♪ MUSIC REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM THE HEALY FOUNDATION, TAOS, NM.

HELLO, I'M LORENE MILLS AND WELCOME TO REPORT FROM SANTA FE.

OUR GUEST TODAY IS OUR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, HOWIE MORALES, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>>HOWIE: IT'S SO WONDERFUL TO BE BACK HERE IN THIS OFFICE, IT SEEMS LIKE MANY YEARS AGO I WAS DOING THIS AS A SENATOR, SO IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK HERE WITH YOU.

>>LORENE: YES, YES.

WELL, IT'S AN INTERESTING, LET'S TALK ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND.

FOR ONE THING, YOU'RE THE 30TH LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR IN NEW MEXICO HISTORY, AND NOT ONLY DO YOU HAVE TO DO ALL THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR THINGS, ESPECIALLY ACTING AS GOVERNOR WHEN THE GOVERNOR IS OUT OF TOWN, BUT YOU PRESIDE OVER THE SENATE.

I HAVE SPENT 60 DAYS, BECAUSE WE JUST GOT OUT OF A 60-DAY SESSION, WATCHING YOU, THE WAY YOU ARE PRESENT AND RESPECTFUL, AND THE SENATE IS RUNNING LIKE A WELL-OILED MACHINE NOW, IT'S A THING OF BEAUTY.

THERE ARE TIMES IN PAST SENATES WHERE IT WOULD DEVOLVE INTO TOXIC PARTISANSHIP, BUT WITH THE RESPECT AND THE PRESENCE THAT YOU OFFER, IT WENT VERY, VERY WELL, SO THANK YOU.

>>HOWIE: THANK YOU FOR NOTICING THAT.

I THINK THAT THAT'S ATTRIBUTED TO THE MEMBERS THAT WE HAVE, THE UNDERSTANDING THAT WE'RE THERE FOR A BETTER NEW MEXICO.

I THINK I HAD AN ADVANTAGE BECAUSE I SERVED AS A SENATOR AND HAD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS BEFORE BECOMING LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, KNOWING THE MINORITY, KNOWING THE MAJORITY, AND KNOWING EACH INDIVIDUAL SENATOR AS PEOPLE AND AS FRIENDS.

I THINK THAT'S MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOW SMOOTH IT RUNS, IT LOOKS SMOOTH ON THE SURFACE, THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF WORK THAT GOES ON IN THE BACKGROUND, AND I REALLY GIVE CREDIT TO LEADER WIRTH, TO MINORITY LEADER SHARER AS WELL AND ALL THE MEMBERS WHO GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS, TO WORK THROUGH THINGS, NOT NECESSARILY JUST ON THE FLOOR, JUST CONTINUALLY WORK TOGETHER.

SO I'M GRATEFUL THAT WE DO HAVE THE DECORUM, THAT WE DO HAVE THE RESPECT OF WHAT THE SENATE SHOULD BE.

IT JUST HELPS TO REALLY BRING BACK SOME OF THE MEMORIES, AND I KNOW THAT IN LOOKING AT THE LEGACY THAT ERNIE HAS LEFT, AND REALLY THE WORK THAT WAS DONE, I THINK IS JUST ATTRIBUTED TO WHAT WE SEE THAT'S HAPPENING IN THE SENATE TODAY, WORKING TOGETHER IN COLLABORATION.

>>LORENE: YES, ABSOLUTELY.

YOU WERE 11 YEARS IN THE SENATE, WEREN'T YOU?

>>HOWIE: I WAS.

>>LORENE: REPRESENTING THE 28TH DISTRICT.

WELL, NOT MANY PEOPLE, NOT MANY LIEUTENANT GOVERNORS HAVE BEEN SENATORS, SO YOU REALLY KNOW BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET, AND SO IT'S REALLY, I THINK YOUR EXPERIENCE IS A GREAT FACTOR, BESIDES WHO YOU ARE AND THE RESPECT AND DIGNITY THAT YOU POSSESS AND THAT YOU EXPECT.

>>HOWIE: ABSOLUTELY.

EVERYTHING COMES BACK TO RELATIONSHIPS AND THE RELATIONSHIPS AND THE TRUST THAT IS BUILT, I MEAN, THAT IS BUILT OVER MANY DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES AND EXAMPLES OF WHAT WE'VE SEEN.

YOU KNOW, I LEARNED FROM SOME WONDERFUL PEOPLE.

I HAD SENATOR TIM JENNINGS.

SENATOR MICHAEL PADILLA, SENATOR JERRY ORTIZ DE PINO, DEEDEE FELDMAN, JOHN ARTHUR SMITH, LEE RAWSON, MARY KAY PAPIN, AND I CAN GO ON AND ON WITH MANY WHO WERE THERE TO REALLY SHOW HOW THE SENATE SHOULD WORK.

I'M JUST GRATEFUL BECAUSE WHEN I CAME IN, APPOINTED IN 2008 BY GOVERNOR BILL RICHARDSON UPON THE PASSING OF THE GREAT SENATOR BEN ALTAMIRANO, THEY REALLY TOOK ME UNDER THEIR WING.

I WAS BY FAR THE YOUNGEST SENATOR AT THAT TIME, AND I LEARNED SO MUCH AND I'M JUST SO GRATEFUL FOR THEM.

