>> "CAPITOL REPORT" IS A
PRODUCTION OF SENATE MEDIA
SERVICES.
>> THIS WEEK, THE SECRETARY OF
STATE OUTLINES WHAT VOTERS
NEED TO KNOW FOR THE NOVEMBER
ELECTION.
AND A KEY LAWMAKER HAS THE
LATEST ON CHRONIC WASTING
DISEASE IN THE DEER
POPULATION.
PLUS, HOW THE UNIVERSITY OF
MINNESOTA PLANS TO MANAGE
COVID-19 IN RESIDENCE HALLS.
STAY TUNED FOR THIS WEEK'S
"CAPITOL REPORT."
♪
>> WELCOME TO THIS WEEK'S
PROGRAM.
I'M SHANNON LOEHRKE.
ELECTION SEASON IS UPON US,
AND VOTERS MAY BE WONDERING
WHAT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE TO
VOTE THIS NOVEMBER.
THERE IS NO BETTER PERSON TO
ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS THAN
THE SECRETARY OF STATE, STEVE
SIMON.
I SPOKE WITH HIM THIS WEEK.
IN THIS TIME OF UNPRECEDENTED
EVENTS, THIS COMING FALL
ELECTION HAS SOME
UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGES.
FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S THE
POTENTIAL DISRUPTIONS WITH THE
POSTAL SERVICE, THERE'S A
GLOBAL PANDEMIC, AND THERE'S
POSSIBLE FOREIGN INTERFERENCE.
ARE YOU WORRIED?
>> WELL, IT'S MY JOB TO BE
WORRIED.
IT'S MY JOB TO GAME THESE
THINGS OUT AND THINK ABOUT THE
WORST POSSIBLE SCENARIO.
THAT'S WHAT WE DO, NOT JUST IN
OUR OFFICE, WHAT OUR PARTNERS
AT THE COUNTIES AND CITIES DO.
SO WE'RE IN CONSTANT CONTACT
WITH ONE ANOTHER AS TEAMMATES.
I'M ON MULTIPLE CALLS A WEEK,
LARGE ZOOM CALLS, WITH COUNTY
ADMINISTRATORS AND CITY CLERKS
AND OTHERS THINKING THROUGH
THOSE THINGS.
SO, AM I WORRIED?
YEAH, IT'S MY JOB TO BE
WORRIED.
I WOULD SAY THAT HAVING AN
ELECTION, A STATEWIDE
ELECTION, IN A TIME OF A
PANDEMIC IS A BIG, BIG
CHALLENGE.
AND I THINK MOST PEOPLE WHO
ARE IN THIS WORK AT THE COUNTY
OR CITY LEVEL, TOO, WE AGREE
THAT WE HAVE TO VIEW THIS
THROUGH A PUBLIC HEALTH LENS,
AT LEAST TO SOME EXTENT, AND
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND PART OF IT COMES DOWN TO A
MATH PROBLEM, REALLY, TO BE
HONEST.
AND THE MATH IS THIS.
WE'VE GOT ABOUT 3,000 POLLING
PLACES IN MINNESOTA.
AND WE'RE EXPECTING ABOUT 3
MILLION VOTERS IN MINNESOTA.
THAT MAY BE A CAUTIOUS OR
CONSERVATIVE NUMBER.
THAT MATH ORKS OUT QUITE
EASILY TO 1,000 PEOPLE PER
POLLING PLACE.
ON AVERAGE, VERY ROUGH
AVERAGE, SOME PLACES LOWER,
SOME PLACES HIGHER.
BUT A WORKING AVERAGE IS 1,000
PEOPLE PER POLLING PLACE.
AND FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH
STANDPOINT, WE WANT TO TRY TO
GET THAT NUMBER DOWN.
THAT WOULD BE A GOOD THING.
BECAUSE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
1,000 PEOPLE AND THEIR
DROPLETS CIRCULATING IN CLOSE
QUARTER, TIGHT QUARTERS, OVER
A 13-HOUR PERIOD, 7:00 A.M. TO
8:00 P.M., THOSE ARE THE POLL
HOURS IN MINNESOTA.
I VOTE AT A CHURCH  FEW
BLOCKS FROM WHERE I'M TALKING
TO YOU, IT'S IN A BASEMENT OF
A CHURCH, THERE IS NOT A WHOLE
LOT OF ROOM DOWN THERE TO
EXPAND OR GROW OR GO TO OTHER
PLACES.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET THAT
NUMBER DOWN.
BALANCING WITH THAT EVERYONE'S
RIGHT TO VOTE IN THE POLLING
PLACE, OF COURSE.
WE ARE URGING PEOPLE TO
STRONGLY CONSIDER VOTING FROM
HOME.
IT TAKES FIVE MINUTES,
MAXIMUM, AT A WEBSITE,
MNVOTES.ORG, AND WHEN YOU GO
TO MNVOTES.ORG, YOU TYPE IN
YOUR INFORMATION, T COMES
RIGHT TO YOU.
SO THAT'S THE PRIMARY FOCUS
RIGHT IN FRONT OF US, IS
TREATING THIS AS A PUBLIC
HEALTH EVENT, WHICH IT IS.
YOU MENTIONED A LOT OF THINGS
IN THAT QUESTION, I'M SURE
WE'LL GET TO THEM.
>> YES.
BECAUSE MY NEXT QUESTION,
THEN, YOU'RE ENCOURAGING
ABSENTEE BALLOTS, YOU KNOW,
PEOPLE REQUEST ABSENTEE
BALLOT, CAST IT.
THEN, THEREFORE, THEY DON'T
HAVE TO GO TO THE POLLING
PLACE.
BUT WHAT IMPACT ARE THESE
POTENTIAL PROBLEMS WITH THE
POSTAL SERVICE GOING TO HAVE
ON THE ABILITY TO CAST THAT
ABSENTEE BALLOT?
