>>ANNOUNCER: 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 >>LORENE: HELLO, I AM LORENE MILLS AND WELCOME TO REPORT FROM SANTA FE.

OUR GUEST TODAY IS SENATOR GAY KERNAN, A REPUBLICAN FROM DISTRICT 42, SHE LIVES IN HOBBS AND SHE REPRESENTS CHAVEZ, EDDY AND LEA COUNTIES SINCE 2002, SO 19 YEARS.

AND YOU ARE AN EDUCATOR ALTHOUGH YOU HAVE MANY TALENTS BUT PARTICULARLY WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT EDUCATION TODAY.

BUT FIRST, WELCOME AND YOU ARE THE RANKING MEMBER OF A NEW COMMITTEE CALLED THE SENATE TAX, BUSINESS AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE.

WHAT IS YOUR BAILEY WICK IN THIS COMMITTEE, OBVIOUSLY TAX, BUSINESS AND TRANSPORTATION, BUT WHAT SPECIFICALLY, WHY WAS THIS NEW COMMITTEE CREATED?

>>GAY: WELL, LORENE, FIRST OF ALL THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY AND I BELIEVE ACCORDING TO OUR NEW PRO TEM, PRESIDENT PRO TEM, I BELIEVE SHE WANTED TO EXPAND OR AT LEAST IDENTIFY THE FACT THAT WE WOULD BE HEARING LEGISLATION RELATED TO THOSE THREE TOPICS.

SO IT WAS CALLED CORPORATIONS, BUT NOW IT'S EXPANDED A LITTLE BIT.

I KNOW THE HOUSE HAS A TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE AND I THINK IT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THE SENATE TO IDENTIFY THAT AS WELL, SO THAT'S MY GUESS.

>>LORENE: ALL RIGHT, WELL, THEY ARE LUCKY TO HAVE YOU.

YOU ARE ALSO A MEMBER ON THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE, WHICH WILL BE THE MAIN THRUST OF OUR CONVERSATION TODAY.

I WANT YOU TO TALK A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND BUT ALSO TELL US WHAT IT IS LIKE IN THE PANDEMIC TO BE HAVING THIS VIRTUAL SESSION THE WAY WE HAVE TO DO TO OBSERVE ALL THE PUBLIC HEALTH PROTOCOLS.

IS IT WORKING FOR YOU?

>>GAY: WE WILL SEE AT THE END OF THE SESSION, I THINK THAT THE QUESTION I HAVE IS RELATED TO TIMING.

IT APPEARS THAT MANY OF THE BILLS, MANY OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING, IT'S TAKING QUITE A WHILE TO GET THROUGH THE PROCESS.

FOR INSTANCE, WE ONLY HAD ONE FLOOR SESSION THIS LAST WEEK, SO WHEN YOU PASS A NUMBER OF BILLS IN COMMITTEE, YOU CAN'T READ THEM OUT ON THE FLOOR UNTIL THE NEXT FLOOR SESSION.

SO THAT IS GOING BACK A LOT OF LEGISLATION UP SO THAT'S ONE OF THE ISSUES AND, OF COURSE, CONNECTIVITY, I CAME BACK TO SANTA FE SO THAT I WOULD HAVE GOOD CONNECTIVITY AND THIS IS WHERE I NEED TO BE.

WE WILL JUST HAVE TO SEE HOW IT GOES, I MISS THE COMMUNICATION WITH MY CONSTITUENTS, WITH THE PUBLIC.

CERTAINLY, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE THE SENATE IS MEETING ON THE FLOOR IN PERSON, WE DO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET SOME OF THE NEW LEGISLATORS AND I AM GRATEFUL FOR THAT.

>>LORENE: YES, I NEED TO LEARN THEIR NAMES AND THEY DON'T ALWAYS HAVE THEIR NAMES THERE, BUT I HAVE PICTURES OF THEM AND I AM TRYING, BUT I DO MISS THE CONTACT AND I MISS CONVERSATIONS IN THE HALL AND ALL THAT.

BUT I AM ALSO VERY PROUD OF HOW EVERYONE IN THE CAPITOL OBSERVES THE STRICTEST HEALTH PROTOCOLS AND I NOTICE IT, PARTICULARLY IN THE SENATE AND EVERYONE, PEOPLE ARE WEARING MASKS AND IT'S JUST IMPORTANT THAT WE ALL STAY SAFE AND I THINK THAT WE ARE DOING THE BEST WE CAN.

SO, YOU HAVE SOME BILLS THAT ARE REALLY INTRIGUING TO ME, YOU REPRESENT THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF THE STATE, CARLSBAD AND HOBBS.

