughter ] >> LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.

THE QUESTION WAS, IS THE ADJECTIVE HISTORIC GETTING OLD?

NO.

>> SOMEBODY HAS TO PAY FOR THESE THINGS, WHETHER IT IS THE STATE HELPING OUT OR THE LOCALS, IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE CLEAN WATER.

>> Mary: GOVERNMENT HAS TO DO THIS.

THIS IS GOVERNMENT'S SWROB, GOVERNMENT'S JOB, RIGHTER?

EVEN IF YOU HATE THE GOVERNMENT?

>> YES, IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS A STATE LEGISLATURE AS A STATE GOVERNMENT TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROPERTY THAT THE STATE OF MINNESOTA OWNS.

AND MUCH OF WHAT IS IN A BONDING BILL DEALS WITH STATE-OWNED ASSETS.

>> Mary: WITH A RECORD NUMBER OF NEW LAWMAKERS IN THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION, PART OF THE JOB WAS TO EDUCATE THEM ON THE BONDING BILL.

TUXES OUT, URDAHL WAS A TEACHER AND IT CAME NATURALLY FOR THEM.

>> HELPED THEM TO UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT AND WHY IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO DO IT.

AND THEY HAVE TO BALANCE THAT OUT WITH WHAT THEIR DISTRICTS WANT, WHAT THEY THINK THEIR CONSTITUENTS WANT.

>> THIS IS A PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT IS GOING TO BE ABOUT $2.6 BILLION.

THE BIGGEST INVESTMENT IN BONDING IN OUR STATE'S HISTORY.

>> STRATEGIC AND EQUITABLE INVESTMENTS AND BUILD STRONG COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE.

THESE INVESTMENTS, SOME MAY SAY THEY'RE NOT FLASHY.

I THINK THIS IS THE FLASHIEST STUFF HAT YOU CAN DO FOR COMMUNITIES.

>> Mary: CLEAN WATER AND WASTEWATER POPULATE THE LIST, AS CRITICAL RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS.

REPUBLICANSLOOK LIKE THEY DID PRETTY DARN WELL ON THAT SPREADSHEET.

>> YEAH, I THINK THAT WE DID.

THAT'S WHO TAKES CARE OF THE WATER PROJECTS, THE WASTEWATER, THE CLEAN WATER.

THAT'S A BIG DEAL IN GREATER MINNESOTA.

AND SO IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR REPUBLICANS TO HAVE A GOOD NUMBER IN THERE.

AND IT'S NOT A REAL FLASHY ITEM OR -- BUT IT'S VERY, VERY BIG EAL TO GREATER MINNESOTA.

>> Mary: WITH ALL D.F.L.

CONTROL OF GOVERNMENT AND A RECORD SURPLUS FOR THEM TO SPEND, THE OUTCOME OF THE OFTEN DIFFICULT BRIP BILL WAS NOT A GIVEN.

DEMOCRATS COULD DO A CASH BILL AND COMPLETELY TAKE REPUBLICANS OUT.

>> THERE WAS A MOMENT IN THE SESSION WHERE IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE WE WERE GOING TO GET A G.O.

BONDING BILL THROUGH.

THIS SESSION AS UNUSUAL FOR A LOT OF REASONS.

ONE BEING THAT WE HAD SUCH A HUGE SURPLUS.

THAT CAME INTO PLAY, ESPECIALLY IF YOU PASS BONDING BILL, CAPITAL INVESTMENT BILL, WHICH IS CASH.

YOU DON'T NEED A SUPERMAJORITY.

A IMPLE MAJORITY DOES IT.

SO THE DEMOCRATS COULD DO WHATEVER THEY WANTED IN THAT INSTANCE.

>> Mary: IN THE END, LIKE SO MANY OTHER THORNY ISSUES IN AN