>> WELL, SO, M I CONCERNED
AND EVEN OUTRAGED BY THE
REPORTS ABOUT DELAYS AT THE
POSTAL SERVICE, THINGS WHICH
WERE AVOIDABLE, THINGS WHICH
WERE CONSCIOUS DECISIONS WHICH
RESULTED IN DELAYS?
OF COURSE I AM.
BUT DOES THAT STOP ME HAD ANY
WAY FROM -- ME IN ANY WAY FROM
URGING PEOPLE TO VOTE FROM
HOME THIS YEAR IF THAT'S AN
OPTION THAT THEY'RE
COMFORTABLE WITH?
NO, IT DOES NOT STOP ME.
IT'S FULL STEAM AHEAD.
HERE'S WHY.
WE HAVE MULTIPLE WORKAROUNDS
TO ACCOMMODATE EVEN DELAYS.
STARTING WITH A MESSAGE I'LL
GIVE NOW, WHICH IS, FOLKS
SHOULD GO TO MNVOTES.ORG, EVEN
IF THEY THINK THEY MIGHT VOTE
FROM HOME, I SAY THAT BECAUSE
THAT DECISION IS REVERSIBLE.
YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR MIND.
SO WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T WAIT
UNTIL LATE OCTOBER.
BECAUSE IF YOU DO THAT, YOU'RE
GOING TO SLAM PEOPLE RIGHT
WHEN THEY SHOULDN'T GET
SLAMMED.
THAT'S WHEN ELECTIONS
ADMINISTRATORS IN COUNTIES AND
CITIES ARE AT THEIR ABSOLUTE
WIT'S END, AT THEIR ABSOLUTE
BUSIEST N. OTHER STATES IN THE
PRIMARY PROCESS, WHERE THEY
SAW CHAOS, PART OF IT COULD BE
TRACED TO THAT, PEOPLE GOING
TO THE LAST MINUTE, GO TO
MNVOTES.ORG NOW.
NUMBER TWO, WORKAROUND OF
POSTAL DELAYS, ONCE YOU KNOW
YOUR CHOICES, GET YOUR BALLOT
IN.
IT'S EVERYONE'S RIGHT TO WAIT
UNTIL ELECTION DAY, TO GET THE
MORE SELL OF INFORMATION FROM
THE DAY BEFORE, THE LAST AD,
THE LAST DEBATE, IF YOU'RE A
PERSON WHO KNOWS WHO THEY'RE
GOING TO VOTE FOR TWO WEEKS
OUT, THREE WEEKS OUT, NOTHING
IS GOING TO CHANGE YOUR MIND,
GET THE BALLOT IN.
THIRD, THIS IS CRITICAL AND
CRUCIAL, THIS YEAR AND THIS
YEAR ONLY, VERY ON BRAND FOR
2020, THIS YEAR AND THIS YEAR
ONLY, BECAUSE OF SOME
LITIGATION THAT RESULTED IN A
STANDING COURT ORDER, WHICH NO
ONE IS APPEALING, ALL THE
PARTIES, EVERYONE, IS AGREEING
WITH THIS, OKAY, IT'S NO
LONGER THE SUBJECT OF EBATE,
WE HAVE A NEW RULE FOR GETTING
YOUR BALLOT IN.
THE RULE ONLY FOR THIS YEAR IS
IT CAN BE POSTMARKED AS LATE
AS ELECTION DAY, NOVEMBER
3rd, AS LONG AS IT GETS IN
A WEEK LATER BY NOVEMBER
10th.
WHAT THAT MEANS, IN TERMS OF
YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THE MAIL,
IS THERE'S AN AUTOMATIC
ONE-WEEK UFFER PERIOD BUILT
IN, NO MATTER HOW LATE YOU GO,
EVEN IF YOU'RE A
PROCRASTINATOR OR YOU DO IT AT
THE LAST POSSIBLE SECOND, YOU
CAN HAVE NO FEWER THAN SEVEN
DAYS OF A BUFFER BETWEEN
GETTING THAT BALLOT FROM POINT
A TO POINT B.
THAT IS A HUGE, HUGE
WORKAROUND ANY POTENTIAL
POSTAL DELAYS.
NEXT, I WOULD SAY, JUST KEEP
IN MIND THAT BECAUSE YOU
GET -- JUST BECAUSE YOU GET
THE BALLOT BY MAIL DOESN'T
MEAN YOU HAVE TO RETURN IT
THAT WAY.
YOU ARE FREE TO HAND DELIVER
THE BALLOT TO THE ADDRESS
THAT'S ON THE ENVELOPE OR YOU
CAN HAVE SOMEONE YOU KNOW AND
TRUST DELIVER IT FOR YOU.
SO THERE ARE MULTIPLE
WORKAROUNDS.
AND THEN ANOTHER ONE, I
FORGOT, WHICH IS WE HAVE A
FEATURE ON OUR WEBSITE,
MNVOTES.ORG, WHERE YOU CAN
TRACK YOUR BALLOT.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO JUST PUT IT
IN THE MAIL AND SAY A LITTLE
PRAYER AND HOPE SOMEHOW THAT
IT GETS THERE.
YOU CAN KNOW WITH CERTAINTY
WHETHER IT HAS.
GO TO MNVOTES.ORG, YOU TYPE IN
THE INFORMATION, I DID THIS
MYSELF FOR THE PRIMARY, AND IT
WILL TELL YOU THE EXACT DATE
THAT IT HAS ARRIVED AND IT
WILL TELL YOU IN BLACK AND
WHITE THAT IT IS BEING
PROCESSED OR IT HAS BEEN
PROCESSED.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE
WORKAROUNDS WE HAVE.
