REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY GRANTS FROM THE NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NEW MEXICO, AN ORGANIZATION OF PROFESSIONALS WHO BELIEVE THAT INVESTING IN PUBLIC EDUCATION IS AN INVESTMENT IN OUR STATE'S ECONOMIC FUTURE, FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES, AND FROM THE >>LORENE: HELLO, I'M LORENE MILLS AND WELCOME TO REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

OUR GUEST TODAY IS THE ESTEEMED SPEAKER OF THE NEW MEXICO HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, REPRESENTATIVE BRIAN EGOLF, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>>BRIAN: WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION.

YOU'RE WELCOME, I'M GLAD TO BE HERE.

THIS IS MY FIRST IN-PERSON INTERVIEW IN, PROBABLY 18 OR 19 OR 20 MONTHS, SO I SAVED IT FOR YOU.

>>LORENE: THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH, IT ALWAYS MAKES A DIFFERENCE BEING IN-PERSON.

>>BRIAN: IT DOES.

>>LORENE: SO YOU'RE A DEMOCRAT FROM SANTA FE, YOU FIRST WERE ELECTED TO THE HOUSE IN 2009, BUT JUST IN GENERAL WHAT KIND OF CHANGES HAVE YOU SEEN IN THE YEARS YOU'VE BEEN SERVING IN THE HOUSE.

>>BRIAN: ENORMOUS CHANGE, YOU KNOW, I CAN SPEAK MOSTLY TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

WHEN I STARTED THERE WERE THEN 45 DEMOCRATS, 25 REPUBLICANS JUST LIKE WE HAVE NOW, BUT HUGE DIFFERENCE IN TERMS OF THE OVERALL MAKEUP OF THE HOUSE.

WE ARE THE SECOND LEGISLATIVE CHAMBER IN THE COUNTRY WHOSE MEMBERS ARE A MAJORITY WOMEN.

WE HAVE THE MOST DIVERSE LEADERSHIP TEAM, THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, ALL THREE WOMEN OF COLOR LEADING OUR PARTY ON THE FLOOR IN THE HOUSE AND THERE'S BEEN ENORMOUS TURN OVER.

SO, I'M IN MY 11TH YEAR IN THE HOUSE AND I THINK I'M NUMBER SEVEN IN SENIORITY.

ABOUT A HALF OF OUR MEMBERS HAVE SERVED FOUR YEARS OR FEWER IN THE HOUSE, SO LOTS OF TURNOVER.

IT MEANS LOTS OF NEW FRESH IDEAS AND AN APPROACH TO LEGISLATING AND POLICYMAKING THAT IN THE HOUSE I THINK REMAINS VERY RESULTS ORIENTED AND VERY FOCUSED ON IMPROVING IDEAS, IMPROVING LEGISLATION TO HELP THE PEOPLE OF OUR STATE.

>>LORENE: WELL, I WANT TO LOOK BACK AT THE PAST SESSION.

I WANT THE AUDIENCE TO KNOW THAT YOU DID COME IN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SESSION BECAUSE I SPECIFICALLY ASKED YOU, SINCE IT WAS GOING TO BE ZOOM AND REMOTE, TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW HOW THEY COULD PARTICIPATE BY TELEPHONE, BY ZOOM ON THEIR COMPUTERS AND LETTERS.

I MEAN THERE WAS JUST AND WE DID HAVE A PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL PUBLIC VIEWERSHIP AND PARTICIPATION.

>>BRIAN: WELL FOR THE HOUSE THE NUMBERS ARE NINETEEN THOUSAND AND NINETY UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS LOGGED INTO A COMMITTEE MEETING ON ZOOM.

THAT IS A HUGE NUMBER, THAT'S ENOUGH PEOPLE TO FILL EVERY SEAT IN EVERY COMMITTEE ROOM ALL THE WAY FULL 37 TIMES.

>>LORENE: OH MY GOSH.

>>BRIAN: AND I CAN TELL YOU FROM PREVIOUS SESSIONS, WE NEVER HAVE HAD THAT MANY UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS COMING TO THE CAPITAL.

SO GOING TO ZOOM PRESENTED CHALLENGES BUT IT ALSO MADE NEW MEXICANS, TO USE THE EXAMPLE OF SILVER CITY BECAUSE IT'S THE LONGEST DRIVE, IT'S AN 11-HOUR ROUND TRIP FROM SILVER CITY TO THE CAPITAL.

IMAGINE YOU WANT TO COME AND TESTIFY ON A BILL, YOU DRIVE FIVE AND A HALF HOURS TO GET HERE, MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR WHERE TO SPEND THE NIGHT, YOU SHOW UP AT A COMMITTEE ROOM TO HEAR A BILL BE PUT ON AND THE SPONSOR DOESN'T HAVE THE AMENDMENTS READY, SO THEY DECIDE TO HEAR IT IN THE NEXT MEETING.

NOW YOU GOT TO DRIVE FIVE AND A HALF HOURS BACK.

