>>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 MIMI STEWART, RECENTLY ELECTED THE PRESTIGIOUS HONOR OF BEING THE PRESIDENT PRO TEM OF THE NEW MEXICO SENATE, CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>>MIMI: AND THANK YOU, LORENE, I AM VERY HAPPY TO BE ON YOUR SHOW.

IT'S A GREAT SHOW AND LOTS OF PEOPLE WATCH IT, SO THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME.

>>LORENE: WELL, WE HAVE A LOT TO LEARN ABOUT THE PRO TEM.

LET ME JUST TALK ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND A LITTLE BIT.

YOU ARE A DEMOCRAT FROM ALBUQUERQUE, YOU ARE A RETIRED EDUCATOR AND FOR YEARS, FOR YEARS BECAUSE YOU WERE IN THE HOUSE FROM 1995 TO 2014 AND THEN IN THE SENATE SINCE 2015 SO THAT IS SIX MORE YEARS.

THAT'S A LOT OF EXPERIENCE BUT BECAUSE OF YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE IN THE TRENCHES, YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN MY KIND OF GO-TO PERSON ABOUT EDUCATION AND THE LONG PROCESS THAT NEW MEXICO HAS HAD GETTING THEIR KIDS EDUCATED.

BUT FIRST, YOU NEED TO EDUCATE US ABOUT THE POWER STRUCTURE IN THE SENATE AND HOW THE HIERARCHY GOES AND WHAT DOES THE PRESIDENT PRO TEM DO?

AND ONE OTHER THING, I KNOW THAT WHEREVER YOU GO YOU MAKE IT A TEAM PROJECT.

SO ALTHOUGH THERE IS A STRUCTURE, IN PLACE AT THE SENATE, IF YOU COULD JUST EXPLAIN THAT TO US AND THEN TELL US, YOU HAVE HAD TO LAND RUNNING, TALK TO US ABOUT BEING PRO TEM.

>>MIMI: ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, LORENE.

SO, IN THE SENATE THE PRESIDENT PRO TEM IS ELECTED BY EVERYONE IN THE SENATE, ALL THE DS, ALL THE RS.

THE NEXT IN LINE IS THE SENATE MAJORITY LEADER.

THE SENATE MAJORITY LEADER IS ELECTED BY THE MAJORITY CAUCUS, IN THIS CASE, IT IS THE DEMOCRATS SO WE HAVE A DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY LEADER, PETER WIRTH.

THEN WE HAVE A MAJORITY WHIP.

SO I HAVE BEEN THE WHIP THE LAST THREE YEARS AND THAT IS ALSO ELECTED BY THE CAUCUS AND NOW SENATOR LINDA LOPEZ WHO HAS CHAIRED THE RULES COMMITTEE FOR 20 YEARS IS NOW OUR MAJORITY WHIP.

AND THEN WE HAVE A CAUCUS CHAIR, WE HAVE ELECTED A BRAND NEW MEMBER OF THE SENATE, BRENDA MCKENNA, A NAMBE PUEBLO NATIVE FROM THE WESTSIDE OF ALBUQUERQUE AS OUR CAUCUS CHAIR.

SO WE ARE VERY PROUD OF OUR FOUR LEADERS, THREE OF WHOM ARE WOMEN, I LIKE THAT.

SO THE PRESIDENT PRO TEM, YOU KNOW IT WAS ONLY AFTER I WAS ELECTED PRO TEM THAT I REALIZED I KNEW SO LITTLE ABOUT WHAT THE PRO TEM DOES.

THE PRO TEM HAS MULTIPLE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT IN MY CASE SHE MAKES APPOINTMENTS TO IN THE INTERIM.

OF COURSE, MOST PEOPLE KNOW THAT THE PRO TEM CHOOSES THE CHAIRS AND VICE CHAIRS AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS OF THE SESSION COMMITTEES AND THE INTERIM COMMITTEES ALONG WITH GETTING APPROVAL FROM THE COMMITTEE'S COMMITTEE.