YOU HAVE SOME EDUCATION BILLS THAT I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT, YOU WANT TO CHANGE IS IT NMSU, NEW MEXICO STATE SATELLITE CAMPUS IN CARLSBAD TO BE AN INDEPENDENT CARLSBAD COMMUNITY COLLEGE, TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT THAT THAT SEEMS LIKE THAT WOULD REALLY WORK.

>>GAY: WELL I THINK INITIALLY CARLSBAD BRANCH WAS AN INDEPENDENT COLLEGE A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, IN FACT IT WAS THE FIRST INDEPENDENT COLLEGE, COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN THE STATE.

SO IT HAS A LONG HISTORY AND THEY HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS BUT WITH REGARD TO THE IDEA THAT THEY BELIEVE IT IS TIME THAT THEY BREAK THAT CONNECTION AND BECOME AN INDEPENDENT COLLEGE AGAIN FOR VARIOUS REASONS.

I AM GOING TO INTRODUCE THAT BILL IN THE SENATE TOMORROW AT NINE O'CLOCK AND CERTAINLY FORMER REPRESENTATIVE JOHN HEATON, CRAIG STEVENS AND ANOTHER PERSON FROM THE CITY OF CARLSBAD WILL EXPLAIN MANY OF THE REASONS WHY THEY BELIEVE IT IS TIME TO MAKE THAT BREAK.

IT IS ALWAYS DIFFICULT BECAUSE I KNOW RELATIONSHIPS ARE IMPORTANT BUT WHEN THOSE RELATIONSHIPS HAVE BROKEN DOWN SOMETIMES THE BEST ROUTE IS TO GO AHEAD AND ALLOW CARLSBAD TO BECOME INDEPENDENT AGAIN.

>>LORENE: WELL THAT IS WHAT WE LOVE ABOUT COMMUNITY COLLEGES IS THAT IT REPRESENTS THAT COMMUNITY AND YOU HAVE ANOTHER BILL, IT IS CALLED THE TWO PLUS TWO PILOT PROJECT.

TELL US ABOUT THAT BECAUSE IT WILL TAKE PEOPLE FROM THEIR TWO YEARS IN THE JUNIOR COLLEGE OR COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND SMOOTHLY TRANSITION THEM INTO THE FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE.

IT IS A WONDERFUL IDEA, TELL US ABOUT IT.

>>GAY: WELL ACTUALLY THE HIGHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO SUPPORTED LEGISLATION THAT WE DID PASS THAT WOULD REQUIRE OUR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES TO WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE THAT TRANSITION VERY SMOOTH AND THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED SOME OF THAT, IT IS CALLED THE TRIFECTA, WHEN THE ARTICULATION AGREEMENTS, THE COURSE NUMBERS AND THEN THE META MAJORS ALL OF THAT HAS TO WORK TOGETHER.

WHEN WE DON'T DO THAT MANY OF OUR STUDENTS LOSE CREDIT HOURS THAT COSTS MONEY, DELAYS THEIR GRADUATION AND IN SOME CASES IN OUR AREA MANY OF OUR STUDENTS WILL ACTUALLY LEAVE NEW MEXICO AND THEY ARE ACCEPTED INTO COLLEGES ACROSS WEST TEXAS.

EVIDENTLY IT IS MUCH EASIER TO TRANSITION THOSE CREDITS INTO TEXAS TECH.

SO WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS FORM A COLLABORATIVE BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND BRANCH COLLEGES ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE STATE WITH EASTERN NEW MEXICO UNIVERSITY AND WE HAVE MADE A COMMITMENT AS HAVE THEY TO WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE THAT A SMOOTHER TRANSITION.

ACTUALLY THIS WAS AT THE REQUEST AND WITH THE SUPPORT OF CHAIRMAN LUNDSTROM DURING THE LEGISLATIVE FINANCE COMMITTEE INTERIM MEETINGS.

WE REALIZE THAT SOME OF THAT COLLABORATION HAS NOT OCCURRED AS SPEEDILY AS IT SHOULD HAVE SO WE ARE GOING TO PUSH THAT AHEAD AND WE ARE GOING TO START WITH OUR REGION.

OTHER REGIONS CAN DO THE SAME THING BUT I THINK THAT WE WILL BE SUCCESSFUL IN KEEPING THE STUDENTS IN NEW MEXICO, IT IS FOR THE STUDENTS, ABOUT THE STUDENTS MAKING THAT TRANSITION QUICKER, CHEAPER AND BETTER.