WELL, NOW WITH ZOOM, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS TAKE A BREAK DURING DINNER OR TAKE A BREAK ON NETFLIX AND LOG ON AND YOU CAN SPEAK TO THE COMMITTEE FROM ANYWHERE ON THE PLANET AND THEN GO BACK TO YOUR BUSINESS.

SO THAT WAS A REALLY GREAT THING AND I'M VERY PLEASED THAT SO MANY NEW MEXICANS TOOK ADVANTAGE OF ALL THESE NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE.

>>LORENE: AND I THANK YOU FOR SHOWING THEM AND TELLING THEM AT THE BEGINNING HOW TO DO IT BECAUSE THEY REALLY, THEY REALLY STEPPED UP.

THERE WERE BOTH PROS AND CONS OF DOING IT REMOTELY VIA THE INTERNET, WHAT WORKED AND WHAT DIDN'T WORK?

>>BRIAN: I THINK THE COMMITTEES BY ZOOM WORKED INCREDIBLY WELL, WE HAD UNPRECEDENTED PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND LOBBYISTS AND THE PUBLIC WERE ON COMPLETELY EVEN FOOTING BECAUSE THE BUILDING WAS NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, LOBBYIST HAD NO SPECIAL ACCESS, THEY HAD NO ABILITY TO GRAB A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OR SENATE IN THE HALLWAY, TO TRY TO GIVE THEM A FEW WORDS BEFORE COMMITTEE MEETING STARTED, SO THAT WAS TERRIFIC.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION WAS GOOD, I KNOW WE HAD MEMBERS THAT LIKED PARTICIPATING IN COMMITTEE BY ZOOM, ZOOM FOR COMMITTEES, BY THE WAY, IS SOMETHING THAT IS NOT GOING AWAY.

SO FOR THE NEW MEXICO HOUSE, IN THE 30-DAY SESSION, WE WILL STILL HAVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PUBLIC TO PARTICIPATE IN COMMITTEE MEETINGS BY ZOOM, SO WE'RE GOING TO KEEP THAT.

WE'RE ACTUALLY WORKING RIGHT NOW TO REWIRE ALL OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ROOMS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THE APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A HYBRID, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE IN PERSON, MEMBERS IN PERSON, BUT THEN PUBLIC PARTICIPATING BY ZOOM, SO THAT'S HERE TO STAY.

WHAT DIDN'T WORK AS WELL WERE FLOOR SESSIONS.

THIS IS WHEN WE WERE ACTUALLY HEARING BILLS ON THE FLOOR FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE SESSION REALLY, YOU MIGHT HAVE TWO OR THREE OR FOUR DEMOCRATS, 20 OR SO REPUBLICANS, I WAS THERE ALL THE TIME, OUR MAJORITY LEADER WAS THERE ALL THE TIME, YOU LOSE THE SENSE OF WHAT THE CAUCUS IS FEELING, YOU LOSE A SENSE OF WHAT THE MEMBERSHIP IS FEELING WHEN YOU CAN'T JUST QUICKLY MAKE EYE CONTACT WITH THEM AND YOU CAN'T SEE HOW FOLKS ARE MOVING AROUND ON THE FLOOR, THAT WASN'T AS GOOD.

AS WE GOT CLOSER IN THE SESSION AS MORE MEMBERS STARTED TO GET VACCINATED, THEY STARTED TO FEEL COMFORTABLE TO COME BACK TO THE BUILDING.

THAT WAS A BIG IMPROVEMENT, MORE PEOPLE BACK IN HERE.

>>LORENE: YEAH, I DO WANT TO COMMEND RAUL BURCIAGA AND THE POWERS THAT BE IN THE CAPITAL, I FELT THAT HAVING A STUDIO IN THE CAPITAL AND HADN'T BEEN VACCINATED, BUT WE HAD TO BE TESTED EVERY FIVE DAYS TO BE HERE AND THE RESULTS WERE KNOWN IMMEDIATELY AND ALL OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH RULES WERE FOLLOWED AND I THINK THEY DID A REALLY GOOD JOB UNDER VERY CHALLENGING TIMES.

>>BRIAN: THEY DID.

MY CHIEF OF STAFF, REENA SZCZEPANSKI, ALSO DID A GREAT JOB AND LORRAINE MONTOYA FOR PETER WIRTH, WORKED LITERALLY FOR FOUR MONTHS ON SAFETY PROTOCOLS ON ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE SORT OF GOING AWAY NOW, THANK HEAVEN.

BUT IT WAS A SAFE ENVIRONMENT AND WE BELIEVE THAT THERE IS NOT A SINGLE TRANSMISSION OF COVID-19 IN THIS BUILDING DURING THE SESSION, THERE WERE FOUR CASES, FOUR OR FIVE THEY WERE ALL CONTRACTED ELSEWHERE AND SO WE DID A GREAT JOB OF CONTACT TRACING, ISOLATION AND ALL THE OTHER PROTOCOLS.

