>> Mary: NOW BACK TO ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES OF SESSION, EDUCATION.

WE HAVE EDUCATION POLICY CO-CHAIRS HERE.

WE HAVE REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE PEGGY BENNETT AND DFL REPRESENTATIVE SYDNEY JORDAN.

REPRESENTATIVE BENNETT, LAST WEEK YOU WERE PART OF A PRESS CONFERENCE WHERE REPUBLICANS WERE SAYING, THERE'S A LOT WE AGREE ON.

LET'S DO IT.

HAS ANYTHING HAPPENED SINCE THEN THAT YOU AGREE ON?

>> WELL, NOT -- NOT IN ON THAT SUBJECT, LET'S PUT IT THAT WAY.

ALTHOUGH, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE MIGHT COME CLOSE ON SOME OF THE ITEMS AND PARTS OF IT.

YOU KNOW, SOME OF OUR PACKAGE INCLUDED FUNDING.

I WON'T GET INTO THAT SINCE THIS IS A POLICY COMMITTEE, BUT, YOU KNOW, OUR ANONYMOUS THREAT REPORTING SYSTEM IS AN AREA WHERE I THINK WE'RE VERY CLOSE.

AND I'M OF THE MIND AND I BELIEVE REPRESENTATIVE JORDAN IS, TOO, THAT IF WE CAN GET THERE, WE NEED TO PASS THE THINGS THAT WE CAN AGREE UPON.

>> Mary: YOU WERE NODDING.

SO WOULD YOU AGREE AND JUST TAKE THAT SEPARATE, BECAUSE SO FAR EMOCRATS AND LEADERS HAVE BEEN TELLING ME EVERYTHING IS LINKED AND THE ISSUE OF GUN CONTROL IS LINKED TO SCHOOL SAFETY FOR YOUR CAUCUS.

>> WELL, YEAH, I MEAN, FOR ME, THE ISSUE OF SCHOOL SAFETY STARTS WITH GUN CONTROL.

WE KNOW THAT THAT IS THE MOST PRESSING ISSUE THAT I HEAR FROM PARENTS, THAT I HEAR FROM STUDENTS, IS THAT THE GUNS NEED TO BE PART OF THIS CONVERSATION.

I THINK WE'VE HAD A LOT OF GREAT CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SCHOOL SAFETY.

OBVIOUSLY ANONYMOUS THREAT REPORTING, BUT I ALSO JUST REALLY WANT TO THANK REPRESENTATIVE BENNETT FOR HER GREAT WORK ON A BILL TO MAKE SURE CHILDREN ARE SAFE FROM GROOMING.

THAT'S A BILL WE WORKED ON TOGETHER AND THAT'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING THAT CAN KEEP OUR STUDENTS SAFE.

BUT WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT GUNS, IT HAS TO BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION.

>> Mary: REPRESENTATIVE, ANY CHANCE THERE'S ANY ERSION OF MILD GUN CONTROL, WATERED-DOWN GUN CONTROL?

I KNOW THE GOVERNOR WAS FLOATING MAYBE AFE STORAGE.

DO YOU THINK THAT'S POSSIBLE THAT CAN GET THROUGH?

>> THERE'S ONLY ONE NEEDED IF DEMOCRATS ALL VOTE FOR IT, CORRECT?

>> YES.

>> Mary: DO YOU SEE ANYTHING COMING THROUGH THAT COULD UNLOCK ALL OF THIS TOGETHER?

>> I KNOW IT'S A HOT ISSUE.

AND I LOOK AT EFFECTIVENESS, IS IT REALLY GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM?

I LOOK AT SECOND AMENDMENT ISSUES, IS IT CONSTITUTIONAL?

WE HAVE A LOT OF MOVING PARTS IN THAT AREA.

AND, AGAIN, THESE ARE HOT-BUTTON TOPICS THAT TYPICALLY BOTH SIDES DIG THEIR HEELS IN ON, AND IN SOME CASES, FOR GOOD REASON ON BOTH SIDES.

WE HAVE OUR REASONS.

SO, AGAIN, WE SHOULD FIND THE AREAS WHERE WE CAN FIND AGREEMENT BECAUSE, LET'S JUST TAKE THE GUN PART OUT FOR A MINUTE, ECAUSE EVEN -- WHATEVER WE DO, WE HAVE CURRENT GUN AWS, A LOT OF THEM THAT WE DON'T ENFORCE.