>>LORENE: THANK YOU, SOUNDS WONDERFUL.

THE LAST TIME, I LOVE TO INTERVIEW YOU AND LAST YEAR WE TALKED ABOUT BECAUSE OF THE BOOM IN LAST YEAR'S TIME IN THE OIL AND GAS THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF LIFE STYLE AND ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS FROM SO MUCH OIL AND GAS ACTIVITIES.

THE ROADS WERE GETTING CRUNCHED UP AND THERE WAS TRAFFIC AND TRUCKS, SINK HOLES, WASTEWATER, RADIOACTIVITY, THERE WERE ALL THESE ISSUES.

HAS THE PANDEMIC REDUCED THAT BECAUSE IT HAS HAD TO PUT A BIT OF A BRAKE ON THE WHOLE DRILLING OIL AND GAS OPERATION DOWN THERE, HOW ARE THINGS GOING IN TERMS OF THOSE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS RIGHT NOW IN THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF THE STATE?

>>GAY: LET ME CLARIFY FIRST, WE HAVE NEVER HAD ISSUES WITH REGARD TO RADIOACTIVITY IN THE OIL FIELD.

A SMALL AMOUNT OF THAT IS USED IN SOME OF THE SCANS THAT ARE DONE, BUT THAT IS NOT AN ISSUE AT ALL.

AND ACTUALLY THE PRODUCED WATER IS NOT AN ISSUE OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT IT'S DIFFICULT SOMETIMES TO GET THAT TRANSPORTED.

THE BIG ISSUE DOWN IN SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO THAT WE HAD LAST YEAR WAS WITH THE ROADS AND HOW CROWDED THEY WERE AND OF COURSE WHEN THE PANDEMIC HIT A LOT OF THAT DID SHUT DOWN.

WE DID SEE A LOT OF EQUIPMENT STACKED IN YARDS, NOT MUCH ACTIVITY IN THE OIL FIELD AT ALL, ALTHOUGH YOU JUST CAN'T SHUT DOWN THE OIL FIELDS, YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THOSE SITES AND SO THAT PORTION OF IT DID CONTINUE AND CERTAINLY THE ROADS WERE NOT AS CROWDED.

AS WE BEGIN TO PICK UP IN THE OIL FIELD AND ESSENTIAL WORKERS HAVE BEEN WORKING THERE EVEN THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, WE ARE SEEING MORE AND MORE TRAFFIC ON THE ROADS, WHICH INDICATES THAT THERE IS MORE ACTIVITY IN THE OIL FIELD.

AND AS YOU KNOW WITH THE PRICE OF OIL ABOVE FIFTY, CERTAINLY THAT'S AN INCENTIVE FOR CONTINUED PRODUCTION, MANY OF THE WELLS THAT WERE SHUT DOWN INITIALLY WITH THE PANDEMIC BECAUSE THERE WAS NO DEMAND FOR OIL, THOSE ARE ALL COMING BACK ON, MANY OF THEM AND I THINK THAT IS GOOD FOR NEW MEXICO WHEN WE CONTINUE PRODUCTION BECAUSE REVENUE IS GENERATED FROM THE PRODUCTION OF OIL AND GAS.

WITH REGARD TO THOSE OTHER ISSUES, I THINK WE ARE STILL GOING TO HAVE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF ROADS IN THAT AREA AND WHEN YOU MENTION THE SINK HOLE AND THE BRINE WELL, THAT WORK HAS BEEN DONE VERY WELL, WE ARE IN A PAUSE RIGHT NOW UNTIL WE CAN OBTAIN MORE FUNDING FROM THE STATE, BUT THE BRINE WELL IS STABLE AT THIS POINT.

THE ENERGY AND MINERALS DEPARTMENT WHO HAS OVERSIGHT OVER THE REPAIR OF THAT THEY HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB AND RIGHT NOW WE ARE JUST KIND OF IN A PAUSE, BUT THEY FEEL THAT EVERYTHING IS IN GOOD SHAPE UNTIL WE CAN COMPLETE THAT PROJECT.

BUT SO FAR THINGS ARE STILL DOING PRETTY WELL DOWN IN SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO AND WE ARE HAPPY THAT WE ARE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE REVENUES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO.

>>LORENE: WELL, YOU MENTION THAT THE PANDEMIC REDUCED THE DEMAND FOR OIL AND GAS, NOBODY WENT ANYWHERE, WE COULDN'T GO ANYWHERE, WE COULDN'T VISIT PEOPLE AND SO SUDDENLY YOU KNOW, THE PRICE OF GAS DROPPED BECAUSE NO ONE WENT ANYWHERE.