>>LORENE: SO, WHEN YOU CAME IN BEFORE THE SESSION, EARLY IN THE SESSION TO INVITE THE PUBLIC TO PARTICIPATE, YOU HAD SAID THAT YOUR SESSION PRIORITIES WERE RECOVERY, RECOVERY, RECOVERY, YOU DID A HUGE AMOUNT, IF YOU CAN JUST LIST A FEW DETAILS ABOUT WHY THIS WAS SUCH A SIGNIFICANT AND HISTORIC SESSION IN ALL OF OUR NEW MEXICO HISTORY IN TERMS OF TAKING CARE OF CHILDREN, WORKING FAMILIES AND FIGHTING THE DISEASE.

>>BRIAN: SURE.

SO WE TALKED ABOUT ECONOMIC RECOVERY, RECOVERY FOR SCHOOL KIDS AND RECOVERY FOR THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.

TAKING THE ECONOMY FIRST, WE DID AN UNPRECEDENTED EFFORT, UNPRECEDENTED NOT JUST IN NEW MEXICO HISTORY, BUT AS COMPARED TO ALL OTHER STATES, WE DID AN INVESTMENT OF NEARLY TWO BILLION DOLLARS OF STATE MONEY IN SMALL BUSINESS GRANTS, ULTRA-LOW INTEREST LOANS TO SMALL BUSINESSES.

WE EXPANDED THE WORKING FAMILIES TAX CREDIT TO PUT MONEY INTO THE POCKETS OF WORKING NEW MEXICANS, WE HAD ENHANCED UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS BASED ON STATE PROGRAMS, WE DID A SIX HUNDRED DOLLAR TAX REBATE TO EVERYONE IN NEW MEXICO THAT EARN $15 AN HOUR OR LESS, DIDN'T HAVE TO APPLY FOR IT.

WE HAD OTHER ECONOMIC PAYMENTS TO INDIVIDUALS WHO FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER DIDN'T QUALIFY FOR AN ECONOMIC STIMULUS CHECK FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, IT ALL ADDED UP TO ABOUT 2 BILLION DOLLARS.

AND I WAS JUST OUT TO DINNER FOR THE FIRST TIME OVER THE WEEKEND AT JOSEPH'S CULINARY PUB HERE IN SANTA FE, FOR EVERYONE ELSE AROUND THE STATE IT'S A LOCAL FAVORITE AND HE JUST CAME UP JUST THRILLED WITH ALL THE THINGS THAT THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR WERE ABLE TO DO TO HELP HIS BUSINESS AND SMALL BUSINESSES AROUND THE STATE.

ON THE EDUCATION FRONT, WE MADE NEW REALLY UNPRECEDENTED INVESTMENTS IN BROADBAND TO SCHOOLS IN GETTING MONEY TO SOME OF THE HARDEST HIT PREDOMINANTLY NATIVE AMERICAN DISTRICTS AND WE PROVIDED MONEY TO HAVE EXTENDED LEARNING YEAR FOR ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT OPS IN, SANTA FE DID, SOME OTHERS HAVEN'T UNFORTUNATELY, BUT THE FUNDING IS THERE AND THEN ON HEALTH CARE NOT ONLY WERE THERE COVID SPECIFIC INVESTMENTS IN VACCINE, RECEIVING VACCINE AND DISTRIBUTION, BUT WE PASSED THE HEALTH INSURANCE AFFORDABILITY ACT, WHICH WILL USE A PORTION OF A FEDERAL TAX THAT WENT AWAY, ITS BEING REPLACED WITH A STATE VERSION WILL MAKE HEALTH INSURANCE AFFORDABLE FOR 60,000 TO 70,000 NEW MEXICO FAMILIES.

>>LORENE: WONDERFUL.

>>BRIAN: SO MORE PEOPLE HAVE THE EXPERIENCE THAT WE'VE ALL HAD WHEN WE GO TO GET A COVID SHOT, YOU WALK IN, YOU GIVE THEM YOUR NAME, THEY GIVE YOU THE SHOT AND YOU LEAVE AND YOU DON'T PAY ANYTHING, THAT'S KIND OF HOW HEALTHCARE SHOULD BE FOR EVERYTHING.

WELL FOR THESE FAMILIES THAT WILL HAVE INSURANCE, IT WILL BE, THAT WILL BE A MUCH MORE CLOSE TO THEIR DAY-TO-DAY FOR HEALTH CARE IN THOSE FAMILIES.

>>LORENE: AND ALSO I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE GOVERNOR AND HER BACKGROUND IN HEALTH CARE.

THE FACT THAT NO ONE HAD TO PAY FOR SHOTS OR TREATMENT AND JUST THEY MADE IT AVAILABLE WHETHER YOU WERE DOCUMENTED OR NOT, EVERYBODY GOT COVERED AND IT ZOOMED US TO ONE OF THE HIGHEST VACCINATION RATES IN THE COUNTRY.