YES, IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT
THERE ARE POSTAL DELAYS?
OF COURSE IT IS.
ARE SOME OF THE REPORTS
OUTRAGEOUS?
SURE.
BUT IS THAT GOING TO SLOW DOWN
DEMOCRACY IN MINNESOTA?
NO, IT'S NO.
THIS IS A YEAR, DURING A
PANDEMIC, WHEN IT'S A -- ONE
THAT'S A SAFE AND EFFECTIVE
OPTION AND NE THAT'S IN MANY
WAYS A PUBLIC SERVICE MEANING
THAT EVERYONE WHO VOTES FROM
HOME IS MAKING THE POLLING
PLACE JUST A LITTLE BIT SAFER
FOR THOSE WHO CHOOSE THAT
OPTION, IN THIS EAR OF ALL
YEAR, IT'S FULL STEAM AHEAD,
PEOPLE SHOULD STRONGLY
CONSIDER USING THE MAIL AND
VOTING FROM HOME.
>> NOW YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU
CAN TRACK YOUR BALLOT ONCE YOU
SEND IT BACK IN.
LET'S SAY YOU'VE SENT IT BACK
IN, YOU'RE TRACKING IT, IT'S
NOT SHOWING UP, IT'S NOT
SHOWING UP, IT'S NOT SHOWING
UP.
WHAT DO YOU DO THEN?
>> YEAH.
AND IT HAPPENS, YOU KNOW, IT'S
JUST BOUND TO HAPPEN
SOMETIMES.
THERE ARE TWO OPTIONS.
WELL, I GUESS THREE OPTIONS,
DEPENDING ON WHEN IN THE
CALENDAR OR HOW SOON BEFORE
ELECTION DAY.
ONE IS JUST TO ORDER ANOTHER
ONE.
HAVE IT COME TO YOU.
AND THAT IS DONE FROM TIME TO
TIME.
IF THERE ISN'T ENOUGH TIME, IF
WE'RE TALKING LIKE THREE DAYS
BEFORE THE ELECTION, FOUR DAYS
BEFORE THE ELECTION, THEN
THERE ARE STILL TWO REMAINING
OPTIONS.
ONE IS IN-PERSON ABSENTEE,
THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO VOTE
ABSENTEE, ONE IS TO GO TO
MNVOTES.ORG, ORDER THE BALLOT
TO COME TO YOU AT HOME.
THE OTHER IS TO DROP BY EITHER
YOUR CITY HALL OR A COUNTY
OFFICE, AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW
WHERE THAT LACE IS, GO TO
THAT SAME WEBSITE AND THEY'LL
TELL YOU.
SO YOU CAN VOTE IN PERSON
ABSENTEE ON ANY DAY UP TO THE
DAY BEFORE THE ELECTION.
MONDAY BEFORE THE TUESDAY.
AND THEN, FINALLY, MAYBE
OBVIOUSLY, EVEN THOUGH THAT
MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN YOUR FIRST
CHOICE, YOU STILL ALWAYS HAVE
THE OPTION OF GOING IN AND
VOTING ON ELECTION DAY.
SO JUST BECAUSE YOU'VE ORDERED
AN ABSENTEE BALLOT DOESN'T
MEAN YOU'RE LOCKED IN TO THAT
CHOICE.
>> I'M GLAD YOU SAID THAT
BECAUSE THAT ACTUALLY WAS ONE
OF MY QUESTIONS.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU ORDER AN
ABSENTEE UT YOU ARE LIKE ME
AND YOU REALLY WANT TO GO TO
THE POLLING PLACE IF YOU CAN
BECAUSE IT'S PART OF THE WHOLE
EXPERIENCE, DO YOU HAVE THAT
OPTION?
AND THE ANSWER IS YES, YOU DO
HAVE THAT OPTION.
>> ABSOLUTELY, YOU DO.
SO YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR MIND.
OR MAYBE YOUR HAND WAS FORCED
BECAUSE OF THE SCENARIO YOU
JUST LAID OUT.
YOU WANTED TO VOTE FROM HOME,
YOU MAILED IT IN, AND YOU'RE
PUSHING REFRESH CONSTANTLY TO
SEE IF IT'S GOTTEN IN AND IT
HASN'T, YOU FIGURE, WELL, I
GOT TO GO IN AND DO IT MYSELF.
>> ONE MORE QUESTION --
ACTUALLY, TWO MORE QUESTIONS
BEFORE YOU GO.
IS FOREIGN ELECTION INFERENCE
IMPACTING THIS ELECTION?
IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE'VE
TALKED ABOUT AS MUCH AS MAYBE
IN PRIOR ELECTIONS, BUT IS IT
STILL HAPPENING?
>> SO, IT'S STILL A CRUCIALLY
AND CRITICALLY IMPORTANT
ISSUE.
OBVIOUSLY COVID-19 HAS KIND OF
BLOTD OUT THE SUN WHEN IT
COMES TO COVERAGE AND CRUTINY
AND ATTENTION.
BUT THIS IS ABSOLUTELY STILL
AN ISSUE.
I AND A FEW MEMBERS OF MY
STAFF GOT A CONFIDENTIAL
INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING, ON
EXACTLY THIS SUBJECT AT THE
FBI HEADQUARTERS, WE'RE GOING
TO GET AT LEAST ONE MORE
BEFORE THE GENERAL ELECTION.
WE ARE RIGHT NOW UNDERGOING
OUR LATEST ROUND OF
PENETRATION TESTING THAT THE
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY WHERE THEY BOTH COME
INTO OUR OFFICE AND REMOTELY
BASICALLY TEST OUR SYSTEMS.
IN ESSENCE, TRY TO HACK US.
TO FIND OUT WHERE THE SOFT
SPOTS ARE.