SO THAT IS A COMMITTEE THAT IS SET UP, A PROCEDURAL COMMITTEE, JUST TO HELP THE PRO TEM MAKE HER APPOINTMENTS, MAKE HER CHAIRS AND VICE CHAIR APPOINTMENTS.

SO IT IS A LOT OF, WHEN I TOLD PETER WIRTH I WAS GOING TO RUN FOR THE PRO TEM, HE SAID, "YUK, SO MUCH ADMINISTRATIVE WORK."

SO THERE IS A LOT OF THINGS THAT I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT.

ALMOST EVERY DAY MY SECRETARY BRINGS IN SOMETHING I HAVE TO SIGN, I HAVE TO SIGN PER DIEM SHEETS, I HAVE TO SIGN MILEAGE SHEETS, I HAVE TO SIGN BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR THE CONFEREES.

SO IT IS A LOT OF PROCEDURAL WORK BUT I AM ENJOYING THAT.

IN ADDITION, I JUST SET UP A LOT OF LEADERSHIP MEETINGS WITH OUR CHAIRS AND WITH INTERNAL WORKING SO I HAVE BEEN A LITTLE OVERWHELMED THE LAST TWO WEEKS BUT IT IS STARTING TO FEEL A LITTLE MORE FUN.

>>LORENE: WELL YOU HAVE REFERRED TO YOURSELF IN THE PAST AS A "POLICY WONK" AND SO I THINK YOU WILL BE ABLE TO, "MOVE EASY IN HARNESS," THAT'S ROBERT FROST'S DEFINITION OF FREEDOM IS "MOVING EASY IN HARNESS," ONCE YOU GET ALL THESE STRUCTURES SET IN PLACE.

>>MIMI: YES.

>>LORENE: BUT I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU BECAUSE ONE OF THE MOST PUBLICIZED PART OF YOUR JOB IS CHOOSING THE COMMITTEE CHAIRS AND I THINK YOU DID A LITTLE COMMITTEE RESTRUCTURING.

SO CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT GOES INTO TO CHOOSING, SAY YOU GET AN IMPORTANT COMMITTEE LIKE SENATE FINANCE THAT JOHN ARTHUR SMITH CHAIRED FOR I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY INCARNATIONS, BUT FOR A LONG TIME AND ANOTHER ONE WHEN LINDA, SENATOR LINDA LOPEZ BECAME THE WHIP AFTER RULES FOR SO LONG.

HOW DO YOU CHOOSE, HOW DO YOU MAKE THESE CHOICES?

>>MIMI: WELL, THE SENATE HAS RULES THAT REALLY FOCUS ON SENIORITY SO YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHO HAS BEEN THERE LONG ENOUGH.

WHAT I DID WITH FINANCE WAS THAT I HAD EIGHT PEOPLE THAT WANTED TO BE THE CHAIR OF FINANCE, INCLUDING THREE PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT EVEN ON THE COMMITTEE.

SO I INTERVIEWED, I HAD LENGTHY INTERVIEWS WITH THE FIVE PEOPLE WHO THAT ARE ON THE COMMITTEE, FIVE DEMOCRATS THAT REMAIN AND I ALSO TALKED TO OTHERS WHO WANTED TO DO IT.

BECAUSE THE FINANCE COMMITTEE HAS SORT OF BECOME A PROBLEM FOR SOME PEOPLE BECAUSE IT DOESN'T SEEM AS THOUGH IT ACTS IN THE OPEN, TRANSPARENTLY, IT SEEMED AS THOUGH THE DEALS WERE MADE BACKDOORS.

NOW I DON'T AGREE WITH ALL OF THAT CRITICISM, BUT PERCEPTION IS HALF THE WAY THERE TO UNDERSTANDING AND KNOWLEDGE.

SO WHEN I INTERVIEWED THE FIVE DEMOCRATS, I SAID, "HOW WOULD YOU CHANGE THE COMMITTEE SO THAT OTHER COMMITTEE CHAIRS FELT LIKE THEY HAD MORE ACCESS TO BUDGETARY MATTERS?