SO I WAS REALLY PLEASED ABOUT THAT AND NOW THAT WE'RE STARTING TO GO BACK TO NORMAL, I JUST GIVE THANKS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE, THERE MAY BE VARIANTS COMING, WE MAY HAVE TO HAVE BOOSTERS, BUT, YOU KNOW, THOSE OF US WHO ARE VACCINATED YOU JUST BREATHE A SIGH OF RELIEF, I URGE EVERYONE ELSE WHO THEY'RE NOT VACCINATED PLEASE GO AHEAD.

>>BRIAN: ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY AND GET REGISTERED, VAX TO THE MAX NM BECAUSE THAT'S HOW YOU REGISTER FOR THE $250,000 DOLLAR PRIZE.

>>LORENE: I'M REGISTERED.

>>BRIAN: I'M NOT, DON'T WORRY, DON'T WORRY, I'M NOT REGISTERED, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING TO HELP YOU GET TO THE RIGHT DECISION ON VACCINES.

>>LORENE: YES.

OTHER THINGS IN HEALTH CARE THAT I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR.

WE GOT THAT VERY OLD INAPPROPRIATE ABORTION BILL OFF THE BOOK SO THAT WAS GOOD BUT THE LONG FIGHT, IT'S TAKEN YEARS FOR THE END OF LIFE OPTIONS ACT, WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT FOR THE OLDER MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND IT JUST TOOK SO LONG, THEY WERE SO MANY BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE PIPELINE FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND FINALLY GOT PASSED.

SO IT MUST HAVE BEEN HEADY FOR YOU TO LOOK AT THEM AND ONE OF YOUR PRIORITIES, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT CIVIL RIGHTS A LITTLE BIT AND VOTING, BECAUSE WE'RE ONE OF THE STATES THAT HAS NOT TRIED TO SUPPRESS VOTING, WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT EASIER BUT TALK TO ME ABOUT THAT YOUR CIVIL RIGHTS BILL.

>>BRIAN: SURE, SO NEW MEXICO, JULY 1ST, WILL BECOME THE FIRST STATE IN THE COUNTRY TO COMPLETELY ABOLISH THIS RIDICULOUS NOTION OF QUALIFIED IMMUNITY WHICH IS USED IN COURT BY GOVERNMENT DEFENDANTS TO EVADE RESPONSIBILITY WHEN THEY VIOLATE A PERSON'S CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS, THAT'S EXCESSIVE USE OF FORCE, UNLAWFUL SEARCH AND SEIZURE, UNLAWFUL DETAINER, PUTTING SOMEONE IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT WHEN THEY SHOULDN'T BE IN THERE.

OTHER VIOLATIONS OF PEOPLE'S CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS UNDER THE NEW MEXICO BILL OF RIGHTS WILL NOW ALSO BECOME ENFORCEABLE IN STATE COURT.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST BARRIERS TO ENFORCING ONE'S CIVIL RIGHTS IS YOU HAVE TO GO TO FEDERAL COURT AND THEN YOU HAVE TO GET OVER THIS HURDLE OF QUALIFIED IMMUNITY.

THAT'S NO LONGER GOING TO BE THE CASE IN NEW MEXICO STATE COURT AND OUR BILL OF RIGHTS, WHICH INCLUDES THINGS NOT FOUND IN THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION LIKE THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT, WILL BECOME ALIVE AND ENFORCEABLE NOW FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER IN JUST A FEW SHORT DAYS ON JULY 1.

IT WAS A VERY TOUGH FIGHT TO GET PASSED, WE CHANGED THE BILL AT MANY, MANY POINTS THROUGH THE PROCESS TO ADDRESS CONCERNS AND I THINK THAT NEW MEXICO IS GOING TO BECOME A LITTLE BIT FAIRER OF A PLACE AND OUR VERY STRONG CONSTITUTION IS GOING TO GO A LONG WAY IN KEEPING PEOPLE SAFE AND PROTECTED FROM GOVERNMENT MISCONDUCT.

>>LORENE: GREAT, GREAT.

I KNOW YOU LOVE TO TALK ABOUT THE ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION BUT WE HAVE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF AN AVALANCHE OF BIG NATIONAL COMPANIES MAKING SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS IN OUR ECONOMIC INFRASTRUCTURE, SO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT NETFLIX, INTEL, UNIVERSAL.

>>BRIAN: YEAH.

SO, OUR GOAL, YOU KNOW, WE ARE WAY TOO DEPENDENT, AS A STATE BOTH IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND IN THE GOVERNMENT, ON THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY.

TOO MUCH OF OUR REVENUE COMES FROM A SINGLE SOURCE AND I DON'T NEED TO REMIND YOU OR YOUR VIEWERS OF THE CRITICAL NATURE OF THE CLIMATE CRISIS IN NEW MEXICO IS CONTRIBUTING UNFORTUNATELY TO THAT CRISIS.

SO IN ORDER FOR THAT TO END WE HAVE TO DIVERSIFY OUR ECONOMY AND OUR DEPENDENCE ON OIL AND GAS.

ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE CAN DO THAT IS BY DIVERSIFYING THE ECONOMY AND WE'RE BRINGING IN, THE GOVERNOR'S LEADERSHIP ON THIS CANNOT BE OVERSTATED, BUT WE'RE SEEING NETFLIX MOVE NOT JUST ONE OF THEIR SERIES, IT MOVED THEIR ENTIRE PRODUCTION CENTER TO ALBUQUERQUE NBCUNIVERSAL DOING THE SAME.

WE SEE VIRGIN GALACTIC MOVE ALL OF THEIR PEOPLE FROM LOS ANGELES TO LAS CRUCES SO THAT THEY CAN LAUNCH FROM THE SUNPORT.

WE'RE SEEING AMAZON MAKING MASSIVE INVESTMENTS HERE, FACEBOOK WITH THEIR DATA CENTERS THAT KEEPS EXPANDING AND EXPANDING.

NEW MEXICO IS EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED AS GOVERNOR HICKENLOOPER OF COLORADO ONCE SAID TO BE THE NEXT IT STATE, GREAT PEOPLE, GREAT RESOURCES, GREAT IDEAS AND WE'RE SEEING THIS CONFLUENCE OF NOW TREMENDOUS LEADERSHIP COMING TOGETHER AND MAKING NEW MEXICO'S ECONOMY TRULY ON A TRAJECTORY TO A VERY DIVERSE AND DYNAMIC PLACE.

>>LORENE: YES, WELL WE'RE SPEAKING TODAY WITH SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE BRIAN EGOLF AND GOING OVER AND LOOKING BACK AT THE LAST SESSION AND SOME OF THE MAJOR ISSUES THAT WE DID SOME TRANSFORMATIVE WORK IN.

ONE OF THE THINGS SINCE YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT GETTING AWAY FROM OIL AND GAS, THERE WAS A LOT OF ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS THAT DEALT WITH LONG-TERM CLIMATE ISSUES.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE FROM SPACE YOU CAN SEE OUR METHANE FLARES HAVE JUST WASTED GAS BEING BURNED OFF AND THAT METHANE IS MORE BAD FOR THE ATMOSPHERE THAN GREENHOUSE GASES, THE WORST OF THE WORST AND TO FINALLY KNOW THAT THOSE COMPANIES THAT ARE JUST THROWING THAT GAS INTO THE ATMOSPHERE AND CAUSING SO MUCH DAMAGE THAT THEY WILL BE RESPONSIBLE AND THAT THERE'S JUST A NEW ENERGY AWARENESS, NOT ONLY ARE TRYING TO DIVERSIFY BUT THOSE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN GETTING AWAY WHICH IS LIKE SAYING, IT'S OKAY IT'S NOT OKAY ANYMORE AND ANOTHER LAW THAT WAS PASSED, IT MADE ME VERY HAPPY, WE CAN NOW HAVE NEW MEXICO CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS THAT ARE STRICTER THAN THE FEDERAL.

>>BRIAN: CORRECT.

THAT WAS A BIG FIGHT AND A LOT OF CREDIT TO SENATOR WIRTH AND MAJORITY LEADER, HE CARRIED THIS BILL.

WE TRIED TO GET TO THE HOUSE SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST AND THE SENATE, BUT THIS YEAR WITH A NEW COMPOSITION IN THE SENATE, THE STARS ALIGNED, THIS IS A CRITICAL BILL, IT'S CALLED THE NO MORE STRINGENT THAN KNOW.

THAT IS A BIG, BIG KEY IN OUR FIGHT TO REGULATE METHANE EMISSIONS.

WE ALSO THIS WAS IN A PREVIOUS SESSION BUT A BIG VICTORY JUST OCCURRED YESTERDAY, WE PASSED A BILL CALLED THE PRODUCED WATER ACT, TWO YEARS AGO.

AND THERE WERE SOME CONTROVERSY AROUND THAT, I DESCRIBED IT AT THE TIME AS ONE OF THE GREAT ENVIRONMENTAL WINS FOR THE STATE IN OUR HISTORY AND JUST YESTERDAY THE LUJAN GRISHAM ADMINISTRATION USED AUTHORITY IN THAT BILL TO FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER BAN SPILLS OF PRODUCED WATER AND OTHER TOXIC SUBSTANCES IN THE OIL FIELD BEFORE THIS BILL AND THAT REGULATION, IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO PROHIBIT THESE KINDS OF SPILLS AND BE FINED.

>>LORENE: REMEMBER WE USED TO LIKE PUT IT DOWN ON DIRT ROADS, KEEP THE DUST DOWN AND IT WAS TOXIC.

>>BRIAN: IT'S TOXIC.

WELL NOW THAT IS ILLEGAL AND THE BILL, THE PRODUCED WATER ACT, ALSO INCREASED THE MAXIMUM FINE FROM $1,000 TO $250,000.