SO WE'VE BEEN GETTING THOSE
BRIEFINGS.
WE'VE BEEN ACTING ON THEIR
RECOMMENDATIONS IN TERMS OF
WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO HARDEN
OUR SYSTEMS.
SO WE'RE VERY MUCH PAYING
ATTENTION TO THAT.
BUT WE FEEL CAUTIOUSLY
OPTIMISTIC ABOUT WHERE WE ARE,
NOT ONLY IN MINNESOTA BUT AS A
COUNTRY.
>> AND THEN, FINALLY, BECAUSE
PEOPLE WILL HAVE UP TO A WEEK
AFTER ELECTION DAY FOR THEIR
BALLOT TO BE COUNTED AND ALSO
BECAUSE YOU ARE STRONGLY
ENCOURAGING PEOPLE O TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF THAT ABSENTEE
BALLOT, HOW LONG WILL IT BE
BEFORE WE POTENTIALLY KNOW
SOME OF THE OUTCOMES OF SOME
OF THESE ELECTIONS?
>> I'M GLAD YOU USED THE WORD
YOU JUST DID.
YOU USED THE WORD "OUTCOMES."
AND YOU'RE ONE OF THE FIRST
PEOPLE TO DO THAT AND GOOD FOR
YOU BECAUSE I WANT TO
DISTINGUISH BETWEEN RESULTS
AND OUTCOMES.
SO, IN EVERY STATE IN AMERICA
THIS YEAR ELECTION NIGHT IS
GOING TO LOOK A LITTLE
DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'RE USED
TO.
AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE
EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THAT
GOING IN.
SO WHEN YOU SEE, NOT IF, WHEN
YOU SEE ON ELECTION NIGHT THAT
YOU DON'T HAVE 100% OF THE
RESULTS, DON'T BLAME YOUR
COUNTY OR YOUR CITY.
DON'T ASSUME THAT SOMEONE FELL
ASLEEP AT THE SWITCH OR FELL
DOWN ON THE JOB.
NO.
THIS IS LITERALLY BY DESIGN.
BY DESIGN OF THE MINNESOTA
LEGISLATURE THIS YEAR, GIVING
MORE TIME TO COUNT BALLOTS AND
BY DESIGN OF THE COURTS IN
WHAT IS NOW AN AGREED-TO,
NONAPPEALABLE COURT ORDER THAT
I MENTIONED EARLIER, WHICH IS
THAT WE NOW HAVE ELECTION DAY
PLUS SEVEN DAYS TO GET THE
BALLOTS IN.
SO THAT MEANS BY DEFINITION,
WE WON'T KNOW THE FINAL
RESULTS UNTIL SEVEN DAYS AFTER
THE ELECTION DATE.
BUT YOU USED A KEY WORD, WHICH
IS OUTCOMES.
I PREDICT, FOR WHAT IT'S
WORTH, THAT WE WILL KNOW THE
VAST MAJORITY OF OUTCOMES WELL
BEFORE THAT.
WE MIGHT NOT KNOW FINAL VOTE
TALLIES BUT OUTCOMES.
SO WE ARE WORKING HARD IN OUR
OFFICE TO GET AS DETAILED
INFORMATION AS WE CAN FOR
ABSENTEE BALLOTS.
LET ME GIVE YOU A
HYPOTHETICAL.
LET'S SAY IN ELECTION NIGHT,
LEGISLATIVE CONTEST, CANDIDATE
A IS AHEAD OF CANDIDATE B BY
1,000 VOTES AND WE'RE ABLE TO
ANNOUNCE EITHER ON ELECTION
NIGHT OR SHORTLY THEREAFTER,
THAT THERE ARE IN THAT RACE
700 ABSENTEE BALLOTS LEFT TO
COUNT.
OUTSTANDING ABSENTEE BALLOTS.
WELL, YOU CAN CALL THAT RACE,
RIGHT?
CANDIDATE A HAS WON, SHE'S
AHEAD BY 1,000 VOTES, THERE
ARE ONLY 700 VOTES LEFT TO
COUNT.
EVEN IF THEY ALL GO FOR HER
OPPONENT, MATHEMATICALLY, SHE
HAS STILL WON.
SO WILL WE KNOW THE RESULT OF
THAT ELECTION?
NO, WE WON'T KNOW BY HOW MUCH
SHE'S WON.
WAS IT A LOT, WAS IT A LITTLE,
WAS IF TWO POINTS, WAS IT FIVE
POINTS.
BUT WE WILL KNOW THE OUTCOME.
I THINK IN A VAST MAJORITY OF
CASES, WE WILL SOONER, RATHER
THAN LATER, IF NOT ON ELECTION
NIGHT, SHORTLY THEREAFTER, I
DON'T KNOW WHAT "SHORTLY"
MEANS, BUT SHORTLY THEREAFTER
WE'LL HAVE THE VAST MAJORITY
OF OUTCOMES.
WE'LL KNOW THE WINNERS, WE
WON'T HAVE TO WAIT A WEEK, I
THINK, IN THE VAST MAJORITY OF
CASES.
>> SECRETARY OF STATE STEVE
SIMON, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
TAKING THE TIME.
>> IT'S MY PLEASURE.
THANK YOU.
♪
>> HOUSE AND SENATE
ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEES HELD A
VIRTUAL MEETING THIS WEEK FOR
AN UPDATE ON THE STATE'S
MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC WASTING
DISEASE IN THE DEER
POPULATION.
>> CWD REMAINS A RARE DISEASE
IN MINNESOTA, WHICH IS STILL A
GOOD THING.
WE DO HAVE IT IN CERTAIN
AREAS, BUT WE HAVE IT AT VERY
LOW LEVELS AND WE'RE WORKING
DILIGENTLY TO TRY TO CONTINUE
TO HAVE IT BE LESS PRESENT OR
AT LEAST LESS RISK IN OTHER
PARTS OF OUR STATE.