WE HAVE CURRENT GUN LAWS -- >> Mary: LIKE WHAT?

WHAT DO YOU THINK NEEDS TO BE ENFORCED THAT ISN'T?

>> IF CRIMINALS ARE USING GUNS IN CRIMES AND THERE'S A MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCES, THEY SHOULDN'T GET OUT OF THAT AND THEY'RE PLED DOWN A LOT.

SO THAT KIND OF THING.

BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT GUNS ARE GONNA GET INTO THE HANDS OF BAD PEOPLE EITHER WAY AND GET INTO SCHOOLS.

SO WE SHOULD HARDEN OUR SCHOOLS, WE SHOULD HAVE ANONYMOUS THREAT REPORTING SYSTEMS.

BECAUSE THAT WILL HELP KEEP OUR KIDS SAFER.

>> Mary: LET'S TALK ABOUT THE PHRASE "HARDENING SCHOOLS," THAT'S WHAT WE HEAR A LOT.

ARE YOU IN FAVOR OF HARDENING SCHOOLS OR NOT THE ?EANS >> I THINK THE PHRASE HARDENING SCHOOLS IS COMPLEX, AND THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES BOO THAT.

AND I ACTUALLY THINK THAT'S NOT WHAT OUR STUDENTS ARE ASKING FOR.

THEY'RE NOT ASKING FOR METAL DETECTORS, THEY'RE NOT ASKING FOR BULLET-PROOF GLASS.

STUDENTS DON'T WANT TO BE AFRAID TO GO TO SCHOOL.

WE SAW THAT STUDENTS WERE AFRAID TO GO TO SCHOOL DURING THE I.C.E.

OCCUPATION, AND MAKING STUDENTS AFRAID TO GO TO SCHOOL IS NOT GOING TO HELP THEM LEARN.

ESPECIALLY WHEN WE CAN WORK ON THINGS LIKE ANONYMOUS THREAT REPORTING, BUT ALSO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TACKLING THE THING THAT HURTS CHILDREN, WHICH IS GUNS.

>> Mary: LET'S TALK ABOUT THE STUDENTS AND THE PARENTS THAT YOU'RE HEARING FROM THIS YEAR, BECAUSE WHAT'S DIFFERENT, WHAT'S IN DIFFERENT, WHAT'S I IN THE FOREFRONT S THE ANNUNCIATION SCHOOL SHOOTING.

THOSE PARENT, THOSE STUDENTS, ARE THEY MAKING A DIFFERENCE, DID OU HEAR THAT AND THINK, WE HAVE TO ACT BECAUSE OF THEIR PRESENCE HERE?

>> I MET WITH SOME OF THOSE PARENTS, HOW HEARTBREAKING, I'M A FORMER FIRST GRADE TEACHER, THESE YOUNG HILDREN INVOLVED, YOU CAN'T EVEN FATHOM THAT.

YOU KNOW, THE ONES THAT I SPOKE TO, SAID, GET THE THINGS DONE YOU CAN AGREE UPON.

AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO AGREE O DISAGREE VERY MUCH ON CERTAIN AREAS.

AND, AGAIN, BRING US TOGETHER ON WHAT WE CAN AGREE ON BECAUSE IT MOVES THE NEEDLE TOWARDS SAFETY.

AND THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT AREN'T BULLET-PROOF GLASS AND THAT KIND OF THING.

THERE'S SYSTEMS WHERE YOU HAVE A TAG AND IF YOU HAVE ANY KIND OF AN EMERGENCY AT SCHOOL -- A CHILD THAT'S OUT OF CONTROL OR WHATEVER, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT THESE SYSTEMS CAN HELP WITH, NOT JUST VIOLENCE INTRUDER.

>> Mary: ANY OF THAT -- >> WELL, TO BE CLEAR, I'VE BEEN HEARING FROM PARENTS AND STUDENTS MY ENTIRE TIME IN OFFICE.

AS A MILLENNIAL, YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER THE COLUMBINE SHOOTING, I REMEMBER THESE SHOOTINGS, I PRACTICED THESE DRILLS S A STUDENT.

I'VE EXPERIENCED GUN VIOLENCE MYSELF.

MY MOTHER IS A TEACHER, HAS EXPERIENCED GUN VIOLENCE INVOLVING HER STUDENTS.

THESE ARE NOT NEW ISSUES.