>>LORENE: WELL, YOU MENTIONED SOME OF YOUR LEADERSHIP MENTORS, BUT BECAUSE YOU'RE FROM SOUTHEASTERN NEW MEXICO, YOU HAVE A TRADITION OF LEGISLATIVE GIANTS.

YOU HAD IKE SMALLEY, MURRAY RYAN, TOMMY FOY, JOHN ARTHUR SMITH, AND BEN ALTAMIRANO, I MEAN, THAT WAS LIKE A STRATA THAT, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, ALBUQUERQUE CLAIMS GREAT LAWMAKERS, SANTA FE, EVERYONE CLAIMS GREAT LAWMAKERS, BUT SOMETHING IN THE SOIL, SOMETHING IN THE AIR DOWN THERE.

>>HOWIE: ABSOLUTELY, AND YOU ADD DIANE HAMILTON TO THAT, AND YOU ADD MANNY HERRERA, DONNA IRWIN, AND SO ALL THOSE THAT REALLY WORK TOGETHER.

AND WHAT WE UNDERSTOOD RIGHT THERE IS THAT, YEAH, WE DO HAVE RESPONSIBILITY TO MEMBERS OF OUR CAUCUS, BUT WE ALSO HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF WORKING TOGETHER BECAUSE THERE'S POWER IN NUMBERS AND WHEN WE CAN UNITE AS BOTH DEMOCRAT AND REPUBLICANS TO HELP BENEFIT THE REGION, THAT'S WHAT I LEARNED FROM THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE ME, AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK IS PRACTICED EVEN TODAY.

SO I'M GRATEFUL FOR THOSE THAT ARE DOING THAT STILL.

>>LORENE: SO THIS SESSION WAS YOUR LAST 60-DAY, AND IT DIDN'T SEEM TO BE WEARING ON YOU, LIKE, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE WEREN'T TOO MANY LATE NIGHTS.

I THINK 1:30 WAS ONE OF THE LATEST NIGHTS, AND AGAIN, THERE WAS SUCH DECORUM AND GRACIOUSNESS AMONG MEMBERS THAT IT SEEMED TO GO QUITE SMOOTHLY.

BUT HOW DO YOU FEEL, HOW WAS THIS 60-DAY DIFFERENT FROM OTHER 60 DAYS AND DO YOU HAVE A LITTLE PANG OF NOSTALGIA, THIS IS MY LAST 60-DAY OR YOU'RE GOING, PHEW, THIS WAS MY LAST 60-DAY.

>>HOWIE: I REALLY DID.

YOU KNOW, EACH DAY I WOULD TAKE A BREATH AND JUST TAKE IT ALL IN BECAUSE KNOWING THAT IT WAS MY LAST LONG SESSION, AND WHAT A WONDERFUL JOURNEY IT'S BEEN TO BE THERE WORKING WITH LEGISLATORS, SENATORS, WHO I RESPECT SO MUCH, AND JUST BLESSED TO HAVE BEEN IN THAT ROLE.

SO I DID TAKE A BREATH, AND I DID REFLECT ON THE YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN THERE AND TO RECOGNIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT YOU JUST HOLD ON SO DEARLY.

BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AND SEE THE POTENTIAL OF INCOMING LEGISLATORS AND WHAT THEY CAN DO, I'M HOPING THAT I'M ABLE TO HAVE SHARED AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE CAN DO TO WORK TOGETHER, TO BE FIRM, TO STAY ACCORDING TO THE SENATE RULES, BUT AT THE SAME TIME TO BE EFFECTIVE IN WORKING TOGETHER.

>>LORENE: I NOTICED THERE WAS A LOT, BECAUSE WE HAD 10 NEW MEMBERS, RIGHT, TEN NEW SENATORS?

>>HOWIE: YEAH, SO THIS WAS THE LARGEST, AS FAR AS I KNOW, THE LARGEST FRESHMAN CLASS WHICH MADE IT THE MOST ENJOYABLE SESSION FOR ME, MY SEVENTH YEAR.

WHY IT WAS SO ENJOYABLE IS BECAUSE I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MANY NEW SENATORS FACES, NAMES, AND SOME OF THEIR TENDENCIES, AND TO WORK TO HELP THEM, WHETHER THEY'RE DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICANS, TO HELP THEM BE THE BEST SENATOR THAT THEY CAN BE.

IT WAS TRULY ENJOYABLE TO BE PART OF THIS FIRST CLASS.

>>LORENE: YES AND ACTUALLY, YOU EDUCATED THEM IN JUST SUCH A GRACIOUS AND, YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD REMIND THEM OF SOMETHING, HOW THINGS WORK IN A CERTAIN WAY THAT I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT.

SO I WAS BEING EDUCATED, TOO AND IT DOES MAKE IT WORK BETTER FOR EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY WINS.

>>HOWIE: ABSOLUTELY AND I THINK THAT'S THE TEACHER IN ME, THE COACH IN ME, THAT WANTS TO DO IT IN A WAY THAT'S NOT LECTURING, BUT ALSO JUST MAKING SURE THAT THE RULES ARE UNDERSTOOD BUT DOING IT IN A WAY THAT IT'S UNDERSTOOD THAT WE DO IT TOGETHER.