NOW WE ARE FINALLY MAYBE GETTING A LITTLE MORE BACK TO TRAVELING BUT NOT MUCH BECAUSE AGAIN THE PANDEMIC, SO WE ALL HAD TO BE EXTREMELY FLEXIBLE.

WE ARE SPEAKING TODAY WITH SENATOR GAY KERNAN WHO IS AN EDUCATOR, TALK ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND AS AN EDUCATOR AND BECAUSE I HAVE ASKED YOU HERE I HAVE SUCH RESPECT, YOU TEACH IN ONE OF THE HIGHEST REGARDED SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE, THE HOBBS SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND YOU HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR SO MANY YEARS.

I COME TO YOU AND ASK YOUR THOUGHTS, THE CDC JUST CAME OUT WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OPENING SCHOOLS WHICH DID NOT INCLUDE VACCINATING TEACHERS.

YOU ARE CLOSE TO THE TEXAS LINE AND IN TEXAS THE SCHOOLS ARE OPEN, SO TALK TO ME ABOUT THE PROS AND CONS OF REOPENING SCHOOLS, BUT I AM ASKING FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE, WHAT DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD DO?

>>GAY: WELL, OF COURSE I'M RETIRED NOW, BUT I STAY IN TOUCH WITH MANY OF THE EDUCATORS IN MY DISTRICT AND CERTAINLY WITH ADMINISTRATORS AND THE PARENTS WHO ARE VERY ADAMANT ABOUT THEIR CHILDREN RETURNING TO SCHOOL FULL TIME.

IN FACT IN LEA COUNTY, WE HAVE LOST HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS WHO HAVE CROSSED OVER INTO TEXAS, THEIR PARENTS HAVE PURCHASED HOMES, THEY HAVE RENTED APARTMENTS, ALL BECAUSE SCHOOLS IN WEST TEXAS AND ACROSS TEXAS IN MOST CASES ARE OPEN FULL TIME, FIVE DAYS A WEEK, WITH NO RESTRICTIONS OTHER THAN YOU WEAR YOUR MASKS AND YOU SOCIAL DISTANCE.

THEIR BANDS ARE OPERATING, THEIR ATHLETIC DEPARTMENTS ARE IN FULL SWING AND THEY ARE ALL BACK IN SCHOOL AND THAT'S WHAT MY PARENTS AND OUR CHILDREN WANT TO DO.

SO WE HAVE LOST HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS, WE HAVE LOST 25 TO 28 FAMILIES FROM ARTESIA, THEY HAVE MOVED TO LUBBOCK AND MIDLAND SO THAT THEY CAN ENROLL THEIR CHILDREN IN TO SCHOOL.

ONE THING I DID, I LOOKED AT THE DATA TRACKER FROM THE CDC WITH REGARD TO HOSPITALIZATIONS AND DEATHS IN LEA COUNTY AND COMPARED THAT WITH GAINES COUNTY, THAT'S WHERE SEMINOLE IS AND WITH SEVERAL OF THE COUNTIES EVEN LUBBOCK COUNTY, AND OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS I HAVE BEEN COMPARING THAT DATA AND QUITE FRANKLY THERE IS VERY LITTLE DIFFERENCE IN THE DATA IN LEA COUNTY AND ACROSS THE BORDER IN GAINES COUNTY.

WE KNOW AND THE CDC CONFIRMS, SPREAD DOES NOT OCCUR IN SCHOOLS.

NOW THERE MAY BE SPREAD IN THE COMMUNITY AND QUITE FRANKLY THERE IS NOT AS MUCH TESTING OVER IN SEMINOLE, THEY DON'T TEST LIKE WE DO IN NEW MEXICO, BUT WE CAN TRACK THEIR HOSPITALIZATIONS AND THEIR DEATH RATES AND FRANKLY THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON FOR OUR CHILDREN TO BE GOING TWO DAYS A WEEK AND THE REST OF THE TIME DOING VIRTUAL EDUCATION WHEN RIGHT ACROSS THE BORDER, THEY ARE IN FULL TIME.

THE OTHER THING I WANT TO MENTION IS IF YOU LOOK AT EDUCATION WEEK, YOU CAN TRACK AND FIND ACROSS THE NATION, STATES THAT ALLOW THEIR LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS TO MAKE THE DECISION ON WHEN THEY RETURN TO FULL TIME, ALWAYS FOLLOWING THE SAFETY GUIDELINES OF THE CDC.

