>> CATHY: ALMOST A MONTH INTO THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND SIGNS OF BIPARTISANSHIP ARE BREAKING OUT ON SOME BILLS.

POLITICAL REPORTER MARY LAHAMMER HAS THE STORY AND A CANDID INTERVIEW WITH ONE SENATOR WHO'S BOLDLY BREAKING WITH HIS PARTY TO CREATE BIPARTISANSHIP ON A MAJOR ISSUE.

[ Gavel banging ] >> Mary: THE FIRST BILL TO MEMORIALIZE FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER MELISSA HORTMAN HAS PASSED.

>> IT IS FITTING TODAY THAT WE ARE RECOGNIZING THIS INCREDIBLE LEGACY BY RENAMING ONE OF HER PROUDEST LEGISLATIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN HER HONOR.

SHINE BRIGHT, SPEAKER HORTMAN.

>> I URGE EVERYONE TO JOIN ME IN VOTING GREEN AND LET'S LIGHT UP THAT BOARD FOR MELISSA.

>> THERE BEING 133 AYES AND ZERO NAYS, THE BILL IS PASSED AND ITS TITLE AGREED TO.

>> Mary: NAMING SOLAR GARDENS IN HORTMAN'S HONOR SAILED UNANIMOUSLY THROUGH A SENATE COMMITTEE.

>> IT'S SAD.

BECAUSE I REALLY DO MISS HER.

>> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF PASSING SENATE FILE 3800 AND RECOMMENDING THAT IT BE SENT TO THE FLOOR, SAY AYE.

ALL OPPOSED SAY NAY.

THE MOTION PREVAILS.

AND YOU'RE ON YOUR WAY TO THE FLOOR, SENATOR HARD OF HEARING MANNING.

>> Mary: THE SENATE ALSO MANAGED TO PASS A BIPARTISAN BILL WITH ONE REPUBLICAN VOTE ON EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE.

>> I DON'T KNOW WHY IT'S CONTROVERSIAL.

THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN GREAT CHALLENGE THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN.

THEY DIDN'T GO RIOT.

THEY SAT IN THEIR HOUSE TERRIFIED.

THEY DIDN'T GO TO WORK BECAUSE THEY WERE AFRAID.

AND THEY SAT THERE AND SOME COULDN'T EVEN GET FOOD SO NEIGHBORED HAD TO BRING IT IN UNDER COVER THE DARKNESS.

AND SO NOW THEY CAN'T MAKE THEIR RENT.

AND SO IT'S TIME FOR A LITTLE HUMANITY TO KIND OF UNWIND THE WHOLE THING.

>> Mary: WAS IT A HARD VOTE FOR YOU?

>> NO, NOT AT ALL.

>> Mary: HAVE YOU GOTTEN SOME GRIEF FOR IT?

>> A LITTLE BIT.

AND SOME ACCOLADES.

BUT IN THE END, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT.

IN MY 27 YEARS, BELIEVE THAT, I TRY TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT.

>> Mary: AND YOU SPOKE OUT DURING THE IMMIGRATION ACTION.

YOU AW SOME I.C.E.

MOVEMENT IN YOUR DISTRICT THAT AFFECTED YOUR CONSTITUENTS.

>> RIGHT, AND I WROTE A LETTER TO SECRETARY NOEM AND SECRETARY HOMAN AND SAID CAN YOU HAVE YOUR OFFICERS BEHAVE A LITTLE BETTER?

I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

I WROTE IT VERY POLITELY.

AND IT WAS -- I GOT PUSHBACK ON BOTH SIDES.

>> THE SENATE DID ITS PART.

NOW IT'S TIME FOR THE HOUSE TO STEP UP AND DO THEIRS.

>> Mary: THE TIED HOUSE NEEDS BIPARTISAN VOTES TO PASS IT.

>> WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO REPEATEDLY TO WORK WITH HOUSE REPUBLICANS NOT JUST ON THIS BILL BUT ON MANY FRONTS AND HAVE FOUND THEM TO BE LARGELY UNWILLING TO WORK WITH US.

>> Mary: REPUBLICANS SAY DEMOCRATS NEED TO WORK WITH THEM.

>> WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO MAY BUT NOW IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR DEMOCRATS TO SHOW THAT SAME COMMITMENT TO MINNESOTA FAMILIES.

>> TIME IS RUNNING OUT BEFORE DEADLINES AND IN A TIDE HOUSE, GETTING BILLS MOVING AFTER DEADLINE WILL BE INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT.

>> LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE LEGISLATORS.

I THINK WE HAVE QUITE A GOOD BACKGROUND OF INFORMATION.

>> Mary: THE BIPARTISAN BILL THAT'S PERHAPS GAINING THE MOST ATTENTION IS NICKNAMED THE NURSING HOME HAPPY HOUR BILL.

IT LOWMPLES FOR SENIOR CITIZENS TO HAVE ADULT BEVERAGES WITHOUT A LIQUOR LICENSE, AND IT'S SPONSORED BY THE SENATE'S MOST POPULAR SURVIVOR.

>> CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL IS FOR RESIDENT ACTIVITIES, BASICALLY, HAPPY HOUR FOR GRANDPA AND GRANDMA.

>> IT'S TO BE EXPECTED THAT SENATOR HOFFMAN WOULD BRING FORWARD THE HAPPY HOUR BILL OF RIGHTS.

WELL PLAYED.

>> THIS BILL'S GOING TO GO TO YOUR COMMITTEE.

AND YOUR STATEMENT WAS EXACTLY CORRECT THAT THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF GOVERNMENT OVERREACH AND I AM GLAD TO HAVE HAD A HAND IN SORT OF BRINGING IT BACK SO THAT PEOPLE CAN LIVE THEIR LIVES AND HAVE A HAPPY HOUR.

>> Mary: A BAN ON AN HERBICIDE LINKED TO PARKINSON'S, ALSO GAINED BIPARTISAN BACKING.

>> WHAT WE HAVE TODAY ARE A SUITE OF BILLS THAT ARE REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE HEALTH AND FOR THE FUTURE OF MINNESOTANS.

>> MANY HAVE PASSED UNNECESSARILY.

TODAY'S THE TODAY'S TH THE AY, NOW'S THE TIME.

>> Mary: HE HOUSE CONSIDERED A BIPARTISAN BAN FOR WEAPONS.

>> TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE FIREARMS ARE TAKEN OUT OF HANDS.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH TO CHAIR SCOTT WHO FOR YEARS HAS BEEN RAISING THIS ISSUE OF REMOVING GUNS FROM ABUSERS AND HERE WE ARE TOGETHER PRESENTING GUN BILL, REALLY?

>> YEAH >> AND REALLY WITH THE GOAL OF MAKING SURE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO SHOULD NOT HAVE FIREARMS DON'T HAVE THEM.

>> Mary: AND A BIPARTISAN BILL CRACKS DOWN ON THE USE OF ART OFFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

>> THIS REALLY DOES SPAN THE POLITICAL SUSPECT RUM BECAUSE THE LAW DOESN'T KNOW IDEE LOLLING.

>> A LONG TIME LAWMAKER LIKE ABELER HOPES THERE'S A REAL RETURN TO BIPARTISANSHIP.

>> I RETURN AROUND TOWN AND I HEAR EVERYBODY, I COULD WORK ON THAT AND I THINK TOTALLY KNOW I'M TRYING TO REPRESENT THE WHOLE PLACE.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT DEEP DOWN PEOPLE WANT.

I WAKE UP THINKING ABOUT IT AND I JUST TOLD MY WIFE THIS MORNING, I HAVE TO QUIT CARING SO MUCH.