SO WHETHER IT WAS A PHONE CALL THAT I WAS MAKING DIRECTLY TO THEIR DESK, WHETHER IT WAS EYE CONTACT THAT I WOULD MAKE WITH CERTAIN SENATORS OR WHETHER IT'S HAVING TO GO OVER THE MICROPHONE TO MAKE SOME OF THOSE CORRECTIONS, IT WAS ALWAYS DONE OUT OF RESPECT, AND I KNOW THAT THEY APPRECIATED THAT.

>>LORENE: WELL, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT NEW MEXICO HAS A COACHING HALL OF FAME, AND YOU'RE IN IT, SO CONGRATULATIONS.

THE WHOLE IDEA OF WHAT A COACH IS AND WHAT A COACH DOES IS NOT OFTEN TRANSPOSED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE ARENA OR BATTLEFIELD, BUT IT WAS WONDERFUL, BECAUSE YOU DID COACH NEW MEMBERS AND DISENFRANCHISED, PERHAPS BITTER, DISAPPOINTED LAWMAKERS.

I MEAN, YOU WERE COACHING EVERYONE TO BRING THEIR BEST FOR NEW MEXICO, THANK YOU.

>>HOWIE: ABSOLUTELY.

ONE THING I ALWAYS TRY TO DO WHEN I'M ON THE SENATE FLOOR AND PRESIDING, THAT I NEVER WANT TO MAKE IT ABOUT ME, I ALWAYS WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT THE PROCESS AND THE BIGGER GOAL OF A BETTER NEW MEXICO.

SO HAVING THE EXPERIENCES THAT I'VE HAD AS A TEACHER AND AS A COACH, IT REALLY DOES PLAY OUT, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO COMMUNICATE.

YOU HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GET OUR POINT ACROSS BY DOING IT IN A WAY WHERE WE'RE MOVING IN THE SAME DIRECTION AND SO IT BECAME VERY NATURAL TO ME, VERY SECOND NATURE AND SO I'M JUST GRATEFUL THAT THE SENATORS APPRECIATED THAT AS WELL.

>>LORENE: WELL, THOSE ARE TWO STRONG ELEMENTS, THE EDUCATOR IN YOU, BECAUSE YOU HAVE A BS, MA, AND PHD, AND THEN THE COACHING ELEMENT, SO IT'S BOTH HEART AND BRAIN, SO A GOOD COMBO.

>>HOWIE: THE BEST PREPARATION THAT I COULD HAVE HAD TO HAVE BEEN A SENATOR AND NOW AS AN EXECUTIVE IS THAT COACHING BACKGROUND, BECAUSE YOU LEARN TO DEAL WITH CRITICISM, YOU LEARN TO DEAL WITH STRATEGY, COMMUNICATION, OPTIMIZING HUMAN POTENTIAL, AND IT ALL GOES HAND IN HAND, SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE SAW AND THE MESSAGES THAT I WOULD RECEIVE OF HOW WELL THE SENATE WAS RUNNING, THAT CAN'T BE DONE ALONE.

AND IT'S NOT ATTRIBUTED TO JUST ME, IT'S ATTRIBUTED TO EVERY ONE OF THOSE 42 MEMBERS, ALL OF OUR STAFF, OUR CHIEF CLERK IN THE SENATE, ALL THOSE BEHIND THE SCENES THAT MAKE IT WORK.

I'M JUST PROUD, AS I SAID, ONE OF THE DAYS TO BE A MEMBER AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE NEW MEXICO SENATE.

>>LORENE: YEAH, YEAH.

SO WHAT HAPPENED, SINCE YOU ARE, AMONG OTHER THINGS, AN EDUCATOR, HOW DID THIS SESSION - WHAT HAPPENED FOR THE BENEFIT OF EDUCATION THIS SESSION?

>>HOWIE: I THINK THERE WAS A LOT OF BENEFITS WHEN WE LOOK AND SEE WHAT IS TAKING PLACE DURING THIS SESSION.

I WANT TO JUST REMIND THAT IT WASN'T TOO LONG AGO WHEN I WAS IN THE SENATE WHERE WE HAD NEARLY ZERO PERCENT RESERVES, WE WERE ALMOST WITHOUT ANY RESERVES.

WE HIT THE NATIONAL RECESSION AND JUST THE IMPACT THAT WE'VE HAD, THE DRAMATIC SHIFT.

>>LORENE: BECAUSE IN THAT TIME YOU HAD TO CLAW BACK ANY LITTLE MONEY THAT WAS LEFT IN ANY LITTLE FUND JUST TO NOT HAVE TO OPERATE ON A DEFICIT AND NOW, THROUGH THE BLESSINGS OF THE MINERAL WEALTH OF OUR STATE, WE HAVE GIGANTIC PERMANENT FUNDS.

AND TELL THEM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE THIS ON THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, BUT ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY DO WE HAVE IN THE PERMANENT FUND AND WHAT IS IT THERE FOR.