HOW WOULD YOU CHANGE THE COMMITTEE SO THAT IT SEEMS MORE TRANSPARENT AND HOW WOULD YOU CHANGE IT SO THAT OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE WHO WANTED TO BE MORE OF A PART WERE WELCOMED TO THAT?"

AND SO I HAD FIVE FANTASTIC INTERVIEWS, I HAD FIVE DEMOCRATS ALL OF WHOM WHO WANTED IT, I COULD HAVE CHOSEN ANY OF THEM TO BE THE CHAIR.

SO IN THE END, I MOVED THE VICE CHAIR UP, THAT GENERALLY IS HOW IT IS DONE, IT IS WHAT I DID WITH THE NEW TAX BUSINESS AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, THE VICE CHAIR WANTED TO BECOME CHAIR.

I MOVED BENNY SHENDO UP TO THAT CHAIRMANSHIP AND GEORGE MUNOZ WAS THE VICE CHAIR OF SENATE FINANCE AND I MOVED HIM UP TO CHAIR.

THAT IS NOT BEEN WITHOUT CONTROVERSY, I MUST TELL YOU, BUT I FEEL VERY GOOD ABOUT WHERE WE ARE NOW.

THE SENATE IS GOING TO WEIGH MORE DEMOCRATIC NOW THAN IT HAS BEEN.

PETER WIRTH CALLS IT "THE HAPPY CAUCUS", BECAUSE WE SEEM TO BE GETTING ALONG SO WELL.

AND SENATOR MUNOZ HAS ALREADY REACHED OUT TO EVERYONE AND HAS BEEN RESPONSIVE AND HE MEETS WEEKLY WITH THE LEADERSHIP TEAM.

WE ALL WANT THE BUDGET TO REFLECT OUR POLICY RATHER THAN A DOCUMENT THAT TRIES TO KEEP OUR POLICY HIDDEN IN A WAY.

>>LORENE: WELL, I AM SURE THAT GEORGE MUNOZ, SENATOR MUNOZ, WILL DO A WONDERFUL JOB.

BUT YOU HAVE A LOT ON YOUR PLATE RIGHT NOW, THE SENATE, THIS SESSION, HAS 25 PERCENT ARE NEW MEMBERS AND THE OTHER ELEMENT THAT YOU ARE WORKING WITH AND I AM SO GRATEFUL TO YOU, ISN'T THE VIRTUAL RUNNING OF THE SESSION DURING THE PANDEMIC, ISN'T THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE TO KIND OF MONITOR ALL THE TIME IN THIS STRANGE WAY OF DOING THE LEGISLATURE, WHICH IS WORKING, THANK YOU.

TELL US ABOUT IT.

>>MIMI: YES, LORENE, IT IS MORE CHALLENGING THAN I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED.

SO YOU KNOW WE HAVE THIS CONSTITUTIONAL DUTY TO COME UP HERE AND SET A BUDGET AND SCHOOLS IN PARTICULAR CAN'T WAIT TILL APRIL TO SET THEIR BUDGETS.

SO WE HAVE TAKEN THE SAFEGUARDS, WE EACH ARE TESTED EVERY WEEK, WE WEAR MASKS EVERYWHERE, WE SOCIALLY DISTANCE, WE ARE SHORTENING THE AMOUNT OF DAYS WE ARE ACTUALLY ON THE FLOOR, AND ALL OF OUR COMMITTEES ARE VIRTUAL.

BOY, HAS THAT CREATED SOME GOOD THINGS, SOME NOT SO MUCH.

SO SOME PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THERE IS EVEN MORE ACCESS BECAUSE WE ARE OPENING UP THOSE VIRTUAL COMMITTEE MEETINGS, WHICH HAPPEN FROM NINE TO TWELVE AND ONE THIRTY TO FOUR THIRTY EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK.

WE ARE OPENING UP TO PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SUPPORT OR OPPOSE BILLS.