TODAY, THEY ANNOUNCED PENALTY OF $205,000 AGAINST AN IRRESPONSIBLE OPERATOR IN THE SOUTHEAST PART OF NEW MEXICO WHO HAD AN UNREPORTED SPILL.

SO THIS NEW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GIVE THE ADMINISTRATION SEVERAL YEARS AGO IS NOW BEING PUT TO USE FOR TREMENDOUS BENEFIT AND THERE'S MORE TO COME.

>>LORENE: YES, SPEAKING OF WHAT'S COMING, WILL YOU TELL PEOPLE WHAT REDISTRICTING IS AND WHY WE DO IT AND HOW OFTEN WE DO IT RELATED TO THE CENSUS.

AND THEN I HAVE TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT THE CITIZENS COMMITTEE BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE DEEPLY DISTURBED, BUT FIRST, LET'S SET THE TABLE.

WHAT IS REDISTRICTING, WHY DO WE DO IT EVERY 10 YEARS AND WHAT'S THE GOAL?

>>BRIAN: SO, REDISTRICTING IS THE PROCESS WHEREBY LEGISLATIVE AND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS ARE REDRAWN TO ACCOUNT FOR CHANGES IN POPULATION, POPULATION INCREASES, DECREASES IN SHIFTS GEOGRAPHICALLY WITHIN A STATE.

EVERY TEN YEARS THE CENSUS IS CONDUCTED AND WE NOW KNOW ROUGHLY HOW MANY PEOPLE SHOULD BE IN EVERY STATE HOUSE DISTRICT, EVERY STATE SENATE DISTRICT AND EVERY CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.

SO THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME DISTRICTS THAT, AS THEY'RE CURRENTLY DRAWN, HAVE TOO MANY PEOPLE IN THEM AND SOME HAVE TOO FEW.

WHEN YOU HAVE TOO MANY PEOPLE IN A DISTRICT, THEIR VOTES ARE DILUTED, RIGHT, WHEN YOU HAVE TOO FEW PEOPLE, THEIR VOTE COUNTS FOR MORE THAN SOMEONE WHO LIVES IN AN OVERLY POPULATED DISTRICT.

SO WE REDRAW THE LINES TO MAKE SURE THAT ONE PERSON, ONE VOTE, IS A REALITY AND SO THAT'S WHY WE DO REDISTRICTING.

THIS YEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE HAVE AN INDEPENDENT CITIZENS REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE THAT WILL MEET AT LEAST 12 TIMES AROUND THE STATE TO TAKE INPUT AND COMMENT FROM THE PUBLIC.

THEY WILL WORK WITH BRIAN SANDEROFF WHO'S A PROFESSIONAL DEMOGRAPHER WHO'S BEEN A CONTRACTOR TO THE LEGISLATURE EVERY 10 YEARS FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

>>LORENE: HE'S A MAN OF ABSOLUTE INTEGRITY.

>>BRIAN: ABSOLUTELY.

THE COMMITTEE WILL BE CHAIRED BY RETIRED NEW MEXICO CHIEF JUSTICE ED CHAVEZ, WHO'S A GREAT PERSON.

>>LORENE: A BRILLIANTLY SHINING STAR IN NEW MEXICO.

>>BRIAN: THE ETHICS COMMITTEE CHOSE TWO OTHERS AND LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP PICKED FOUR AND THOSE COMMITTEE DRAWN MAPS, THEY'LL BE, I THINK SIX FOR THE HOUSE, SIX FOR THE SENATE AND SIX FOR CONGRESS WHO WILL COME TO THEIR LEGISLATURE IN DECEMBER, WHEN WE HAVE A SPECIAL SESSION ON REDISTRICTING AND THE LEGISLATURE CAN ACCEPT ONE OF THOSE MAPS, ACCEPT AND MODIFY OR MAKE MAPS ON ITS OWN.

I DON'T THINK THAT THIRD OPTION WILL HAPPENED.

WHAT I EXPECT WILL OCCUR IS THAT THE MAPS WE MODIFIED FROM THE VERSIONS THAT WERE DRAWN BY THE INDEPENDENT COMMITTEE AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE AS YOU MENTIONED THERE'S NOT SUFFICIENT DIVERSITY ON THIS REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE.

BUT WHEN WE GET TO THE HOUSE, I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE A MAJORITY OF PEOPLE OF COLOR IN THE STATEHOUSE.

WE HAVE, I HAVE ALREADY APPOINTED A NATIVE AMERICAN WOMAN, GEORGENE LOUIS, TO BE IN CHARGE OF THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS HERE IN THE HOUSE.

SO I DO THINK THAT WE WILL GET GOOD REPRESENTATION FOR SURE WHEN WE GET TO THE LEGISLATURE THIS FALL.

>>LORENE: SO THE PART OF THE MANDATE FOR THIS INDEPENDENT CITIZENS REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE WAS DUE REGARD FOR GEOGRAPHIC AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY.

