GOOD TO SEE YOU, APPRECIATE YOU MAKING TIME FOR US.

>> Cathy: THANKS, FITZY.

>> Eric: AFTER A SLOW START TO THE SESSION SEVERAL BILLS SIGNED INTO LAW BY THE GOVERNOR LATE TODAY.

POLITICAL REPORTER MARY LAHAMMER TELLS US WHERE THINGS STAND AS LAWMAKERS HEAD HOME FOR THEIR SPRING BREAK.

>> THERE BEING 67 AYES AND 0 NAYS THE BILL IS PASSED AND ITS TITLE AGREED TO.

>> THE SENATE SWIFTLY FOLLOWED THE HOUSE.

>> I WAS ONE OF THE AUTHORS OF THE LAW THAT CREATED THIS HOLIDAY.

>> CHAVEZ WAS A MONSTER AND THIS REPEAL IS LONG OVERDUE.

>> THERE BEING 129 AYES AND ZERO NAYS, THE BILL IS PAD AND ITS TITLE IS AGREED TO.

>> AS LAWMAKERS VOTED OVERWHELMINGLY TO END CESAR CHAVEZ DAY AFTER INVESTIGATIONS REVEALED YEARS OF SEXUAL ABUSE.

>> AS A PROUD MEXICAN-AMERICAN WHO'S STANDING HERE, AS A SURVIVOR IN SOLIDARITY, BUT ALSO AS A CHILD WHO WAS BORN IN SECRET, I KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO HAVE THAT UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF THE SILENCE.

THIS IS A SICKNESS AND WE HAVE TO TAKE IT DOWN.

>> IT WAS DEVASTATING.

I WAS ON THE FLOOR LAST WEEK AND I GATHERED AROUND MY COLLEAGUES THAT ARE HERE TODAY AND MY LEADER, I WENT RIGHT TO HIM AND SAID I WANT TO DO THIS.

>> IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT REMOVING THAT NAME NOW BUT IT'S WHAT DOES COMMUNITY FEEL IS THE BEST WAY TO HONOR THAT AND THAT'S THE OPPORTUNITY TO HOLD SPACE FOR WHAT THE MOVEMENT HAS ACHIEVED AND WHAT WE CALL IT NEXT.

>> THE HOUSE STATE GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE REVIVED THE LONG-AWAITED INSPECTOR GENERAL BILL.

>> FRAUD IN ANY FORM REMAINS UNACCEPTABLE, AND I REMAIN COMMITTED TO TAKING APPROPRIATE ACTION TO ADDRESS IT HERE IN MINNESOTA.

>> WHAT HAPPENED BEHIND THE SCENES TO FINALLY GET THAT INSPECTOR GENERAL BILL GOING?

>> DID WE MAKE NEWS?

APPARENTLY WE HAD NEWS.

>> YES, YOU DID, YOU DID.

>> SO I THINK WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS, SPEAKING FOR ME, DEADLINES ARE REAL, AND THE BILL HAS TO GET MOVING.

THE WORKING GROUP HAS BEEN MOVING THINGS THROUGH AS WELL.

BUT I THINK THAT REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN SAYING THIS IS SO IMPORTANT.

>> IF YOU'RE GOING TO START A NEW AGENCY AND YOU WANT IT TO BE SUCCESSFUL, YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S REALLY FUNCTIONAL.

AND ALWAYS IN LEGISLATION THE DEVIL'S IN THE DETAILS, SO WE WANT ACCOUNTABILITY, WE WANT TRANSPARENCY, AND WE WANT IT TO REALLY FUNCTION AND DO ITS JOB.

JIM AND I BOTH AGREE ON THE INDEPENDENCE ISSUE OF THE OFFICE.

>> THE GOVERNOR IF IN HIS FINAL SESSION WAS REFLECTIVE, SPEAKING TO THE FARM BUREAU AT THE CAPITOL.

>> AS I STEP AWAY AND GO DO SOMETHING ELSE, I GUESS MY BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT HAS BEEN THIS IDEA THAT THERE'S A DIVISION AMONGST N URBAN AREA AND RURAL AREAS.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FIGURE THIS OUT.

WE ALL EXIST IN THIS TOGETHER.

WE ALL BENEFIT FROM A DIVERSE ECONOMY IN THIS STATE.