IT WORKS VERY WELL IN SOME COMMITTEES AND THEN IN SOME COMMITTEES IT JUST FALLS APART.

WE HAVE HIRED, I CALL THEM ZOOM MEISTERS, ONE FOR EACH COMMITTEE TO HELP HAVE PEOPLE COME IN WHO WANT TO TESTIFY AND MAKING SURE THAT SENATORS AND THE COMMITTEE IS UP SO EVERYBODY CAN SEE US AND HEAR WHAT WE ARE DOING.

YOU CAN VIEW IT ALL ON OUR WEBSITE, THE NEW MEXICO LEGISLATURE'S WEBSITE ALSO WITHOUT HAVING TO COME IN AND OUT OF THE COMMITTEE TO SUPPORT OR OPPOSE.

I HAVE BEEN BEFORE OUR MEETING TODAY, I WAS ON A TWO-HOUR MEETING WITH ALL OF OUR CHAIRS TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THE ZOOM IS WORKING AND WHERE IT IS NOT, WHAT WE CAN DO TO ELIMINATE THE WAIT TIMES AND TO BE MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.

WE WANT THE PUBLIC TO BE ABLE TO INTERACT WITH US.

EMAIL STILL WORKS GREAT, IF YOU WANT TO TESTIFY ON A BILL JUST GO TO OUR WEBSITE AND FIND A WAY TO DO IT.

>>LORENE: AND LET US PUT RIGHT HERE FOR EVERYONE TO SEE, THE WEBSITE IS WWW.NMLEGIS.GOV YOU CAN SEE IT THERE, GO TO THAT WEBSITE, YOU CAN CLICK ON THE WEBCAST.

YOU CAN FIND OUT WHO YOUR LAWMAKER IS.

IT IS A VERY EASY MENU SCREEN AND PART OF DEMOCRACY IS YOUR INPUT AS THE PUBLIC, SO PLEASE DON'T BE PUT OFF BY THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF THIS, ONCE YOU KNOW HOW, ONCE YOU DO IT, IT WILL BE EASY, GO TO WWW.NMLEGIS.GOV I AM GOING TO COME BACK TO OUR GUEST TODAY IS SENATOR MIMI STEWART WHO IS ELECTED THE PRESIDENT PRO TEM OF THE NEW MEXICO STATE SENATE AND IT IS QUITE AN UNUSUAL SESSION AND I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF YOUR EFFORTS.

I CANNOT, SENATOR STEWART, EVEN DREAM OF TALKING ABOUT YOU WITHOUT GOING INTO EDUCATION BECAUSE FOR YEARS YOU HAVE BEEN MY EDUCATIONAL GURU IN EDUCATION IN NEW MEXICO.

CAN YOU, I WOULD LOVE TO SAY, IF WE HAD A THREE HOUR SHOW, I WOULD SAY, HOW DID WE GET WHERE WE ARE AND HOW IS IT GOING AND HOW HAVE WE PROGRESSED IN YOUR 26 YEARS BEING IN THE LEGISLATURE AND AS A RETIRED EDUCATOR, BUT GIVE US YOUR VIEW, IN SHORT I AM SAD TO SAY, ABOUT LEARNING IN THE PANDEMIC TIMES, WHERE EDUCATION STANDS, OUR TEACHERS, PLEASE.

>>MIMI: WELL, JUST IMAGINE YOU HAVE TO DO WHAT TEACHERS HAD TO DO LAST MARCH.

LEAVE THEIR CLASSROOM, EVERYONE GO HOME AND TURN EVERYTHING INTO ONLINE, WITHOUT TRAINING, WITHOUT THE TOOLS AND THE STUDENTS AT HOME.

FORTY PERCENT OF OUR STUDENTS DO NOT HAVE RELIABLE INTERNET OR INTERNET AT ALL OR A DEVICE OF THEIR OWN TO LEARN ON, FORTY PERCENT.