>>HOWIE: YOU KNOW, AND IT GOES BACK TO THE DRAMATIC SHIFT THAT WE'VE SEEN AND THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE, WHETHER IT'S IN EDUCATION, HIGHER EDUCATION, WHETHER IT'S IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, I THINK THAT'S ATTRIBUTED, OBVIOUSLY, WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH THE OIL AND GAS SURPLUS THAT WE SEE, IT'S A MUCH DIFFERENT DAY THAN WHEN WE HAD ZERO PERCENT RESERVES.

WE SIT NOW AT 30 PERCENT RESERVE, BUT WE ALSO HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT FUNDS THAT ARE IN PLACE RIGHT NOW, AND I THINK THAT LOOKING TO SEE SOME OF THE PIECES OF WORK THAT WAS DONE, FOR EXAMPLE, OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION TRUST FUND, YOU KNOW, STARTED WITH $300,000.

REPRESENTATIVE DOREEN GALLEGOS, SENATOR JOHN ARTHUR SMITH PUT THAT FORWARD, SORRY, WITH REALLY $300 MILLION, AND NOW IS OVER $10 BILLION.

>>LORENE: OH, MY GOSH.

>>HOWIE: THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF THE INVESTMENT THAT WE'RE MAKING IN DIFFERENT AREAS IN THE STATE.

SO, THE IMPACT THAT THAT HAS WHEN WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE FUNDING FOR EDUCATION, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE WAS A TIME WHEN WE WERE THE LOWEST PAID EDUCATORS ACROSS THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO, TODAY, WE SIT IN THE REGION AS THE HIGHEST PAID, YOU KNOW.

>>LORENE: OH, THAT'S WONDERFUL, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT, THAT'S WONDERFUL.

AND OUR TEACHERS DESERVE IT, MY GOODNESS.

>>HOWIE: OUR TEACHERS, OUR ANCILLARY STAFF, ALL OF OUR STAFF ACROSS THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO, YOU KNOW, AND THIS WAS REALLY SOMETHING THAT THE GOVERNOR FELT STRONGLY ABOUT, THAT WE WERE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM BE COMPETITIVE WHILE WE CONTINUE TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS IN EVERY AREA, INCLUDING LITERACY, INCLUDING CAREER, VOCATIONAL, TECHNICAL EDUCATION, WHERE WE SEE THAT THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR INCREASING THE TEACHER PIPELINE.

THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO DO, AND SO I'M PROUD OF THAT, AND I'M JUST PROUD OF THE GOVERNOR'S LEADERSHIP TO MAKE THAT A REALITY.

>>LORENE: ANOTHER LEVEL THAT YOU DO THE OUTREACH IS BILINGUAL.

THERE'S MULTICULTURAL AND BILINGUAL EDUCATION, SO THAT IF THEIR PRIMARY LANGUAGE ISN'T ENGLISH, THEY'RE NOT STUCK.

YOU KNOW, YOU WORK WITH THEM TO BRING THEM FORWARD AND TO REALLY HONOR THE POTENTIAL OF THAT CHILD.

>>HOWIE: ABSOLUTELY, THAT'S WHAT MAKES NEW MEXICO SO SPECIAL.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT US IN THE STATE SENATE, FOR EXAMPLE, IT WASN'T TOO LONG AGO, JUST A FEW YEARS AGO, THAT SENATOR JOHN SAPIEN, SENATOR LINDA LOPEZ, YOU KNOW, BROUGHT FORWARD THAT WE HAVE TWO LANGUAGES IN THE STATE, AND SO WE DO THE PLEDGE IN SPANISH AND IN ENGLISH.

I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S RARE, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE CHANGES TO AN INSTITUTION LIKE THE SENATE, CHANGE IS HARD TO COME BY, AND THAT WAS DONE.

WE CELEBRATE OUR CULTURES, WHEN WE HAVE OUR INDIGENOUS GROUPS THAT COME IN AND JUST DO SUCH BEAUTIFUL PRESENTATIONS, WHEN WE HAVE OUR JOINT SESSIONS THAT HAVE DIFFERENT CELEBRATIONS OF OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR CULTURES, THAT'S WHAT MAKES NEW MEXICO SPECIAL, AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES ME SO PROUD TO SAY THAT I'M A BORN AND RAISED, EDUCATED, AND HOPEFULLY RETIRED NEW MEXICAN.

>>LORENE: YES, YES.

WELL, WE'RE SPEAKING TODAY WITH HOWIE MORALES, OUR 30TH LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR FOR THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO, BUT ALSO AN EDUCATOR AND A COACH.

I'M JUST WONDERING, THERE WAS SOME UNFINISHED BUSINESS THIS SESSION, AND I LIKE YOUR FEELINGS ABOUT A COUPLE OF AREAS THAT I THINK GOT KICKED DOWN THE ROAD FOR LATER.

JUVENILE JUSTICE, WE'VE SEEN SUCH HEARTBREAKING STORIES IN JUVENILE JUSTICE THAT ARE MAKING US RETHINK WHAT AN 11-YEAR-OLD COULD BE CAPABLE OF, LIKE THE SITUATION IN ALBUQUERQUE.

AND ANOTHER ISSUE THAT ISN'T RESOLVED YET IS MEDICAL MALPRACTICE.