WE HAVE AN AGGRESSIVE APPROACH
THAT'S MAINTAINED THROUGH THE
HUNTING SEASON, EVEN THOUGH
OUR SAMPLING BECAME VOLUNTARY, D
NOTHING IN OUR AGGRESSIVE
APPROACH TO MANAGING THE
DISEASE WITH THE NUMBER OF
AVAILABLE LICENSES AND TAGS.
SORRY, IN OUR HARVEST
STRATEGIES.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE WITH
CULLING THIS COMING WINTER.
SO ALL OF THOSE TOOLS ARE
STILL IN PLACE AND EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT IN TRYING TO MANAGE
THIS DISEASE.
WE WILL ADAPT AS WE CAN TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE REMAIN
EFFECTIVE IN OUR WORK.
AND THAT WE CANNOT BE
SUCCESSFUL WITHOUT THE HELP OF
OUR HUNTERS AND COOPERATORS
AND BUSINESSES AND LANDOWNERS
IN THIS EFFORT BECAUSE WE ALL
HAVE TO BE IN THIS TOGETHER TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN DO THE
BEST WE CAN FOR THIS RESOURCE.
♪
>> REPRESENTATIVE JAMIE
BECKER-FINN IS THE VICE CHAIR
OF THE HOUSE ENVIRONMENT AND
NATURAL RESOURCES POLICY
COMMITTEE.
I SPOKE WITH HER THIS WEEK
ABOUT HOW WELL THE STATE IS
MANAGING CHRONIC WASTING
DISEASE AS WE APPROACH DEER
HUNTING SEASON.
I WANTED TO PEAK WITH YOU FOR
A LONG TIME BECAUSE YOU ARE AN
AVID HUNTER.
AND, SO, REGARDING DEER
HUNTING AND CHRONIC WASTING
DISEASE, YOU BRING A UNIQUE
PERSPECTIVE, BOTH A PERSONAL
ONE AND A POLICY ONE.
SO FROM THAT JOINT
PERSPECTIVE, HOW IS MINNESOTA
DOING IN MANAGING CHRONIC
WASTING DISEASE?
>> SO THE SHORT ANSWER IS THAT
WE'RE DOING BETTER THAN WE
WERE PREVIOUSLY, BUT THERE'S
STILL A LOT MORE TO DO.
FOR ANYONE WHO IS FAMILIAR
WITH CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE,
THIS ISN'T GOING TO BE AN EASY
DISEASE TO TACKLE.
BUT I THINK PARTICULARLY IN
THE LAST TWO YEARS THE DNR HAS
REALLY MADE SOME IMPORTANT
STEPS AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO
MAKE SOME IMPORTANT CHANGES IN
THE LEGISLATURE, BOTH WITH
FUNDING AND CHANGING SOME
POLICIES ISSUES TO HOPEFULLY
KEEP THIS DISEASE IN CHECK.
>> SO, LAST YEAR THE
LEGISLATURE PROVIDED FUNDS FOR
FURTHER RESEARCH EFFORTS AT
THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA TO
DEVELOP MORE ROBUST DIAGNOSTIC
TOOLS, INCLUDING, I THINK, THE
DEVELOPMENT OF FIELD TESTS.
HOW IS THE RESEARCH
PROGRESSING RIGHT NOW?
>> WE ACTUALLY GOT REALLY GOOD
NEWS AT OUR HEARING YESTERDAY.
SO Dr. PETER LARSON AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA HAS
REALLY BEEN THE ONE LEADING
THE WAY ON THIS.
AND I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH GOOD
THINGS ABOUT HIM AND HIS TEAM
AND THE WORK THEY'VE BEEN
PUTTING IN TO THIS.
SO WHAT THEY SHARED WITH US
YESTERDAY IS THAT THEY ARE
MAKING IMPORTANT STRIDES IN A
LOT OF IT WAS REALLY
TECHNICAL, BUT ESSENTIALLY
THEY ARE DEVELOPING AND
GETTING CLOSER TO A TEST THAT
CAN -- ESSENTIALLY IT'S A MUCH
MORE SENSITIVE TEST.
SO PREVIOUSLY WE HAD TO HAVE,
IN ORDER TO FIND THE PRIXONS,
WE HAD TO HAVE BRAIN TISSUE OR
SPINAL TISSUE, YOU KNOW, AREAS
WHERE THE PRIONS WERE HIGHER
AND, SO, THIS NEW TEST THAT
THEY'RE WORKING ON WOULD BE
ABLE TO DETECT IT IN SALIVA,
BLOOD, URINE OR EVEN THE DIRT,
SO IT'S A MUCH MUCH MORE
SENSITIVE TEST AND THEY ARE
STARTING TO INVEST N THE
EQUIPMENT AND MOVING FORWARD
ON THAT.
OBVIOUSLY WE'D STILL BE USING
THEIR LABS AND SUCH, BUT
REALLY IMPORTANT STRIDES THAT
WE'RE MAKING, REALLY EXCITING
STUFF THAT'S HAPPENING BECAUSE
RIGHT NOW HUNTERS ARE HAVING
TO FIND, LIKE, SPECIFIC TISSUE
SAMPLES AND WAIT SEVERAL DAYS,
IF NOT WEEKS, TO GET THEIR
RESULTS.
AND THE TURNAROUND ON THIS
MORE SENSITIVE TEST IS ALSO
MUCH QUICKER.
STILL SOME TECHNICAL ISSUES TO
GET IT ROLLED OUT TO THE
PUBLIC, BUT THINGS ARE LOOKING
REALLY GOOD.