SO NEW MEXICO IS ONE OF FOUR STATES STILL UNDER AN ORDER AND THE REST OF THE STATES ARE BASICALLY LETTING THEIR SCHOOL BOARDS MAKE THAT DECISION.

SO IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING FOR MY AREA BECAUSE WE BELIEVE 80 PERCENT OF OUR TEACHERS ARE READY TO GO BACK FULL TIME, 78 PERCENT OF OUR PARENTS ARE READY AND WE HAVE THAT POLL DONE BY RESEARCH, BRIAN SANDEROFF DID THAT, SO IT IS A VERY LEGITIMATE POLL.

THEY ARE READY TO GET THEIR KIDS BACK AND THE DAMAGE THAT IS BEING DONE TO OUR CHILDREN, SOCIALLY, EMOTIONALLY, AND EDUCATION WISE, WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO RECOVER FROM THAT.

AND WHEN YOU LOOK ACROSS STATE LINES WHERE KIDS ARE BACK IN SCHOOL, THE COMPETITIVENESS THAT WE ARE LOSING BETWEEN NEW MEXICO STUDENTS AND TEXAS STUDENTS OR ARIZONA OR WHEREVER, WE CAN'T MAKE THAT UP.

BUT THE REAL DAMAGE IS BEING DONE TO THOSE STUDENTS WHO ARE DISADVANTAGED BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO PICK UP AND MOVE TO TEXAS, SO THEY ARE BEING DAMAGED MORE THAN ANY OTHER STUDENTS.

THE BILL THAT I INTRODUCED IN SENATE EDUCATION ALONG WITH SENATOR GALLEGOS BASICALLY JUST SAID WE WOULD LIKE OUR SCHOOL BOARDS TO MAKE THAT DECISION USING CDC GUIDELINES AND THEY ARE NOT THAT MUCH DIFFERENT THAN OUR GUIDELINES, THE PROBLEM IS WE ARE JUST NOT ALLOWED TO GO FULL TIME AND THAT'S REALLY DISCOURAGING FOR MY KIDS, MY PARENTS AND EVEN FOR THE TEACHERS THEY ARE READY TO GET BACK.

>>LORENE: WELL ANYBODY WHO OBSERVES THIS PROCESS, YOU TALKED ABOUT DISADVANTAGED KIDS, BUT THERE ARE ALSO SOME THAT ARE NOT AT ALL COMPUTER LITERATE, THERE ARE SOME THAT DON'T HAVE INTERNET, THAT DON'T HAVE LAPTOPS OR WHATEVER, AND THEN THERE ARE SOME THAT THROUGH LEARNING DISABILITIES OR WHATEVER NEED TO BE PHYSICALLY ENGAGED.

THESE SCREENS FOR SIX HOURS, THEY ARE NOT RELATING AT ALL AND SO SOMEONE HAD COME UP WITH, WELL WE WILL JUST EXTEND THE SCHOOL YEAR, WE ARE AT SUCH A DEFICIT FROM WHAT WE HAVE LOST, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THEY ARE DOING A LOT OF BROADBAND BILLS AND THEY ARE GOING TO TRY, THIS IS ALL DEFINITELY GOOD BUT IT WASN'T WHEN WE NEEDED IT.

AND SO MANY KIDS HAVE FALLEN BETWEEN THE CRACKS, AND THEY NEED THE SOCIALIZATION, THEY NEED THE JOY OF BEING WITH THEIR FRIENDS AND ALSO THE ONE ON ONE INTERACTION WITH A GOOD TEACHER WHO OBSERVES HOW THEY ARE DOING.

SO THE ISSUE IS GIVE OUR LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS THE OPTIONS TO MAKE A CHOICE FOR WHAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THAT COMMUNITY AND THAT SCHOOL, RIGHT?

>>GAY: THAT'S WHAT I SAY BECAUSE WE HAVE HEARD DURING THIS SESSION HOW DIVERSE WE ARE AS A STATE AND WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE URBAN RURAL DIVIDE AND I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND ALBUQUERQUE IS DIFFERENT FROM HOBBS AND CARLSBAD, I UNDERSTAND THAT.

BUT WE HAVE A DIFFERENT VIEW I THINK OF HOW TO MANEUVER AND MANAGE THE PANDEMIC.

WE HAVE DONE A PRETTY GOOD JOB IN LEA COUNTY AFTER INITIALLY MAYBE NOT DOING SUCH A GOOD JOB, BUT WE HAVE CERTAINLY INCREASED TESTING SINCE OCTOBER, WE HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB OF ROLLING OUT VACCINATIONS.