WE'RE TRYING TO PUT A CAP ON IT SO THAT IT WOULDN'T CAUSE DOCTORS TO GO PRACTICE IN OTHER STATES, BECAUSE IT WAS SO EXPENSIVE, AND AGAIN, THAT GOT PASSED DOWN THE ROAD.

WHAT ARE YOUR FEELINGS ABOUT THOSE TWO BILLS, AND WHEN AND HOW CAN THEY BE RESOLVED.

>>HOWIE: YEAH, I THINK THERE'S FULL UNDERSTANDING THAT MORE WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE, AND I THINK AS WE COME OUT OF THE SESSION, THE GOVERNOR WAS PRETTY ADAMANT THAT WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK INTO A SPECIAL SESSION TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE ISSUES.

IT WAS HEARTBREAKING WHEN WE GOT THE STORY OF THE 11-YEAR-OLD AND A COUPLE OF OTHER TEENAGERS.

>>LORENE: 11, 13, AND 15.

>>HOWIE: IT WAS HEARTBREAKING AND THEN THE NIGHT BEFORE, THE VERY LAST NIGHT OF THE 60-DAY, SENATOR BRANTLEY CALLS ME AND SHE GOES, I NEED TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT, AND SHE SHARED ABOUT THE HORRIFIC SHOOTINGS THAT TOOK PLACE IN LAS CRUCES AND THAT'S RIGHT AT THE TAIL END OF THE SESSION.

SO WE KNOW THAT THERE'S MORE WORK THAT HAS TO BE DONE AND RECOGNIZING THAT WE WILL DO THAT.

THAT'S A MANDATE THAT THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE HAVE CALLED UPON US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP OUR PUBLIC SAFE, OUR COMMUNITY SAFE, AND WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT.

THE MEDICAL MALPRACTICE, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I WATCH VERY CLOSELY BECAUSE I KNOW BOTH SIDES OF IT.

I USED TO BE A HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATOR, AND I KNEW... >>LORENE: OH, RIGHT, WELL, GIVE ME THAT POINT OF VIEW.

>>HOWIE: YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

SO I GET BOTH POINTS OF VIEW BEING A HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATOR, KNOWING THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE FOR PATIENT-CENTERED CARE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN DELIVER AS BEST AS POSSIBLE, AND ENSURING THAT WE PROVIDE THE BEST SERVICE ALL THE TIME, AND PROVIDING THAT HEALING FOR THE PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS.

ON THE OTHER END OF IT, AS I'VE SEEN IT, HAVING LOVED ONES, MY FATHER WHO PASSED AWAY, AND RECOGNIZING THE IMPACT OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THERE MAY BE SOMETHING THAT ISN'T DONE CORRECTLY.

SO I SEE IT FROM BOTH ENDS, AND I DO HOPE THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT ISSUE.

AS YOU KNOW, EVERY DAY IT WAS BROUGHT UP IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER AND SO I THINK, AGAIN, THAT'S WHAT GIVES US THE TIME AWAY FROM SESSION TO HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS, AND THEN HOPEFULLY FIND A WAY TO HAVE SOME SOLUTIONS FOR WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

>>LORENE: YEAH, REAL LIFE KEPT THROWING THESE TRAGIC EVENTS AT US TO REMIND US, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T KEEP PUTTING THIS OFF, THIS HAS TO BE DEALT WITH, PARTICULARLY JUVENILE JUSTICE.

>>HOWIE: ABSOLUTELY AND WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT.

WE'RE GOING TO WORK TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, MEMBERS FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE, MEMBERS IN BOTH CHAMBERS TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN HAVE SOME, YOU KNOW, MOVEMENT IN THAT AREA.

BUT I DO ALSO WANT TO REMIND THE PUBLIC THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME WONDERFUL THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED AND TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE THINGS.

SOME OF THESE AREAS MAY NOT SHOW UP OVERNIGHT, BUT THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE'VE MADE WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF GOVERNOR MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM, I WAS PROUD TO BE PARTNERING WITH HER AS WELL AS WITH SENATOR MICHAEL PADILLA IN OUR CREATION OF OUR EARLY LEARNING DEPARTMENT.

THAT IS THE INVESTMENT THAT WE'RE MAKING TO ENSURE THAT AT THE EARLIEST STAGES THAT WE'RE EDUCATING, THAT WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN TO HELP DEVELOP THE YOUNG MINDS.

WE'RE A LEADER ACROSS THE COUNTRY, I TRAVEL ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY TALKING ABOUT HOW NEW MEXICO DID IT, AND I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT NEW MEXICO, WE'RE LEADING THE NATION ON DOING THAT.

WHEN WE LOOK AND SEE WHAT WE'VE DONE FOR BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS, OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME EFFORTS, THAT'S KEEPING KIDS SAFE, ESPECIALLY DURING THAT 3 P.M. TO 5 P.M.

HOURS WHERE OTHERWISE WITHOUT THESE PROGRAMS, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE THOSE SERVICES.

>>LORENE: THEY MIGHT BE HOME ALONE, THEY MIGHT, YOU KNOW, TO ENRICH THEM, TO USE THAT AS AN OPPORTUNITY, NOT JUST WAREHOUSING, BUT TO GIVE THEM SOMETHING MEANINGFUL AND THAT HELPS THEM GROW AND LEARN MORE.