NOW WE HAVE BENT OVER BACKWARDS, WE HAVE DELIVERED FOOD TO PEOPLE, WE HAVE GIVEN OUT DEVICES, WE EVEN DRIVE BUSES AROUND TO MAKE HOTSPOTS IN AREAS WHERE WE KNOW THE POPULATION DOES NOT HAVE INTERNET.

OUR INTERNET COMPANIES HAVE BENT OVER BACKWARDS, THEY ARE OFFERING TEN DOLLARS A MONTH TO FAMILIES TO GET INTERNET JUST DURING THIS TIME.

WE HAVE RECEIVED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO TRY TO MAKE OUR BROADBAND BETTER, BUT THAT ALL TAKES TIME.

IT IS KIND OF LIKE FLYING A PLANE WHILE YOU ARE STILL BUILDING IT, DRIVING A CAR WHILE YOU ARE BUILDING IT.

SO THERE IS GOING TO BE LEARNING LOSS THIS YEAR, THERE ARE SEVERAL BILLS THAT ARE BEFORE US TO TRY TO COUNTER THAT, I HAVE ONE OF THEM.

YOU KNOW THE YAZZIE MARTINEZ LAWSUIT REALLY HAS SHOWN US THAT WE ARE NOT SUFFICIENTLY FUNDING THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH OF OUR STUDENTS THAT GRADUATE AND THAT ARE READY FOR COLLEGE OR CAREER, WE HAVE REALLY TRIED TO FOCUS ON THAT.

WE NEED BETTER TEACHERS THAT REFLECT STUDENTS, WE HAVE PUT IN PLACE LOAN REPAYMENTS AND SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS TO OUR EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANTS WHO CAN TAKE ANOTHER COUPLE OF YEARS AND BECOME A TEACHER.

MANY OF THEM ARE BILINGUAL, WE NEED BILINGUAL TEACHERS, WE NEED NATIVE AMERICAN TEACHERS.

WE HAVE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS TO ENHANCE OUR TEACHING POOL.

IN ADDITION, WE HAVE PUT A LOT MORE MONEY INTO WHAT IS CALLED "AT RISK," THIS LAWSUIT HAS REALLY SHOWN US THAT WE HAVE ABOUT 60 TO 70 PERCENT OF OUR KIDS THAT ARE AT RISK, KIDS FROM POVERTY, LANGUAGE LEARNERS, OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS.

WE NEED BETTER INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION IN OUR SCHOOLS, WE NEED MORE SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL LEARNING, WE NEED MORE CULTURAL AWARENESS AND THAT IS WHAT WE ARE ALL WORKING ON.

WE ARE WORKING ON WAYS TO DO THAT.

NOW WHEN WE DID THE MOON SHOT, THERE ARE TWO PROGRAMS THAT ARE EVIDENCE-BASED THAT SHOW THAT IF YOU DO THESE PROGRAMS KIDS LEARN MORE.

IN FACT, ONE OF THEM IS K-5 PLUS THAT ADDS 25 DAYS TO THE SCHOOL YEAR FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS.

IF YOU COMBINE THAT WITH PRE-K, WE WIPE OUT THOSE ACHIEVEMENT GAPS IN THE EARLY AGES, MOST PEOPLE CALL THEM ACHIEVEMENT GAPS, I CALL THEM OPPORTUNITY GAPS BECAUSE IT IS REALLY, IT IS THOSE KIDS FROM POVERTY THAT ARE MOST AT RISK.

SO WE ARE TRYING TO INSURE THAT SCHOOLS ARE HELD HARMLESS FOR THE LOSS OF STUDENT ATTENDANCE, THERE ARE SOME STUDENTS THAT WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE AND WE HAVE PUT SO MUCH MONEY INTO TRYING TO TRACK THEM DOWN, GIVE THEM A COACH, HELP THEM LEARN AT HOME, GET THEM A DEVICE, GET THEM A COACH TO HELP THEM LEARN THAT DEVICE.

SO WE HAVE FOUND BETWEEN FIVE AND SIX THOUSAND STUDENTS THAT NEED THAT KIND OF HELP THAT WE HAVE DONE THAT.