>> HAVE YOU HEARD ANYTHING
SPECIFIC FROM HUNTERS WHO
DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH THE
RIGAMAROLE OF TESTING A DEER,
SO THEY JUST SIMPLY ARE NOT
FOLLOWING THE RECOMMENDATIONS?
>> SO OBVIOUSLY I'M NOT
HEARING FROM THOSE PEOPLE
BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE -- YOU
KNOW, THEY WOULDN'T BE
FOLLOWING THE LAW IF THAT'S
WHAT THEY WERE DOING.
ONE IMPORTANT THING TO NOTE
THAT WE DID HEAR FROM THE DNR,
SOME OF US HAVE ONE GIVEN --
HAVE GIVEN SORT OF A HEADS-UP
WHEN THEY WERE SENDING A
BOOKLET, SO YOU GET A BOOKLET
EVERY YEAR FROM THE DNR WITH
ALL YOUR HUNTING RULES AND
REGULATIONS IN IT, AND
BECAUSE OF COVID-19, THEY WILL
NOT HAVE STAFF OUT IN THE
FIELD TESTING HUNTER-HARVESTED
DEER.
AND, SO, IT'S GOING TO BE
VOLUNTARY THIS YEAR AND THERE
WILL BE ESSENTIALLY DROP SITES
THROUGHOUT THE IMPACTED AREAS,
THE DIFFERENT ZONES THAT ARE
CONSIDERED CWD ZONES.
SO WE REALLY ARE GOING TO RELY
ON HUNTERS VOLUNTARILY
COMPLYING WITH THIS.
AND ANOTHER PIECE TO THAT IS
THAT PART OF THE WORK THAT
SOME OF THE FUNDS TO THE
U OF M AND THE CENTER FOR
PRION RESEARCH, AND THE WORK
THEY'RE DOING, IS -- THEY 3D
PRINTED A HEAD OF A DEER SO
YOU CAN SEE THE LYMPH NODES
AND THEY CAN REALLY -- SO THE
IDEA WAS HOPEFULLY THEY WOULD
BE ABLE TO GO OUT TO THE
COMMUNITIES AND SHOW PEOPLE
REALLY HANDS-ON WHAT THE
SAMPLES ARE THAT THEY NEED.
SO IT WILL BE A LITTLE BIT
MORE CHALLENGING THIS YEAR,
BUT WE CERTAINLY ARE HEARING
FROM DEER HUNTERS THAT THIS IS
AN IMPORTANT ISSUE AND, SO,
YOU KNOW, MOST FOLKS FEEL LIKE
IT'S WORTH IT TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE'RE FINDING THE DISEASE
AND THAT HOPEFULLY WE'RE NOT
CONSUMING IT AS WELL.
>> IS IT THE GOAL, THEN,
BECAUSE MY UNDERSTANDING IS
THESE PRIONS LIVE IN THE
ENVIRONMENT FOR QUITE SOME
TIME, IS THE GOAL, REALLY, TO
JUST KEEP THE SPREAD UNDER
CONTROL AS MUCH AS HUMANLY
POSSIBLE?
>> YES.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE ALL
MAYBE NOW IN COVID TIMES HAVE
A LITTLE BIT MORE NUANCED
UNDERSTANDING OF DISEASE,
DISEASE CONTROL AND HOW WE
MANAGE DISEASE.
SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE
LOOKING AT IS MANAGING IT.
YOU KNOW, AS I NOTED BEFORE,
YOU KNOW, SORT OF THE LEVEL OF
PRIONS FOUND IN DIFFERENT
TISSUES OR THE ENVIRONMENT IS
ALSO GOING TO BE REALLY
CRITICAL.
FOR INSTANCE, IN THE DUMPSTER
PROGRAM THAT WE STARTED LAST
YEAR, TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE
DISPOSING OF THEIR DEER
CARCASSES, YOU KNOW, THE PARTS
THAT THEY DON'T EAT, SAFELY,
YOU KNOW, IT'S PROBABLY --
IT'S FINE THAT THAT GOES TO A
LANDFILL.
YOU KNOW, IN THE GRAND SCHEME
OF HOW MUCH ELSE IS IN THAT
LANDFILL, YOU KNOW, THE
CHANCES THAT SOMEBODY'S GOING
TO OR ANOTHER ANIMAL S GOING
TO CONSUME ENOUGH OF A DEER
PART TO GET THE DISEASE IS
RELATIVELY RARE.
THAT WOULD BE DIFFERENT THAN
YOU EATING A STEAK, A VENISON
STEAK, YOU KNOW, FRESH FROM
THE IELD.
SO IT'S MANAGING ALL OF THAT
AND KEEPING IT IN CHECK SO IT
DOESN'T SPREAD ANY FURTHER
THAN WE CAN KEEP IT FROM
SPREADING.
BUT, YEAH, THE CHANCES THAT
WE'RE GOING TO COMPLETELY
ERADICATE CWD AT THIS POINT
AREN'T LOOKING TOO GOOD, BUT I
THINK THAT WE REALLY CAN KEEP
IT MANAGED IN A WAY THAT IT'S
NOT NEGATIVELY IMPACTING YOUR
AVERAGE HUNTER OR AVERAGE
FAMILY OR AVERAGE MINNESOTAN
WHO CARES ABOUT THE DEER
POPULATION.
>> NOW, THIS COMING BUDGET
YEAR IS GOING TO BE A
CHALLENGE BECAUSE OF THE
PROJECTED DEFICIT, MEANING
THAT THOSE FINANCIAL RESOURCES
THAT ANY NUMBER OF STATE
AGENCIES RELY ON ARE SCARSER
AND SCARSER -- SCARCER AND
SCARCER.
SO AS A LAWMAKER PLANNING
FOR, YOU KNOW, REDUCED BUDGET
FIGURES, HOW IMPORTANT IS IT
THAT FUNDING REMAIN FOR THE
MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC WASTING
DISEASE?