>>HOWIE: ABSOLUTELY AND SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT WHEN WE HAVE THE ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION.

YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNOR'S SECRETARY, RODRIGUEZ, WORKED EXTREMELY HARD WITH THE LEGISLATURE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN HAVE WHAT IT WAS CALLED THE OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIP FOR PEOPLE TO GET AN EDUCATION.

FOR ME, THAT WAS A GAME CHANGER.

I OFTEN JOKE THAT, YOU KNOW, I COME FROM A LARGE FAMILY WHERE MY DAD HAD 14 BROTHERS AND FIVE SISTERS AND I LAUGH THAT WAS WHY IT WAS EASY FOR ME TO GET ELECTED AS A STATE SENATOR BECAUSE THEY WERE ALL RELATED TO ME.

BUT FROM THAT, HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO ON AND BE THE FIRST TO GO TO COLLEGE, EDUCATION WAS A GAME CHANGER FOR ME.

SO BY HAVING THAT OPPORTUNITY, WHETHER IT'S THE LOTTERY SCHOLARSHIP, WHETHER IT'S GOING IN AND HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIP FOR PEOPLE LIKE MY SISTER TO COME BACK TO SCHOOL TO GET AN EDUCATION, THAT'S A GAME CHANGER RIGHT THERE.

AND WE HAD TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE FUNDED THAT, I BELIEVE THAT WE'RE ONE OF ONLY TWO STATES THAT HAVE FULLY FUNDED THAT.

I'M NOT SURE THE AMOUNT OF DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE THERE THAT'S IN THAT FUND, I BELIEVE IT'S LIKE A BILLION DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE WITHIN THAT FUND, THAT REALLY IS A GAME CHANGER TO ENSURE THAT PROMISE THAT WE HAVE HAD AND THAT WE'VE GIVEN TO STUDENTS ACROSS THE STATE.

>>LORENE: WELL, SO I WANT TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR LOCAL UNIVERSITY.

THERE HAVE BEEN ISSUES AT WESTERN NEW MEXICO UNIVERSITY.

MY LATE HUSBAND, ERNIE MILLS, WAS A REGENT DOWN THERE TOO, HE LOVED THE SCHOOL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOL, BUT THERE WAS THIS CONFLICT ABOUT HOW THE SETTLEMENT FOR PRESIDENT SHEPARD, $1.9 MILLION, AND DID IT GO THROUGH THE PROPER CHANNELS, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL GOT INVOLVED AND THEN SO MANY OF THE REGENTS JUST SAID, WALKED AWAY FROM IT, JUST SAID, WE'RE QUITTING, YOU NEED FRESH HORSES, GO AHEAD AND GET THEM.

SO HOW DO THINGS STAND WITH THAT NOW AND DOES WESTERN'S IMAGE NEED SOME REHAB, SOME REFURBISHMENT, OR DO PEOPLE KNOW THAT IT'S ONE OF OUR FINE SCHOOLS AND HAS SO MUCH TO DO WITH BEING DOWN ON THE BORDER THERE WITH INTERSTATE, LIKE WITH ARIZONA, BUT ALSO WITH, WITH MEXICO AND INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION.

SO TALK TO ME, LET'S TALK ABOUT WESTERN.

>>HOWIE: THERE, THERE'S SO MUCH OPPORTUNITY THAT ARE THERE.

I GREW UP ON THE CAMPUS, I'D PLAY BASEBALL WITH MY FRIENDS, WE'D RUN AROUND, PLAY HIDE AND SEEK ON THE CAMPUS AS KIDS, SO IT'S DEFINITELY NEAR AND DEAR TO ME.

HAVING THE CHANCE TO GO ON AND GET A TEACHING DEGREE, BOTH MY BACHELOR'S AND MASTER'S DEGREE THERE, FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR MY MEMORIES AT THE UNIVERSITY.

YOU'RE RIGHT, MUSTANGS, WE'RE EXTREMELY PROUD OF WHO WE ARE AND I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT REALLY WAS DEMONSTRATED WHEN WE WERE IN THE SENATE AND DOING OUR CONFIRMATIONS.

AND I KNEW IT TOOK A LITTLE WHILE FOR THE REGENTS TO BE NAMED, BUT THE GOVERNOR AND THE SECRETARY AND THE WHOLE PROCESS, THEY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THEY GOT IT RIGHT AND SEEING THE TESTIMONY THAT WAS GIVEN BY LEGISLATORS ON THE REGENTS THAT WERE APPOINTED, I COULDN'T BE MORE THRILLED, EXCITED FOR THE POSSIBILITIES AND WHAT WE HAVE FOR WESTERN.

THE POTENTIAL IS THERE WHEN YOU'RE RIGHT.

WE HAVE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES RIGHT THERE NEAR ARIZONA, NEAR TEXAS, OTHER AREAS, I'M CONFIDENT THAT THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT'LL COME FOR WESTERN ARE GOING TO REALLY SHINE BRIGHTLY.

AND AGAIN, I THINK LEADERSHIP, EVERYTHING RISES AND FALLS IN LEADERSHIP AND I FEEL THAT THE APPOINTMENTS THAT THE GOVERNOR MADE ARE MOVING THE UNIVERSITY IN THAT DIRECTION.