I AM VERY PROUD OF WHAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS DONE IN REGARDS TO THAT, BUT I THINK LOCALLY WE ARE JUST DIFFERENT FROM SANTA FE AND ALBUQUERQUE AND LAS CRUCES IN OUR VIEW IN HOW TO HANDLE THIS.

WE ARE READY TO GET BACK AND WE JUST BELIEVE THE SCHOOL BOARDS IN OUR INDIVIDUAL AREAS SHOULD MAKE THAT DETERMINATION.

>>LORENE: SO I KNOW THAT YOU LIVE IN CARLSBAD BUT IT IS HOBBS, I OBSERVED THE SCHOOLS THERE AND WHAT IS IT THAT THEY DO THERE THAT PUTS THEM I THINK, LOS ALAMOS GETS DIFFERENT FUNDING, SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO COMPARE LOS ALAMOS IN THIS, BUT HOBBS HAS JUST WON SO MANY AWARDS FOR THE QUALITY OF THEIR SCHOOL SYSTEM, WHAT ARE THEY DOING, WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN HOBBS THAT IS SO SUCCESSFUL.

>>GAY: ACTUALLY I DO LIVE IN HOBBS AND THAT IS MY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THAT IS WHERE I GRADUATED.

AND SO HOBBS IS MY HOME AND YOU KNOW I THINK A LOT OF IT IS DETERMINED BY THE LEADERSHIP AND WE HAVE HAD ONE OF THE BEST SUPERINTENDENTS IN THE STATE I BELIEVE WITH MR.

PARKS, HE HAS DONE A GREAT JOB REPRESENTING OUR DISTRICT.

WE DO NOT GET AS MUCH FUNDING PER PUPIL AS OTHER DISTRICTS DO, IN FACT WE ARE KIND OF AT THE BOTTOM WITH REGARD TO PUPIL FUNDING BUT WE ARE FORTUNATE BECAUSE WE ARE IN A PROPERTY RICH COUNTY AND THAT IS HELPFUL WITH REGARD TO HOW WE MAINTAIN OUR SCHOOLS.

BUT JUST THE QUALITY OF THE EDUCATION I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE AT THE FOREFRONT AND IN FACT WE HAVE JUST BROKEN GROUND FOR A NEW CAREER TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL.

IT WILL BE ON THE CAMPUS OF OUR CURRENT HIGH SCHOOL AND WE ARE GOING TO BEGIN TO TRAIN STUDENTS FOR CAREERS NOT ONLY SIGNIFICANT TO THE OIL FIELDS BUT LOTS OF OTHER AREAS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

I AM VERY PROUD OF THE CTE SCHOOL THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE MOVING FORWARD.

SO THAT IS BEING BUILT AS WE SPEAK, BUT I AM PROUD OF THE HOBBS DISTRICT, WE HAVE OUR ISSUES BUT FOR THE MOST PART WE DO A REALLY GOOD JOB.

>>LORENE: AND WHAT USED TO BE CALLED VOTECH, I DON'T KNOW IS THAT IS THE SAME THING, ALL THESE COMMUNITIES ARE SAYING THAT WE NEED TO GET BACK TO THAT AND YOU GUYS ARE ALREADY BUILDING IT.

SO THERE IS ANOTHER WAY YOU ARE AHEAD OF THE GAME, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAKE, WHO HAS TO ALLOW THE SCHOOL BOARDS THE LOCAL OPTION, IS THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION?

>>GAY: IT WOULD HAVE TO BE THROUGH LEGISLATION AND BASICALLY WE ARE UNDER NO ILLUSIONS THAT THAT BILL WOULD ACTUALLY PASS AND BE SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR.

BECAUSE, BASICALLY, IT TAKES THE AUTHORITY AWAY FROM STATE GOVERNMENT FROM THE EXECUTIVE AND ALLOWS THE LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS TO MAKE THE DECISION AND AT THIS POINT AS YOU KNOW WITH THE PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER THAT WE PASSED IN 2003 OR 2004, WE GAVE THE EXECUTIVE THAT AUTHORITY THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.

AND AS WE SPEAK NOW I BELIEVE THERE IS LEGISLATION GOING THROUGH THIS SESSION THAT WOULD PULL BACK SOME OF THAT POWER OR AT LEAST HAVE THE EXECUTIVE COME BACK TO THE LEGISLATURE TO CONTINUE THAT AND I THINK THAT IS APPROPRIATE.

I THINK FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR TO BE UNDER A PARTICULAR ORDER THAT IMPACTS THE ENTIRE STATE ACROSS THE BOARD WITH REGARD TO EDUCATION, BUSINESSES, TRAVEL, HOSPITALITY, IS MORE THAN ONE PERSON SHOULD HAVE TO BEAR.