I THINK WHAT MAKES THIS URGENT IS THAT IT IS IT HAS CONTINUED TO HAPPEN FOR SO MANY YEARS AND THE FACT THAT IT HAPPENED IN MINNEAPOLIS, THE CITY THAT I'M VERY PROUD TO LIVE IN AND REPRESENT, I THINK MADE IT HIT HOME IN A WAY FOR DIFFERENT PEOPLE BUT THESE ARE NOT NEW ISSUES THAT PARENTS AND TEACHERS HAVE BEEN BRINGING TO ME.

>> Mary: INTERESTING YOU TALK ABOUT THE STUDENT PERSPECTIVE.

TALK MORE ABOUT THE TEACHER PERSPECTIVE BECAUSE YOU WERE A TEACHER IN THE CLASSROOM.

DID THIS PREDATE YOU?

DID YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS?

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE TEACHER ASPECT OF THIS AND SAFETY?

>> I STARTED TEACHING IN 1981 AND IT REALLY WASN'T EVEN AN ISSUE THEN.

WE HARDLY EVER HEARD OF INTRUDERS AND THINGS.

AS TIME WENT ON, WE HAD TO HAVE THE DRILLS, YOU KNOW, TOWARD MY LATTER YEARS OF TEACHING.

SO IT HAS BECOME MORE OF AN ISSUE.

AND, AGAIN, THERE'S MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF VIOLENT INTRUDERS, SOME INCLUDE GUNS, SOME INCLUDE KNIVES, SOME INCLUDE A PERSON WHO CAN GO PER DISERK AND HURT A LOT OF PEOPLE AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DEALING WITH ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

>> Mary: OTHER STATES THAT SHA HAVE GONE THROUGH THIS HAVE GONE THROUGH SOME BIPARTISAN ACTION.

TAKE TEXAS.

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN USE FROM OTHER STATES?

>> SOMETIMES THINGS THAT WE HOLD VERY DEARLY NEED TO BE SET ASIDE AND MAKE KIDS SAFE.

AND ONE OF THOSE, WE'VE SEEN RED STATES, PURPLE STATES, TAKE ACTION ON GUN CONTROL AND MAKE SURE THAT THEIR SCHOOLS ARE SAFE FOR THEIR STUDENTS.

>> Mary: I KNOW YOU TWO ARE POLICY, BUT WE HAVE AN EDUCATION FINANCE CO-CHAIR IN THE WINGS HERE AND THEY'RE CERTAINLY LINKED.

IN A NONBUDGET YEAR, HOW IS THAT AFFECTING THE POLICY SIDE?

>> I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOUR QUESTION IS.

>> Mary: ARE THINGS THAT YOU WANT TO GET FUNDED POLICYWISE, BUT THERE ISN'T THE MONEY, THERE MIGHT NOT BE A SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET, I'M WONDERING HOW THEY'RE LINK EXAMINED SOME THINGS THAT MAYBE CAN OR CAN'T GET DONE IN THIS NONBUDGET YEAR.

>> I CAN THINK OF ONE THING IN PARTICULAR IS THE SPECIAL ED FUNDING CUTS THAT WAS PASSED LAST SESSION.

WAS A GOVERNOR'S PUSH.

>> $250 MILLION.

>> Mary: YOU'RE NOT THE FINANCE CHAIRS.

HE'LL YELL AT YOU OVER THERE.

>> ANOTHER 50 BEING PROPOSED NOW, TO BRING IT UP TO 300 MILLION.

WE BOTH AGREE, WE DON'T WANT TO SEE THE CUTS.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> WE DON'T WANT TO SEE THE ADDITIONAL.

WE WANT TO HOPEFULLY FIND SOME FUNDING TO STOP THE CURRENT CUTS.

BECAUSE IT IS GREATLY GOING TO HURT OUR SCHOOLS.

>> Mary: SOUNDS LIKE YOU AGREE?

>> I THINK WE CAN LOOK AT WHERE THERE MIGHT BE OTHER BUDGET BUCKETS, SUCH AS PUBLIC SAFETY.

YES, IT'S ONE STATE BUDGET BUT THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS AROUND THE CAPITOL, THERE ARE DIFFERENT BUDGET AREAS.

AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THINKING CREATIVELY ABOUT HOW TO KEEP SCHOOLS SAFE.

>> Mary: WILL WE HAVE A SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET?

YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO HAPPEN.