>>LORENE: YES AND DO YOU HAVE A DYNAMIC, DO YOU AND EASTERN HAVE, EASTERN NEW MEXICO UNIVERSITY AND PORTALES, DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP ACROSS THE STATE OF EACH OTHER OR IS IT JUST ALL HIGHER ED IS PULLING THE WAGON AND DOING THE BEST THEY CAN.

>>HOWIE: WELL, I GIVE A LOT OF CREDIT TO SECRETARY STEPHANIE RODRIGUEZ AND HER TEAM BECAUSE THEY'VE DONE ALL THEY CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT, YES, WE HAVE OUR RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, WE HAVE OUR COMPREHENSIVES, WE HAVE ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY COLLEGES THAT WE WORK AND SO PROUD OF FOR OPPORTUNITY FOR EDUCATION.

SO I GIVE THEM CREDIT FOR WORKING TOGETHER IN COLLABORATION, BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT THE COMPREHENSIVES AND THAT'S WESTERN, NORTHERN, HIGHLANDS AND EASTERN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS THAT FRIENDLY COMPETITION THAT WE DO HAVE, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE THERE TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER, WHETHER HIGHLAND'S DOING TREMENDOUS WORK AND SOCIAL WORK AS, YOU KNOW, IT CAN BE SHARED WITH WESTERN AND WESTERN'S DOING TREMENDOUS WORK WHEN IT COMES TO EDUCATING OUR TEACHERS.

ALL THE WORK THAT'S DONE ON THE EAST SIDE AND EASTERN, IT'S A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BECAUSE WHEN EVERY INSTITUTION SUCCEEDS, THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO SUCCEEDS.

>>LORENE: SO WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR LEGACY TO BE?

WHAT AS YOU THINK BACK, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU'LL BE STEPPING DOWN IN WHAT, A YEAR, TWO YEARS, MAYBE YOU'VE GOT TWO YEARS LEFT, THE LAST 60-DAY, ONE, 30-DAY, MAYBE JUST TWO, WELL ANYWAY, WHATEVER IT IS, WHEN YOU LOOK BACK, WHAT ARE YOU PROUDEST OF, WHAT DO YOU WANT YOUR LEGACY TO BE?

>>HOWIE: I WOULD HOPE THAT IT WOULD BE THAT, THAT I WAS ACCESSIBLE, THAT I WAS AVAILABLE, THAT I WAS APPROACHABLE AND RESPECTFUL, EVEN AT TIMES THAT WE MAY HAVE DISAGREEMENTS.

THE PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET THE SAME LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, THE SAME HOWIE, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE PRESSURES ARE OUT THERE AND I THINK THAT WAS DEMONSTRATED WITH MY WONDERFUL STAFF AND THE WORK THAT THEY DO AS OMBUDSMAN OF THE STATE, WORKING THROUGH MANY OF OUR CONSTITUENT SERVICES, I'M EXTREMELY PROUD OF THAT.

OF COURSE, THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE ON THE SENATE FLOOR, WHICH IS THE SPOTLIGHT OF WHAT THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR DOES, I'M PROUD THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HOLD THE SENATE DOWN, EVEN THROUGH A PANDEMIC, TO WORK TOGETHER IN A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT, EVEN THROUGH THE DISAGREEMENTS, EVEN AT TIMES WHEN THE TEMPERATURE ROSE, WE KEPT THE FOCUS ON THE BETTERMENT OF STATE OF NEW MEXICO.

THERE'S AREAS THAT I THINK THAT WHEN I STARTED WORKING IN THE SENATE, I PROBABLY DIDN'T GET TOO FAR WITH LEGISLATION THAT I HAD, BUT TODAY WE HAVE AN EARLY LEARNING DEPARTMENT, THAT'S SO PROUD THAT WE PROCLAIM ACROSS THE STATE.

WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITIES WHEN WE HAVE, AGAIN, OUR EDUCATORS THAT ARE GETTING PAID THE WAY THAT THEY DESERVE AND GRATEFUL FOR THAT LEADERSHIP THERE.

WHEN WE LOOK AND SEE WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO IN HIGHER EDUCATION, AS I MENTIONED, BUT ALSO ANOTHER AREA THAT'S IMPORTANT AND NEAR AND DEAR TO ME AS A PARENT, KNOWING THAT WE WANT TO KEEP OUR CHILDREN SAFE.

SO, TWO YEARS AGO, WORKING WITH MY TEAM, WE DEVELOPED THE FIRST EVER SAFETY SCHOOL SUMMIT AND IN THE SECOND, WE'VE HAD TWO OF THEM SO FAR AND EACH YEAR IT CONTINUES TO GROW FOR THE INTEREST.

IT DOESN'T MATTER WHICH PART OF THE STATE, DOESN'T MATTER WHAT SIDE OF THE AISLE, WE HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO KEEP OUR KIDS SAFE AND THE SAFETY SCHOOL SUMMIT HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT I'M GRATEFUL THAT HAS COME OUT OF OUR OFFICE WITH THE FULL SUPPORT OF THE GOVERNOR'S BLESSING AND THE TEAM.

WE SEE THAT CONTINUALLY IMPROVING.