AND I KNOW THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS DONE A FINE JOB THAT MANY OF US BELIEVE THAT IT NEEDS TO BE REINED IN SOMEWHAT, SO THAT IS MY POSITION AND I AM NOT AFRAID TO STATE THAT PUBLICLY AND WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS DURING THE SESSION IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED.

>>LORENE: WELL AS WE ARE APPROACHING MARCH, IT WILL BE A YEAR SINCE WE HAVE ALL HAD THESE PUBLIC HEALTH PROTOCOLS AND SOME COUNTIES HAVE DONE REALLY, REALLY WELL.

I DO LIKE THE RED, YELLOW, GREEN COUNTY SYSTEMS SO THAT THE COUNTIES THAT ARE FUNCTIONING VERY WELL AND WHERE THE TRANSMISSION RATE IS REALLY DOWN, THE TESTING RATE IS UP AND THE PERCENTAGE OF POSITIVES IS WAY DOWN.

I AM GLAD THAT AT LEAST IT HAS GOTTEN A LITTLE MORE INDIVIDUAL COUNTY BY COUNTY WHERE YOU LOOK AT THE STATISTICS AND THEN CAN MAKE, SO THAT IS ONE STEP FROM THE ONE SIZE FITS ALL FOR THE ENTIRE STATE BECAUSE BERNALILLO COUNTY AND LEA COUNTY ARE WORLDS APART.

>>GAY: WELL, EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT IN MARCH AND APRIL AND MAY, LEA COUNTY HAD NO CASES AND YET WE HAD TO SHUT DOWN ALONG WITH EVERYONE ELSE INCLUDING OUR SCHOOLS.

AND SO TO ME THAT WAS NOT FAIR AND THEN WE WERE ALL IN IT TOGETHER UNTIL IT HAPPENED IN LEA COUNTY THAT WE HAD MORE CASES AND SO THEN THOSE THAT WERE COMING OUT OF IT A LITTLE BIT THEY COULD OPEN UP AND WE STILL REMAINED SHUT DOWN.

SO I THINK THERE WERE SOME FLAWS IN THAT SYSTEM AND I KNOW THAT FORTUNATELY NOW THE CASES ARE GOING DOWN AND WE ARE TRACKING THAT VERY CLOSELY IN LEA COUNTY WE WERE VERY CLOSE LAST WEEK TO REACHING THE GOAL OF 6 OUT OF 100,000 AND WE WERE VERY CLOSE AND I AM ANTICIPATING THAT TO HAPPEN IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.

SO THAT IS WHAT WE ARE UNDER AND THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE TO DO, BUT I AM NOT SURE THAT THAT HAS REALLY WORKED TO THE BENEFIT OF EVERYONE, IT CERTAINLY DIDN'T FOR US IN MARCH, APRIL AND MAY WHEN WE COULD HAVE HAD OUR KIDS BACK IN SCHOOL FULL TIME.

THIS HAS BEEN A VERY DIFFICULT TIME AND A CHALLENGING TIME WITH THE PANDEMIC AND I DO NOT MAKE LIGHT OF IT, BUT I LOOK AROUND AND I SEE MY NEIGHBORING STATE WHERE THEY ARE ALL BACK ALL IN AND THEIR ECONOMY IS BOOMING AND WE ARE STILL STRUGGLING, SO IT IS A REAL CONCERN FOR ME, I JUST THINK THAT IT IS SOMETHING THAT THE LEGISLATURE SHOULD HAVE A SAY IN IT AT THIS POINT BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WILL HAPPEN.

>>LORENE: I THINK WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED BECAUSE NONE OF US KNEW THIS WAS COMING AND WE DIDN'T ASK FOR IT, BUT EVERYONE HAS HAD TO BE FLEXIBLE IN THE NAME OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND IT HAS BEEN VERY PAINFUL FOR BUSINESSES, RESTAURANTS, KIDS AT SCHOOL, I MEAN THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE MADE SO MANY ADJUSTMENTS AND I AM ACTUALLY REALLY WITH YOU IN THIS.

I HADN'T REALIZED THAT YOU HAD HAD NO CASES FOR ALL THOSE EARLY MONTHS AND THE ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL.

SO WE ARE TAPING THIS ABOUT HALF WAY THROUGH THE SESSION, SO IF YOU COULD JUST GIVE US A COUPLE OF MINUTES ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE SHOULD LOOK FOR IN THE LAST HALF OF THIS SESSION.