>> I THINK IT'S STILL REALLY
IMPORTANT.
OBVIOUSLY EVERYTHING THAT
WE'RE GOING TO BE TRYING TO BE
FUNDING NEXT YEAR IS GOING TO
BE REALLY A CHALLENGE.
BUT I THINK FOR A COUPLE
REASONS, I THINK, YOU KNOW,
ONCE THIS DISEASE -- IF THIS
DISEASE WERE TRULY TO GET OUT
OF CONTROL, IT WOULD BE REALLY
DIFFICULT, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE,
TO SORT OF, LIKE, FORCE IT
BACK INTO THE BOX.
AND, SO, I THINK THE TIMING IS
REALLY CRITICAL BECAUSE WE ARE
AT A STAGE RIGHT NOW WHERE,
YOU KNOW, IN THE LAST YEAR
WE'VE HAD THREE NEW POSITIVES
SHOW UP IN THREE
DIFFERENT -- YOU KNOW, MORE
THAN THREE, BUT THREE
DIFFERENT COUNTIES THAT ARE
NOW SORT OF ON THE RADAR OF
HAVING TO BE MANAGED FOR
CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE.
TWO OF THOSE FROM A DEER FARM
SITUATION AND, SO, WE'RE GOING
TO HAVE TO FIND A WAY.
AND I THINK U KNOW, WE'RE
PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE TO GET
CREATIVE AND, OVERALL, IN
DEALING WITH THIS PROBLEM, YOU
KNOW, WE KNOW THAT SOME OF THE
POSITIVES ARE CONNECTED TO
KIND OF THE FOR-PROFIT FARMING
SECTOR AND THOSE ARE MANAGED
THROUGH THE BOARD OF ANIMAL
HEALTH, WHICH IS DIFFERENT
THAN THE DNR BECAUSE THE DNR
IS MANAGING IT AS THE WILD
DEER POPULATION AS  NATURAL
RESOURCE.
HOWEVER, THEY'RE THE SAME
SPECIES.
AND, SO, THEY STILL CAN
INTERACT THROUGH A FENCE OR
DEER ESCAPE FROM THEIR
ENCLOSURES.
SO WE MAY BE LOOKING AT, OU
KNOW, WE'RE ALL GOING TO HAVE
TO WORK TOGETHER TO FIGURE OUT
HOW TO PAY FOR THIS.
I DO THINK HISTORICALLY THAT
HUNTERS HAVE BORNE MOST OF THE
BURDEN TO MANAGE THIS DISEASE
THROUGH LICENSE SALES.
BUT THE RESEARCH THAT'S
CURRENTLY GOING ON AT THE
U OF M WAS ACTUALLY FUNDED
THROUGH THE ENTRF, SO THE
TRUST FUND DOLLARS OR LOTTERY
DOLLARS PAID FOR SOME OF THAT.
AND, SO, WE DO HAVE SOME
OPTIONS HERE IN MINNESOTA THAT
OTHER STATES MAY NOT HAVE.
>> REPRESENTATIVE JAMIE
BECKER-FINN, THAT IS ALL THE
TIME WE HAVE, BUT I WANT TO
THANK YOU.
>> YEAH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH
FOR HAVING ME AND THANKS FOR
PAYING ATTENTION TO CHRONIC
WASTING DISEASE.
♪
>> ALSO THIS WEEK, UNIVERSITY
OF MINNESOTA PRESIDENT JOAN
GABEL OUTLINED THEIR COVID
PREPAREDNESS PLAN FOR MANAGING
STUDENTS WHO CHOOSE TO LIVE ON
CAMPUS.
>> WE HAVE ADDED ANOTHER
CHAPTER TO THE UNIVERSITY'S
SUNRISE PLAN THAT WE'RE
CALLING THE MAROON AND GOLD
SUNRISE.
OF COURSE WE ARE.
AND THE MAROON AND GOLD
SUNRISE IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO
MOVE STUDENTS IN TO UNIVERSITY
HOUSING.
IT S A PHASED APPROACH.
IT STILL USES THE HYBRID
COURSE DELIVERY OF SOME
FACE-TO-FACE, SOME HYBRID,
SOME DISTANCE LEARNING THAT
YOU'VE HEARD FROM EVERYBODY,
IN THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND IN
THE MINNESOTA STATE SYSTEM.
SO THIS PLAN REFERS
SPECIFICALLY TO HOW -- REFERS
SPECIFICALLY TO HOW WE NOW
RE-OPEN UNIVERSITY HOUSING AND
ACTUALLY BRING STUDENTS BACK
TO CAMPUS, TWIN CITIES,
DULUTH, AND ROCHESTER
CAMPUSES.
IN THE FIRST PHASE, WHICH WILL
START A LITTLE EARLIER IN
DULUTH THAN IN THE TWIN CITIES
AND ROCHESTER, JUST BECAUSE OF
HOW THE CLASS SCHEDULES WORK,
STUDENTS WILL MOVE INTO
UNIVERSITY HOUSING FOR AN
AVERAGE OF TEN DAYS, DEPENDING
ON WHEN THEY MOVE IN, THEY
WILL BE IN SORT OF THE DORM
VERSION OF A STAY-AT-HOME
ORDER WHERE THEY CAN LEAVE TO
ATTEND CLASSES, TO EAT, TO
EXERCISE, IF THEY HAVE TO
WORK.
THERE ARE WHAT I WOULD CALL
COMMON-SENSE EXCEPTIONS.
BUT OTHERWISE THEY SHOULD STAY
AT HOME, WHICH WOULD BECOME
THEIR DORM ROOM.
IF THAT PHASE OR STEP GOES
WELL, USING A HOLISTIC REVIEW
THAT I'LL DETAIL FOR YOU AT
THE END BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'D
LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THAT,
THEN WE WOULD MOVE TO THE NEXT
STEP.