AND THERE ARE SIX MEN AND ONE WOMAN, THERE ARE SIX PEOPLE WHO THE SEVEN-MEMBER COMMITTEE, SIX PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN ALBUQUERQUE AND ONE WHO LIVES, 20 OR 30 MILES, SOUTH OF BELEN, WITH NONE OF THEM, NONE OF THE RURAL COMMUNITIES.

AND THAT ONE OF OUR BIG BATTLES IS URBAN VERSUS RURAL, THERE ARE NO NATIVE AMERICANS.

SO IF THE GOAL WAS, I MEAN I FOUGHT FOR YEARS FOR THE FAIR REDISTRICTING AND FOR THE ETHICS COMMITTEE, BUT IF THE GOAL WAS TO MINIMIZE THE EFFECT OF POLITICS ON THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS, A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE ARE VERY LONG TIME POLITICIANS, RETIRED LAWMAKERS, PARTY CHAIRS AND THE COMMITTEE WHAT PEOPLE ARE WORRIED ABOUT IS THAT THE COMMITTEE NEEDS TO MATCH NEW MEXICO.

>>BRIAN: I AM THE ONE PERSON WHO APPOINTED SOMEONE FROM OUTSIDE OF ALBUQUERQUE.

>>LORENE: THANK YOU.

>>BRIAN: AND IT HAD TO, YOU KNOW, AND I LOOKED AT THE PEOPLE WHO APPLIED AND I DECIDED IT WAS IMPORTANT TO GO WITH SOMEONE WHO HAD BEEN THROUGH THIS PROCESS BEFORE WHO HAD A BACKGROUND, WHO UNDERSTOOD HOW THIS WORKS.

AND I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO GIVE THE COMMITTEE A CHANCE, I MEAN EVERYONE IS SORT OF ASSUMING THAT BECAUSE OF THIS MAKE UP, THE MAPS ARE GOING TO BE PROBLEMATIC.

I CAN TELL YOU FOR ME, AN ABSOLUTE BOTTOM LINE REQUIREMENT IS THAT IN FOLLOWING FEDERAL LAW AS RELATES TO REDISTRICTING, DISTRICTS WITH PREDOMINANTLY NATIVE AMERICAN POPULATION MUST AND WILL BE IN THE HOUSE, THE STARTING POINT FOR REDISTRICTING.

10 YEARS AGO, WHEN I WAS THE LEAD PLAINTIFF IN REDISTRICTING IN THE LITIGATION THAT CAME.

I REPRESENTED A GROUP WHOSE STATED GOAL WAS TO PROTECT THE VOTING STRENGTH OF NATIVE AMERICAN VOTERS AND HISPANIC VOTERS IN THE STATE.

SO THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME AND WE NEED TO DRAW, WE START IN NEW MEXICO BY DRAWING THE LEGISLATIVE MAPS WHERE THE NORTHWEST PART OF THE STATE, THAT'S WHERE THE NATIVE AMERICAN POPULATION IS THE HIGHEST.

ONCE THOSE ARE DRAWN IN CLOSE, CLOSE, CLOSE CONSULTATION WITH PUEBLOS AND TRIBAL NATIONS, THEN THE REST OF THE DISTRICTS ARE DRAWN AND THAT'S GOING TO BE, I HOPE HOW THE INDEPENDENT COMMITTEE APPROACHES IT, IF THEY DON'T, THEN WE WILL FIX THAT WHEN IT GETS TO THE HOUSE AND MAKE SURE THAT THOSE NATIVE AMERICAN DISTRICTS ARE DRAWN, SO THAT THE PEOPLE LIVING IN THOSE DISTRICTS ARE ABLE TO ELECT A CANDIDATE OF THEIR CHOICE.

>>LORENE: SO PEOPLE WANTED TO KNOW, CAN WE, THEY WANT TO FIX THE COMMITTEE, THEY WANT TO HAVE IT MORE REFLECTIVE OF NEW MEXICO'S DIVERSITY.

IT'S BAIT NOW AND THAT'S THE COMMITTEE AND WE HAVE TO GO WITH THAT.

>>BRIAN: YEAH, ESPECIALLY WITH THE ETHICS COMMISSION HAVING MADE THEIR RIGHTS, SO THOSE THEY HAD A FULL-BLOWN PROCESS FOR HOW THEIR PEOPLE GOT CHOSEN AT OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS, I THINK IT'S DONE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD, THEY DID NOT INCLUDE IN THE CRITERIA OF WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR ANYTHING ABOUT GEOGRAPHIC OR CULTURAL DIVERSITY, THAT'S PROBABLY SOMETHING THAT THEY REGRET IN HINDSIGHT.

THEY WERE BASICALLY THE BODY THAT WAS IN THIS PROCESS THAT WAS BEST SUITED TO ADDRESS ANY GEOGRAPHIC OR DIVERSITY ISSUES BECAUSE THE POLITICAL LEADERS IN THE LEGISLATURE HAD ALREADY MADE THEIR PICKS, BUT THEY MADE THEIR DECISION, SO I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO GIVE THE COMMITTEE A CHANCE.