>>GAY: WELL OF COURSE, THE THREE MAJOR INITIATIVES THAT EVERYONE ADMITTED WOULD BE ON FULL SPEED AHEAD, OF COURSE THE ABORTION BILL AND THAT PASSED THE SENATE, THE PERMANENT FUND RAID WHICH IS ON ITS WAY OVER TO THE SENATE I THINK AND THEN THE THIRD ONE WOULD BE THE RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA.

SO I THINK THOSE THREE PROBABLY WILL MAKE IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH AND BE SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR.

MY ONLY HOPE WOULD BE ON THE PERMANENT FUND BILL THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO PUT A TEN YEAR SUNSET ON THAT.

IF YOU RECALL BACK IN 2003, WHEN WE DID THE SAME THING AND WE TOOK IT UP TO SIX PERCENT INTEREST AND THEN OVER TIME, WE REDUCED IT BACK DOWN TO THE FIVE POINT ZERO AND AS I LOOK BACK AND THINK ABOUT THE MONEY THAT WAS GENERATED BY THAT ADDITIONAL ONE PERCENT I HAVE A HARD TIME FIGURING OUT HOW THAT REALLY HELPED EDUCATION.

I DON'T KNOW THAT IT DID, IN FACT, I THINK OFTEN TIMES WE LOOKED AROUND AND WE SAID, "WHERE IS THAT MONEY?"

I THINK THEY TALKED ABOUT IT BEING IN A LOCKBOX SOMEWHERE AND THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME REMEMBER THAT TERM, CERTAINLY IF YOU WERE ON EDUCATION, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT HELPED.

I HOPE THAT AS THEY TAKE THIS ADDITIONAL MONEY OUT, THAT THEY WILL TRACK IT VERY CAREFULLY, MAKE SURE THAT IT IS HELPING EDUCATION.

I AM STILL CONCERNED THAT WE ARE SPENDING ON EARLY EDUCATION, WE HAVE GOT A LOT OF MONEY THERE THAT IS BEING SPENT AND ACCORDING TO THE LFC, WE PROBABLY DON'T NEED MORE MONEY THERE.

YOU CAN HAVE A GREAT EARLY EDUCATION PROGRAM BUT IF YOU DON'T CONTINUE TO IMPROVE K THROUGH 12 AND INVEST THERE, ALL THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE IN EARLY EDUCATION WILL FAIL AS THOSE STUDENTS GO ON.

I AM PROUD OF THE WORK WE'VE DONE IN EARLY EDUCATION, AM VERY PLEASED WITH THAT DEPARTMENT AND THE SECRETARY, THE WORK THAT HAS BEING DONE, I SUPPORT THAT WHOLEHEARTEDLY, BUT I DO WORRY ABOUT WHERE THEY ARE GOING TO PUT THE EXTRA $160 MILLION DOLLARS AND HOW THAT IS GOING TO BE SPENT AND WHO IS GOING TO TRACK IT TO MAKE SURE.

I THINK THE SUNSET IS APPROPRIATE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT MONEY HAS BEEN SPENT CORRECTLY BECAUSE THERE IS NO DOUBT AT THE END OF THE DAY, 20, 30, 40 YEARS OUT, THE CORPUS OF THAT FUND IS GOING TO BE IMPACTED AND OIL AND GAS IS NOT GOING TO BE AS PREVALENT AS IT IS TODAY AND WE ALL KNOW THAT, SO THERE WILL NOT BE AS MUCH MONEY GOING INTO THAT FUND.

IT IS GOING TO HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON TAXPAYERS DOWN THE ROAD WHEN THAT MONEY IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE GENERAL FUND.

>>LORENE: THAT'S TRUE, BUT I'LL TELL YOU, YOU HAVE THE INSTITUTIONAL MEMORY THAT IS WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE YOU AS AN EDUCATOR ON THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE, BECAUSE YOU RECALL THE LAST TIME THIS WAS DONE AND WHAT THE EFFECTS WERE, SO I AM ESPECIALLY GRATEFUL TO YOU.

OUR GUEST TODAY IS SENATOR GAY KERNAN, REPUBLICAN FROM THE EASTSIDE, LIVING IN HOBBS.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR EXPERIENCE AND YOUR WISDOM WITH US AND HAVE A GOOD REST OF THE SESSION.

>>GAY: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH.

>>LORENE: IT IS ALWAYS A PLEASURE.

AND I AM LORENE MILLS, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU OUR AUDIENCE FOR BEING WITH US TODAY ON REPORT FROM SANTA FE.

>>ANNOUNCER: 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