STEP TWO OPENS ACCESS TO MORE
CAMPUS FACILITIES, THE REC,
LIBRARIES, STUDENT UNIONS, THE
SURROUNDING COMMUNITY, AND
ASKS THAT STUDENTS BE HOME BY
9:00 P.M.
WITH THE SAME COMMON-SENSE
EXCEPTIONS, IF THEY WORK OR
HAVE OTHER REASONABLE REASONS
THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE OUT
LATER THAN THAT.
IF THAT GOES WELL, USING THE
SAME HOLISTIC REVIEW, WE WOULD
EXTEND THE BE HOME BY TIME TO
AND IF THAT GOES WELL, WEKS.-
WOULD REMOVE THE BE HOME BY
LIMIT AND STUDENTS WOULD BE ON
CAMPUS DOING WHAT STUDENTS DO
IN WHAT WE ARE NOW CALLING
COVID NORMAL, WEARING MASKS,
SIX FEET APART, AVOIDING LARGE
GATHERINGS, BUT OTHERWISE ABLE
TO ACCESS ALL OF CAMPUS
FACILITIES.
>> IT IS REALLY AN ODD TIME, I
UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT COULD YOU FOR ME,
PRESIDENT GABEL, YOU MENTIONED
IN YOUR COMMENTS THAT YOU
WOULD LIKE TO DO ALL THAT YOU
CAN TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT
WHERE STUDENTS WOULD WANT TO
COME ON CAMPUS.
AND I DIDN'T REALLY, FROM MY
PERSPECTIVE, I DIDN'T REALLY
HEAR MANY BULLET POINTS THAT
WOULD MAKE A STUDENT WANT TO
COME ON CAMPUS.
IT SOUNDED TO ME LIKE A
STAY-AT-HOME PLAN IN A 12 X
15-FOOT DORMITORY ROOM COULD
BE PROBLEMATIC ON NUMEROUS
LEVELS, PARTICULARLY MENTAL
HEALTH, BUT ALSO JUST THE LOSS
OF AUTONOMY.
>> I DON'T THINK I COULD BE
ANYTHING BUT HONEST WITH YOU
TO SAY THAT THAT FIRST PERIOD
IS NOT GOING TO BE MUCH FUN.
RIGHT?
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE ZERO FUN.
BUT IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY
TAMPED-DOWN LEVEL OF AMPUS
LIFE WHILE WE REINTEGRATE ON
THE TWIN CITIES CAMPUS AND
CERTAINLY IN DULUTH, THOUSANDS
OF STUDENTS ALL AT ONE TIME
INTO AN ECOSYSTEM.
BUT THIS IS THE WAY THAT WE
THINK WE CAN DO IT AND THEN
SUSTAIN IT.
BUT IF WE CAN DO THIS RIGHT,
IN A MATTER OF LESS THAN TWO
WEEKS, THEN WE START TO OPEN
THINGS UP AGAIN.
AND IT STARTS TO FEEL A LOT
MORE LIKE THE NEW NORMAL, I
KNOW WE ALL HATE THAT PHRASE,
BUT WHERE YOU CAN GO TO
DIFFERENT THINGS, YOU CAN BE
OUT AND DO -- YOU CAN HAVE
STUDY GROUP MEETINGS AND YOU
CAN MEET WITH YOUR PROFESSOR,
IF THEY'RE ON CAMPUS, AND YOU
CAN GO OFF CAMPUS AND EAT.
YOU JUST GET HOME BEFORE THE
BIGGEST TEMPTATION STARTS.
AND IF THAT GOES WELL, THEN WE
START TO OPEN THINGS UP
GRADUALLY.
SO WE FEEL LIKE THIS IS THE
WAY TO BALANCE EXACTLY HAT
YOU'RE SAYING.
BUT IT GETS A LOT MORE FUN
OVER TIME IF WE MAKE THE ARD
CHOICES IN THE BEGINNING.
>> WHAT WOULD YOU TELL THE
LEGISLATURE WOULD BE THE MOST
HELP FOR YOU IN TRYING TO, YOU
KNOW, IF YOU WOULD, ALMOST IN
AN EMPEROR KIND OF FASHION,
YOU GET TO DECIDE, YOU GET TO
TELL THE LEGISLATURE WHAT IT
IS YOU'D LIKE US TO DO TO MAKE
YOUR JOB EASIER AND THE
STUDENT EXPERIENCE BETTER?
>> FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE
ALWAYS APPRECIATE, AS
CHANCELLOR MALHOTRA MENTIONED,
THE NVESTMENT BY THE STATE
INTO HIGHER EDUCATION.
I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T
START WITH APPRECIATION FOR
THE WAY IN WHICH RESOURCES
SOLVE SO MANY OF OUR
CHALLENGES.
BUT WITH THAT SAID, OVER TIME
REAL SUPPORT FOR THE
PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN WHAT ALL
OF US ARE DOING THAT HAVE
LARGE GROUPS OF PEOPLE
TOGETHER AND WHAT'S HAPPENING
TO SUPPORT OUR ABILITY TO DO
THE RESEARCH INTO VACCINES,
MITIGATING TREATMENT AND
CHEAP, FAST TESTING, WE HAVE
THE SCIENTISTS TO DO IT, IT'S
JUST A UESTION OF THE
INVESTMENT INTO THOSE THINGS.
♪ DRAMATIC MUSIC ♪
>> JOIN US AGAIN NEXT WEEK AS
WE DELVE INTO MORE TOPICS
AFFECTING MINNESOTANS.
I'M SHANNON LOEHRKE AND ON
BEHALF OF ALL OF US AT SENATE
MEDIA SERVICES, THANKS FOR
WATCHING.