>>LORENE: AND THERE WILL BE PUBLIC MEETINGS.

>>BRIAN: 12.

>>LORENE: YEAH, ALL OVER THE STATE.

>>BRIAN: CORRECT.

>>LORENE: OKAY, SO THAT'S WHAT, WE'RE ALMOST OUT OF TIME, I JUST WANT TO ASK YOU A COUPLE OF QUICK THINGS.

IS THERE ANY, WE ONLY SKIDDED OVER THE TOP, SO MUCH WAS DONE, I'M JUST GRATEFUL YOU CAN GIVE US THIS UPDATE.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT HAPPENED THIS SESSION THAT YOU REALLY WANT TO BE SURE PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF AND THEN IN YOUR BEAUTIFUL SHOUT OUT TO GET PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE SESSION, CAN YOU TELL THEM ABOUT INTERIM COMMITTEES AND HOW THEY CAN GET INVOLVED WITH THAT.

>>BRIAN: SURE SO THE INTERIM COMMITTEES WILL BE STARTING UP NOW, IF YOU GO TO NMLEGIS.GOV, THERE'S A LINK AT THE TOP IT SAYS WHAT'S HAPPENING, YOU CLICK ON THAT, IT GIVES YOU A LIST OF ALL THE UPCOMING INTERIM COMMITTEES BEGINNING, JULY 1, THEY'RE ALL GOING TO BE IN PERSON AND THE COMMITTEES ARE VERY EAGER TO GET OUT AND TO SEE PEOPLE ALL OVER THE STATE.

YOU KNOW WE'VE BEEN HERE IN SANTA FE ON OUR COUCHES OR IN ALBUQUERQUE FOR SO LONG, IT IS AN ESSENTIAL CRITICAL PART OF SERVING IN THE NEW MEXICO LEGISLATURE TO GET OUT AND SEE WHAT THIS STATE LOOKS LIKE, TO TALK TO PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THE BUBBLE, WHATEVER BUBBLE YOU LIVE IN TO GET OUTSIDE OF IT, INTERIM COMMITTEES ARE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT SO PLEASE PARTICIPATE.

ANYWHERE YOU LIVE IN THE STATE, I DON'T KNOW THIS FOR SURE, I DON'T KNOW THIS FOR SURE, BUT ANYWHERE YOU LIVE IN THE STATE, I CAN BE PRETTY SURE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE AN INTERIM COMMITTEE MEETING IF NOT IN YOUR TOWN, A VERY SHORT DISTANCE FROM YOUR TOWN AT LEAST ONCE DURING THE SESSION.

>>LORENE: SO THEY CAN SEE THAT IN THE WHAT'S HAPPENING PART OF NMLEGIS.GOV AND DID WE OVERLOOK SOME REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF THE LAST SESSION?

>>BRIAN: THERE'S ONE THAT WAS REALLY NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART AND THAT WAS HOUSE BILL 200 AND FINALLY AND FULLY PUT DAMMING AND DIVERSION OF THE GILA RIVER OFF THE TABLE FOREVER.

THIS IS GOING TO TAKE ABOUT EIGHTY MILLION DOLLARS, IT IS CALLED A CAP ENTITY, I WON'T GET INTO ALL THE DETAILS, BUT THEY WERE HOLDING ALL THIS MONEY AND NOT USING IT ON MEANINGFUL WATER PROJECTS AND INSTEAD HOPING THAT THEY COULD DAM THE RIVER WITH THIS MONEY.

HOUSE BILL 200 ENDED THAT, PUT THE WATER TRUST BOARD IN CHARGE OF RECOMMENDING WORTHY PROGRAMS FOR USE IN THE AREA.

>>LORENE: SO THE WHOLE AREA WILL BENEFIT, AND THAT WATER WILL HAVE GOOD USE, BENEFICIAL USE.

>>BRIAN: THE WEST'S LAST UNDAMMED RIVER OF ANY, YOU KNOW, SIZE AND CONSEQUENCE AND IT'S A BIG, BIG DEAL.

SO I WAS VERY PLEASED TO SEE THAT.

>>LORENE: GOOD, I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED THAT.

WELL, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU, OUR GUEST TODAY HAS BEEN THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, BRIAN EGOLF.

THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US UP TO DATE ON THE LAST SESSION AND WE'LL SEE YOU AT THE INTERIM MEETINGS OR REDISTRICTING.

>>BRIAN: THANKS VERY MUCH AND THANKS TO ALL YOUR VIEWERS FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND FOR TUNING IN AND LISTENING IN.

>>LORENE: YES, THANK YOU AND I'M LORENE MILLS, 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 NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NEW MEXICO, AN ORGANIZATION OF PROFESSIONALS WHO BELIEVE THAT INVESTING IN PUBLIC EDUCATION IS AN INVESTMENT IN OUR STATE'S ECONOMIC FUTURE, FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES, AND FROM THE