DOES IT TAKE THE PRESSURE OFF?

>> YOU KNOW, -- >> Mary: ANYONE'S GUESS?

>> GOING INTO DEFICIT SPENDING, THAT'S TOUGH.

SO WE HAVE TO BE WISE AND CAREFUL AND SMART, HOW WE DO FUNDING.

NO THERE DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET.

>> Mary: WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE A SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET TO BE ABLE TO KEEP STUDENTS SAFE BUT THAT'S KIND OF ABOVE OUR PAY GRADE.

BUT IT IS ONE THAT IF -- >> Mary: A LEADERSHIP ISSUE, YES, I GET IT.

>> IF THEY'RE LISTENING, THERE'S ALWAYS THINGS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO, THERE ARE THINGS THAT WOULD BE NICE TO DO.

AND WE'RE REALLY FOCUSED N WHAT HAS TO GET DONE.

>> Mary: YEAH, ANOTHER LEADERSHIP-RELATED THING IS THE POWER-SHARING AGREEMENT AND CO-CHAIRS.

WE'VE HAD A LOT OF HOUSE CO-CHAIRS TELL US HOW IT'S GOING.

WHAT DO YOU THINK, WHAT'S THE GOOD?

WHAT'S THE BAD?

>> I THINK THE TWO OF US HAVE HAD A GREAT EXPERIENCE.

>> I AGREE.

>> WE CAN DIFFER GREATLY ON POLICY AND OUR IDEAS.

>> YUP.

>> WE'RE BOTH OKAY WITH THAT, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO PASSIONATELY.

IT'S BEEN A REALLY REAL PLEASURE.

>> WE BOTH HAVE LEARNED A LOT FROM EACH OTHER, WE GET ALONG AS PEOPLE.

THE OTHER THING WE BOTH AGREE ON IS WE NEED TO PUT KIDS FIRS.

WHEN YOU HAVE THAT KIND OF -- FIRST.

WHEN YOU HAVE THAT KIND OF BASIC GROUNDING AND THAT GROUNDING, YOU CAN GET A LOT DONE WHEN YOU PUT THAT ETHOS FIRST.

>> Mary: HOW ABOUT HOW AFFECTED THE HOUSE IS, I CAN SEE FROM RIGHT HERE THE ROSES AT MELISSA HORTMAN'S DESK, EVERYBODY, BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE, HAD VERY MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS.

HOW DIFFERENT, DIFFICULT, IS THIS YEAR KNOWING SHE'S NOT HERE?

>> THAT'S A HUGE WEIGHT ON ALL OF US.

SHE WAS OUR COLLEAGUE, A FRIEND.

AND SO ON.

AND OBVIOUSLY THAT IMPACTS A LOT.

AND WE WANT TO BE VERY RESPECTFUL TO HER MEMORY.

>> Mary: REPRESENTATIVE JORDAN, YOU SIT NEXT TO THAT MEMORIAL.

>> I DO.

>> Mary: EVERY SINGLE DAY.

>> I DO.

I THINK ABOUT IT A LOT.

IT'S BEEN REALLY HARD.

AND IT'S BEEN HARD TO -- YOU KNOW, ELISSA HORTMAN HAS BEEN HERE AND HAS BEEN SPEAKER, SPEAKER EMERITA MY ENTIRE TENURE IN THE LEGISLATURE.

I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM HER.

AND I MISS HER, I MISS SENATOR DZIEDZIC, WHO IS MY SENATOR, AND I FEEL THEIR LOSS EVERY SINGLE DAY.

SITTING IN THAT DESK, YOU KNOW, IT IS AN HONOR TO BE SEATED NEXT TO SOMEONE OF THAT STATURE AND NOW IT IS JUST -- IT'S SUCH A GAPING HOLE, BUT I OFTEN SPEND A LOT OF TIME LOOKING AT THAT BOUQUET OF ROSES WHEN I'M SITTING ON THE FLOOR, WHEN THINGS ARE HARD.

AND IT'S REALLY -- MELISSA HORTMAN WAS SOMEONE WHO LOVED NATURE, LOVED GARDENING, FLOWERS SO MUCH, SO IT'S A NICE WAY TO REMEMBER HER, WHEN THINGS ARE REALLY HARD TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT SOME FLOWERS AND REMEMBER YOUR FRIEND.

>> Mary: WE'LL END THERE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, YOU TWO,