>> I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT ALL LEGISLATORS ACTUALLY WRESTLE WITH ON A REGULAR BASIS ESPECIALLY THOSE OF US THAT ARE FROM RURAL COMMUNITIES IS WERE WE ABLE TO BRIDGE THAT DIVIDE BETWEEN RURAL AND -- OR RURAL AND URBAN TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND KIND OF THE COMPLEXITIES OF WHAT'S HAPPENING IN AG.

>> THIS FRESHMAN REPUBLICAN FARMER MAY HAVE ONE OF THE FIRST BILLS TO REACH THE GOVERNOR'S DESK THIS SESSION.

>> IT'S A SCHOOL BUS BILL.

WHAT WE ALL HEARD ABOUT THIS SUMMER AND IT CAME OUT OF THE CITY OF FARIBAULT, WHERE THERE WAS PEOPLE DRIVING THROUGH STOP ARMS THAT WEREN'T FULLY EXTENDED.

WE NOW HAVE, NOW THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF SCHOOL BUSES WITH CAMERAS ON THEM, LAWYERS WERE ABLE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE CAMERAS AND SAY THE ARMS WEREN'T FULLY EXTENDED.

>> HOW MANY VOTES IN BOTH CHAMBER?

>> 100% IN BOTH CHAMBER.

>> WHOO!

>> AND MAYBE FIRST TO THE GOVERNOR'S DESK, WAITING TO SEE.

THERE WAS ANOTHER BILL THAT MAYBE BEAT ME BY AN HOUR OR SO BUT THE ONLY FRESHMAN WITH 100% VOTE RECORD ON THE SENATE AND HOUSE, I'M GOING TO TAKE THAT AS A WIN.

WHERE WE CAN FIND COMPROMISE, FIND AGREEMENT, LET'S SHOW MINNESOTA WE CAN WORK AND IT'S ABOUT TIME WE DO THAT.

THAT'S WHAT OUR CONSTITUENTS SENT US HERE TO BE ABLE TO DO ON A REGULAR BASIS.

AND YOU KNOW WHAT, IT'S ABOUT TIME WE SHOW WE CAN DO IT AND ACTUALLY ACT LIKE ADULTS.

>> IT'S DO OR DIE TIME FOR BILLS ON DEADLINE WEEK.

>> LET'S JUST SAY NOTHING AROUND HERE IS EVER REALLY FULLY DEAD, IT'S ONLY REALLY MOSTLY DEAD.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> DEMOCRATS IN THE HOUSE COULD NOT GET VOTES ON GUN ONTROL OR IMMIGRATION ACTION ACCOUNTABILITY.

>> WE ARE NOT DETERRED AND THIS IS NOT OVER.

I HAVE BEEN SAYING FOR MONTHS NOW THAT HOUSE D.F.L.ERS WILL USE EVERY TOOL IN THE TOOLBOX.

>> IT WOULD HAVE JUST TAKEN ONE VOTE TO ADVANCE THE BILL FURTHER AND NOT A SINGLE REPUBLICAN WAS WILLING TO DO THAT.

>> THANK YOU FOR TAKING YOUR TIME TO COME TO THE CAPITOL TO VISIT WITH LEGISLATORS, AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HEAR WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU ... >> LEGISLATIVE ACTION HEATED UP WITH RALLIES AND CROWDS CONVERGING AT THE CAPITOL.

WITH DEADLINES LOOMING, EVEN THE SENATE PRESIDENT SAW HIS BUSINESS RECOVERY BILL DEFEATED.

>> MEMBERS, JUST SO YOU KNOW THAT WE WILL NOT HAVE ANOTHER BILL THAT COMES UP, THIS WILL BE IT.

>> AND THE WOMEN OF THE SENATE MADE ISTORY BEFORE THEY WENT HOME.

>> IT IS TIME FOR US TO MAKE SPACE IN THIS PLACE FOR NEW PARENTS.

>> Y 7-MONTH-OLD LEO AND I WERE ESCORTED OFF THE SENATE FLOOR, AND THANKS TO THESE AMAZING MOMS WHO ARE BEHIND ME, WE WORKED TO CHANGE THE RULES.

>> SENATOR OUMOU VERBETEN MADE A GREAT POINT.

SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU WERE SPEAKING UP ABOUT CHALLENGES, YOU WERE THE ONLY ONE.

NOW THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER YOUNG PARENTS, AND SO MANY MORE MOTHERS THAT ARE OF CHILDBEARING YEARS, AND SO I THINK IT JUST KIND OF HAD TO BE THE RIGHT