SO I HAVE A BILL THAT SAYS FOR THIS NEXT YEAR LET'S EXTEND THE SCHOOL YEAR AT LEAST 10 DAYS FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH.

IF YOU CAN DO 25 DAYS FOR YOUR ELEMENTARY LET'S DO THAT BECAUSE THE MONEY IS ALREADY IN THE BUDGET BECAUSE THESE WERE PROGRAMS THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO BE DONE THIS YEAR AND WE HAD TO ABANDON THEM BECAUSE NO ONE OR HARDLY ANYONE IS ACTUALLY IN SCHOOL.

SO WE HAVE TO PROTECT DISTRICTS, WE HAVE TO DO MORE FOR THESE STUDENTS THAT ARE REALLY GOING TO EXPERIENCE OR ARE RIGHT NOW EXPERIENCING LEARNING LOSS, SO THAT IS TWO THINGS THAT WE ARE TRYING FOR.

YAZZIE MARTINEZ REALLY HAS FOCUSED ON FUNDING ISSUES, THAT IS HARD TO DO IN A PANDEMIC WHEN YOUR ECONOMY HAS GONE DOWN AND WHEN WE HAVE LOST A BILLION DOLLARS IN REVENUE FROM OIL AND GAS, WE ARE DEDICATED TO DIVERSIFY THAT ECONOMY SO WE DON'T HAVE THIS BOOM AND BUST CYCLE BECAUSE IT HURTS EDUCATION PARTICULARLY SO MUCH.

WE ARE GOING TO HAVE OIL AND GAS FOR A WHILE, LET'S TRY TO, AS WE EASE AWAY FROM OIL AND GAS, LET'S MAKE USE OF THAT FUNDING AND TRY TO ENHANCE OUR EDUCATIONAL BUDGET.

SO THAT WAS A LOT, LORENE, ALL AT ONCE.

I WILL TELL YOU ONE MORE THING, FOR MANY YEARS, WE HAVE BEEN FIGHTING WITH EACH OTHER OVER WHAT IS CALLED, "IMPACT AID FUNDING."

THIS IS MONEY THAT GOES DIRECTLY TO NATIVE AMERICAN DISTRICTS AND WHAT WE HAVE DONE SINCE THE EARLY 70S, IS TO NOT SEND AS MUCH FUNDING FROM OUR STATE EQUALIZATION GUARANTEE TO THOSE DISTRICTS THAT RECEIVE THAT FEDERAL MONEY, WE ARE GOING TO STOP DOING THAT.

I HAVE A BILL, I THINK THERE ARE FOUR BILLS OUT THERE TO MOVE AWAY FROM THOSE CREDITS AND LET'S HOPE THAT THESE NATIVE AMERICAN DISTRICTS CAN USE THIS MONEY.

I AM SURE THAT THEY HAVE GOT ALL KINDS OF IDEAS AND THEIR STUDENTS IN PARTICULAR NEED A LOT OF HELP, SO I AM PROUD THAT WE REACHED THE POINT WHERE WE ARE NO LONGER GOING TO TAKE CREDIT FOR THOSE IMPACT AID DOLLARS.

>>LORENE: WELL I THANK YOU FOR YOUR EXPERTISE BECAUSE I WOULD NOT HAVE REALLY UNDERSTOOD ALL OF THIS.

I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, WE HAVE GOT MAYBE FIVE MINUTES LEFT, BUT YOU HAVE SOME OTHER BILLS AND I WOULD LIKE YOU KNOW I WOULD LIKE YOU TO TELL US ABOUT WHAT YOUR OTHER BILLS ARE AND THEN SOME RANDOM THOUGHTS ABOUT SOME LONG TERM ISSUES, EARLY CHILDHOOD FUNDING AND PAID LEGISLATURE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND THEN GIVE US A WARNING, A HEADS UP ABOUT WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN THE REST OF THE SESSION.

