>> ERIC: TODAY GOVERNOR WALZ SIGNED ANOTHER MAJOR BILL INTO LAW.

FOLLOWING THE STATE SUPREME COURT DECISION INFORMING LAWMAKERS THAT ONLY THEY CAN RESTORE FELON VOTING RIGHTS, THE LEGISLATURE TOOK ACTION.

IT WAS A LONG TIME COMING FOR MANY SECOND CHANCE ADVOCATES IN AN EMOTIONAL BILL SIGNING.

MARY LAHAMMER PROVIDES CONTEXT.

>> WE NEED A VOICE.

WE NEED OUR VOICE BACK.

>> Mary: THEY LIVE, WORK, AND PAY TAXES IN THE STATE.

NOW FELONS WHO ARE RELEASED WILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE AFTER LONG EFFORT AT THE CAPITOL.

>> TODAY A GOOD DAY FOR DEMOCRACY.

[ Cheers and applause ] >> Mary: WHEN GOVERNOR WALZ CAME INTO OFFICE MORE THAN FOUR YEARS AGO, HE ANNOUNCED HIS SUPPORT FOR RESTORING THE VOTE ALONG WITH OTHER NOTABLE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS WHO HAVE LONG BACKED THE BILL.

>> THE IDEA THAT FOLKS PAY THEIR PRICE FOR THE MISTAKE THEY MADE, BUT IN THIS COUNTRY, WE'RE A COUNTRY OF SECOND CHANCES.

WE'RE A COUNTRY OF WELCOMING FOLKS BACK IN.

AND THE IDEA OF NOT ALLOWING THOSE VOICES TO HAVE A SAY IN THE VERY GOVERNING OF THE COMMUNITIES THEY LIVE IN IS SIMPLY UNACCEPTABLE.

WE KNOW THAT -- [ Applause ] TAKING AWAY THE RIGHT TO VOTE FROM FOLKS DOES NOTHING TO IMPROVE SAFETY IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

>> I WANT EVERYBODY TO JUST TAKE A MINUTE.

LOOK AT THE PERSON NEXT TO YOU.

SAY, WE GOT HERE.

>> ALL: WE GOT HERE.

>> WE'RE HERE.

WE DID IT.

>> AND THERE ARE FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR A VERY, VERY LONG TIME.

[ Applause ] >> WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE CAST OUT AND THEN INVITED BACK IN >> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HAVE A SAY OVER THE PEOPLE WHO REPRESENT YOU?

BECAUSE PEOPLE WHO ARE PROHIBITED FROM VOTING, THEY HAVE TO PAY THEIR TAXES, THEY HAVE TO OBEY ALL THE LAWS, THEY HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE ANY CHOICE IN WHO REPRESENTS THEM.

NOW THEY DO.

>> I CAME O SEE OVER THE YEARS THAT THIS WAS RIGHT FOR MINNESOTA.

NOT ONLY RIGHT FOR THOSE AFFECTED, BUT IT'S RIGHT FOR ALL OF US.

THIS IS NOT SOME ACT OF CHARITY.

THIS IS GOOD FOR EVERYBODY IN OUR COMMUNITY, BECAUSE WE KNOW, WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE WHO FEEL INVESTED IN THEIR COMMUNITY, WHO FEEL A STAKE, WHO FEEL CONNECTION TO THEIR GOVERNMENT, THEY ARE FAR LESS LIKELY TO REOFFEND.

>> PART OF THE WAY TO NOT HAVE RECIDIVISM IS TO LEARN TO FORGIVE PEOPLE, WHETHER THEY FORGIVE YOU OR NOT.

>> Mary: SOME REPUBLICANS SUPPORT THE DEA OF THE RESTORATION OF VOTER RIGHTS, IN THE END NOT MANY VOTED FOR IT, BUT THIS FRESHMAN HOUSE MEMBER DID.

YOU SPOKE UP.

THERE WEREN'T MANY REPUBLICANS IN THAT LONG DEBATE WHO STOOD UP AND SAID I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR THIS.

>> YEAH, IT'S ONE OF THOSE ISSUES WHERE HONESTLY, IT'S -- WE SHOULD BE THAT PARTY THAT LOOKS AT THE FIRST DAY THAT SOMEBODY IS INCARCERATED IS THE FIRST DAY WE START PREPARING THEM TO COME BACK INTO SOCIETY.

9999.9% GET OUT.

AND I DON'T THINK WE DO A GOOD ENOUGH JOB PREPARING THOSE PEOPLE.

>> THIS YEAR IS DIFFERENT.

FOR ONE THING, THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE IS BOBBY JOE CHAMPION, SO -- [ Cheers and applause ] >> BEFORE ANYONE HAD AN OPINION ABOUT ME, GOD HAD A PLAN FOR ME.

>> THAT'S RIGHT!

[ Applause ] >> AND WHEN YOU THINK IN TERMS OF THE WORK THAT ALL IS DONE, THERE'S ANOTHER LITTLE SAYING THAT TEAM WORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK.

>> I DO UNDERSTAND HOW BIG OF A DEAL THIS IS.

BUT WITH WHAT I WILL SAY IS, IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A COLLECTIVE EFFORT.

AND IT WILL BE THE COLLECTIVE THAT CONTINUES TO CARRY US THROUGH ON ALL THAT WE ACCOMPLISH THIS LEGISLATIVE CYCLE AND THE NEXT YCLE AS WELL.

AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, AND I APPRECIATE THAT MORE THAN ANYTHING.

TO THE COLLECTIVE THAT'S HERE, JOB WELL DONE.

JOB WELL DONE.

>> Mary: THERE ARE ABOUT A DOZEN STATES THAT HAVE RESTORED THE VOTE.

IS55,000 PEOPLE IN MINNESOTAN WILL NOW BE ABLE TO CAST A BALLOT.

>> TEN YEARS AGO, I LOST MY RIGHT TO VOTE.

I WAS STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTION.

WHEN A JUDGE SENTENCED ME TO 40 YEARS OF PROBATION, AND I YEAR IN JAIL.

FOR A DRUG CONVICTION.

THAT MEANT I COULDN'T VOTE UNTIL I WAS 71 YEARS OLD.

I ENROLLED IN COLLEGE AND TOOK A BUS TWO OURS ONE DIRECTION THE FIRST SEMESTER OF SCHOOL.

I BECAME THE EFFICIENT PERSON IN MY FAMILY TO GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE AND EARNED A DEGREE IN ADDICTION COUNSELING.

>> IF AMERICA IS GOING TO BE WHAT SHE SAYS SHE IS, THEN WE NEED TO LOOK DEEPER WITHIN OURSELVES AND KNOW THAT WE MUST MOVE FROM A THEORETICAL FORM OF DEMOCRAT DEMOCRACY TO A MORE LIVING DEMOCRACY.

- [ Applause ] WHERE EVERY MEMBER OF OUR SOCIETY HAS VALUE.

>> WE ARE PASSING A LOT OF BILLS.

WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW LAWS.

AND WE ARE CHANGING LIVES FOR THE BETTER.

>> Mary: THE GOVERNOR'S DOUBLE-DIGIT BILL SIGNING TALLY JUST TWO MONTHS INTO SESSION SPEAKS TO THE HISTORY CONTINUING TO BE MADE IN THE DEMOCRATIC TRIFECTA THIS SESSION.

[ Cheers and applaus