>>LORENE: AND DID THEY SUCCEED, DID SHE SIGN THE OFFICE OF THE CHILD ADVOCATE, DOES THAT BECOME LAW?

>>HOWIE: SO WE'RE STILL WITHIN THE 20-DAY SIGNING PERIOD, SO NOT ALL PIECES OF LEGISLATION HAVE BEEN SIGNED YET.

SO THOSE WILL BE, YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNOR WILL REVIEW THAT, THE TEAM'S WORKING RIGHT NOW AS WE SPEAK TO GO THROUGH ALL PIECES OF LEGISLATION AND THEN RECOMMEND THE SIGNATURE OR VETO.

I THINK THAT WE'LL SEE THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF COLLABORATION IN HAVING THOSE PIECES OF LEGISLATION SIGNED.

>>LORENE: WELL, THE GOVERNOR IS VERY GOOD AT ARTICULATING HER PRIORITIES, AND EDUCATION IS CERTAINLY ONE OF THEM.

HEALTH IS ONE OF THEM AND ECONOMIC, I MEAN, SHE JUST, IT'S NOT A SHADOWY AREA, YOU KNOW, WHAT SHE'S GOING TO SUPPORT AND WHAT SHE'S KIND OF MAYBE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR BEHIND THE SCENES AS WELL.

SO WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO BE WORKING ON, YOU'LL HAVE INTERIM COMMITTEE MEETINGS, OF COURSE, WHAT WILL YOU BE PERSONALLY, WHAT PROJECTS ARE YOU WORKING ON?

>>HOWIE: ONE OF THE COMPONENTS THAT HAS BEEN REFLECTIVE OF THE WORK THAT I DO AS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR IS TRAVELING ALL ACROSS THE STATE.

I COME FROM A RURAL COMMUNITY, AS WE MENTIONED, AND GOING IN, WHETHER IT'S THE FIRES THAT TOOK PLACE, YOU KNOW, IN MORA AND SAN MIGUEL COUNTY TO THE FLOODS THAT WE SAW DOWN IN DONA ANA COUNTY AND LAENHONINO.

>>LORENE: REMEMBER, ROSWELL FLOODS.

THAT WAS SO SHOCKING.

>>HOWIE: SO I THINK GOING INTO ALL THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES, KNOWING WHAT THE NEEDS ARE, WHETHER IT'S THE CITY OF PORTALES NEEDING ASSISTANCE WITH, WHAT'S SOMETIMES OVERLOOKED BUT SO IMPORTANT, AREA FOR ANIMAL SHELTER, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT YOU CAN ONLY LEARN BY BEING ON THE GROUND, BEING ACROSS THE STATE AND SO I'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

OBVIOUSLY, HOUSING IS CONTINUALLY GOING TO BE AN IMPORTANT ISSUE.

I SIT ON THE MORTGAGE FINANCE AUTHORITY, STATE BOARD OF FINANCE, AND WHEN WE SEE THE CONTINUAL REQUESTS FOR EMERGENCY FUNDING, I'M HOPEFUL THAT SOME OF THE LEGISLATION THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PASS THIS YEAR WILL HELP.

SOME OF THOSE ACEQUIAS, SOME OF THE MUTUAL WATER DOMESTIC, SOME OF THOSE AREAS THAT REALLY STRUGGLE FOR DAY-TO-DAY SURVIVAL, THOSE ARE THE TYPE OF THINGS THAT I LEARN AND I TAKE IT ALL IN, WHERE WHEN I WAS A SENATOR, I'D GO IN AND SIT IN THE INTERIM COMMITTEES TO HEAR PROPOSED LEGISLATION.

AS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, I GO INTO THE COMMUNITIES AND HEAR WHAT THE NEEDS ARE AND ABLE TO PUT IT TOGETHER.

>>LORENE: WELL, I'M SO HAPPY TO HEAR ABOUT THESE THINGS.

I WANT TO THANK YOU, OUR GUEST TODAY IS HOWIE MORALES, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR FOR THE GREAT STATE OF NEW MEXICO.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR BREADTH AND YOUR DEPTH WITH WHICH YOU TAKE ON ALL THESE PROJECTS AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE FOR THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO.

>>HOWIE: THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING THE LEGACY THAT ERNIE HAD ESTABLISHED AND THE CONTINUATION OF THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE.

AND I JUST HAVE TO SAY THAT I CAN LOOK BACK ON MY FIRST YEAR AS STATE SENATOR IN 2008, I COULD NOT HAVE BEEN AS SUCCESSFUL WITHOUT THE HELP OF YOUR DAUGHTER, JOY, WHO WAS RIGHT THERE, WHO ASSISTED ME WHEN ALL EYES WERE ON A NEW SENATOR.

AFTER HAVING SENATOR BEN ALTAMIR BRINGING IN SO MANY PROJECTS, SO MANY FUNDS TO THE AREA THAT HE SERVED, WHICH I NOW WAS SERVING, I COULDN'T HAVE HAD THAT DELIVERED WITHOUT YOUR DAUGHTER JOY'S ASSISTANCE.

>>LORENE: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU, OUR AUDIENCE, FOR BEING WITH US TODAY ON REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM THE HEALY FOUNDATION, TAOS, NM.

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