>>MIMI: WELL I THINK BECAUSE WE HAVE GOT SO MANY NEW SENATORS, WE NOW HAVE 12 WOMEN, WE HAVE TWO REPUBLICANS AND 10 DEMOCRATS AND IT IS JUST A JOY TO BE IN OUR CAUCUS FOR THOSE OF US WHO HAVE SUFFERED ALL THESE YEARS WITH SO FEW OF US.

THEY ARE ALL FANTASTIC, THEY ARE DIGGING IN, WE JUST THINK WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THINGS WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO IN THE PAST.

CERTAINLY ONE OF THOSE IS TO TRY TO USE MORE OF THE LAND GRANT PERMANENT FUND, WE ARE COMMITTED TO TRY AND DO THAT FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD AND K-12 EDUCATION BOTH.

SO YOU KNOW EDUCATION IS REALLY WHERE MY HEART IS, BUT THE ENVIRONMENT AND TRYING TO DEAL WITH CLIMATE CHANGE AND TRYING TO DO THINGS FOR OUR WILDLIFE, IT IS REALLY UPPER MOST IN MY MIND.

SO I HAVE SEVERAL BILLS, ONE IS TO TRY TO NOT BAN BUT REIN IN OUR USE OF NEONICOTINOIDS, IT IS THE PESTICIDE THAT IS AT LEAST PARTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR KILLING OFF OUR BEES AND OTHER POLLINATORS, I HAVE FOCUSED ON POLLINATORS FOR YEARS.

IT IS JUST A HEALTH ISSUE, YOU KNOW WE WON'T HAVE ANY FOOD TO EAT IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY POLLINATORS.

THE UNITED KINGDOM HAS TOTALLY BANNED NEONICOTINOIDS, SEVERAL OTHER COUNTRIES IN EUROPE HAVE DONE THE SAME THING.

SO THIS BILL WOULD REIN THAT IN, EDUCATE PEOPLE MORE AND WOULD ALLOW US TO USE NEONICOTINOIDS ONLY ON PLANTS THAT AREN'T FLOWERING.

SO WE WILL SEE HOW THAT GOES, THAT MAYBE HAS ITS FIRST COMMITTEE HEARING OF THIS WEEK, MAYBE NEXT WEEK.

I ALSO HAVE AN ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY PLAN TO ASK SIX OF OUR STATE AGENCIES TO WORK TOGETHER TO MOVE US AWAY FROM NATURAL RESOURCE EXTRACTION.

IT IS GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF THOUGHT, WE NEED TO BUILD JOBS INTO THE ECONOMY BECAUSE IT IS KIND OF A NATURAL DOWN TURN THAT WE ARE SEEING AND WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO CREATE A JUST TRANSITION ESPECIALLY IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE SO IMPACTED BY NATURAL RESOURCES.

SO THOSE ARE JUST TWO BILLS I AM LOOKING AT, BUT, LORENE, ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING THINGS THAT IS HAPPENING IS THAT THE SENATE HAS A BIG RESPONSE RIGHT NOW TO COVID.

WE ARE GOING TO PASS, I THINK WITHIN TWO WEEKS, AN INCREASE IN THE WORKING FAMILY TAX CREDITS, AN INCREASE IN THE EARNED INCOME TAX REBATE, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE $600 IN THE HANDS OF EVERYBODY WHO DOESN'T MAKE $15 AN HOUR.

WE ARE INCREASING LOANS TO SMALL BUSINESSES, INTEREST FREE FOR THE FIRST THREE YEARS AND WE ARE GOING UP TO $150,000.

THOSE SENATE BILLS 1, 2, 3, AND 4 WE ARE HOPING TO PASS NEXT WEEK OVER TO THE HOUSE AND THE HOUSE HAS A LEDA BILL, IT IS A LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACT, AND WE HAVE A BILL TO ALLOW HOME DELIVERY FOR RESTAURANTS.

SO WE ARE TRYING TO PUSH OUT SOME HELP TO PEOPLE, FRONTLINE WORKERS, LOW INCOME WORKERS, ALL ARE WORKING FOR ALL OF US, SMALL BUSINESS LOANS, WE ARE GOING TO DO A LOT NEXT WEEK.

>>LORENE: WELL, I AM A LITTLE DAZZLED BY THE COMPREHENSIVENESS.

THESE ARE A LOT OF REALLY IMPORTANT ISSUES AND I AM SO GRATEFUL, I KNOW NATIONALLY THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO BRING HELP, COVID PANDEMIC RELIEF, TO PATIENTS, TO ESSENTIAL WORKERS, TO BUSINESSES, BUT THAT OUR STATE IS DOING IT AND WE WILL BE MUST FASTER I MUST ADMIT.

>>MIMI: YES.

>>LORENE: SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT.

NOW YOU HAVE GIVEN US SOME HEADS UP ABOUT SOME THINGS TO LOOK FOR OH AND I THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF THE BEES, I AM A REALLY A BIG "SAVE THE BEES" PERSON.

SO WE ARE FILMING IN THE EARLY WEEKS OF THE SESSION AND YOU HAVE GIVEN US A GOOD HEADS UP ABOUT SOME THINGS TO LOOK FOR.

LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT A COUPLE OF LONG-TERM THINGS, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE IDEA OF FINALLY BEING, WE ARE ONE OF THE FEW STATES THAT HAS A VOLUNTEER OR CITIZEN LEGISLATURE, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE ISSUE OF SHOULD WE FINALLY PAY OUR LAWMAKERS FOR ALL THE WORK THAT THEY ARE DOING.

>>MIMI: WELL, LORENE, I BELIEVE WE SHOULD.

I THINK YOU AS SOME OF US SAY, "WELL, YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR AND YOU KNOW WE ARE JUST NOT PAID."

SO YOU KNOW WE ARE ESSENTIALLY VOLUNTEERS AND I HAD TO QUIT MY TEACHING JOB BECAUSE MY LEGISLATIVE WORK REALLY WAS TOO MUCH FOR ME, IT WAS LIKE HAVING TWO FULL TIME JOBS.

SO I QUIT THE JOB THAT PAID ME SO THAT I COULD DO THE JOB THAT DIDN'T PAY ME.

SO I JUST THINK WE NEED YOUNGER PEOPLE, WE NEED NEW BLOOD AND I THINK IT IS VERY HARD FOR YOUNGER PEOPLE TO BE IN THE LEGISLATURE BECAUSE THEY CAN'T QUIT THEIR JOB.

SO THEY HAVE A LOT OF RETIRED PEOPLE WHO ARE GETTING OLDER UP HERE, WE HAVE YOU KNOW LAWYERS AND RANCHERS WHO FEEL LIKE THEY CAN DO THIS PART TIME.

I REALLY DO THINK IT IS TIME THAT WE BECOME MORE PROFESSIONAL AND THE WAY TO DO THAT IS TO HAVE A PROFESSIONAL PAY, SO THERE WILL BE BILLS TO DO THAT.

>>LORENE: WELL I HAVE BEEN AN OBSERVER OF THE LEGISLATURE FOR DECADES NOW AND I KNOW HOW HARD YOU ALL WORK AND THE SACRIFICES THAT YOU MAKE, ESPECIALLY IN A SESSION LIKE THIS.

BUT WHEN IT COMES TO PROFESSIONALISM AND IDEALISM, I AM SO PLEASED THAT YOU HAVE BEEN OUR GUEST TODAY.

OUR GUEST TODAY HAS BEEN SENATOR MIMI STEWART, WHO IS THE PRESIDENT PRO TEM OF THE NEW MEXICO STATE SENATE, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO.

>>MIMI: WELL, THANK YOU, LORENE.

THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS SHOW, IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO GET OUT OUR MESSAGE, I APPRECIATE YOU.

>>LORENE: YOU HAVE GOT A LOT OF MESSAGE OUT, PER MINUTE, YOU DID GREAT, OKAY, WE WILL SEE YOU AGAIN.

BUT I AM LORENE MILLS AND I WANT 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