>>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 THE PRESIDENT PRO TEM OF THE NEW MEXICO SENATE.

AND WE ARE DOING A REALLY INTERESTING LOOK BACK AT THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND THE CHALLENGES OF THE LAST TWO SESSIONS, THE 60 DAY AND THE SPECIAL SESSION.

WELCOME BACK, MIMI.

>>MIMI: THANK YOU SO MUCH, LORENE, FOR HAVING ME ON.

I HAVE HAD SOME SLEEP SO HOPEFULLY I WILL SOUND OKAY AFTER THOSE LONG SESSIONS.

>>LORENE: IT IS A GRUELING SCHEDULE.

WE HAVE A RARE OPPORTUNITY HERE BECAUSE WE SPOKE WITH YOU BEFOREHAND ABOUT WHAT WE WERE ANTICIPATING.

AND NOW I WOULD LOVE TO TALK ABOUT THE SUCCESSES AND SOMEHOW BY HAVING IT ZOOM AND NOT IN PERSON, A LOT OF HIDDEN ISSUES CAME UP IN A WAY THAT WE CAN MAYBE GET OUR HANDS AROUND THEM AND LOOK AT WAYS OF IMPROVING THE LEGISLATIVE COVERAGE.

I THINK WE DID VERY WELL CONSIDERING BUT THERE WERE PROBLEMS.

JUST LET ME DO YOUR BACKGROUND REALLY QUICK.

YOU WERE IN THE HOUSE FROM 1995 TO 2014, THAT'S 19 YEARS AND YOU HAVE BEEN IN THE SENATE SINCE 2015 AND YOU ARE A DEMOCRAT FROM BERNALILLO COUNTY AND YOU WERE ELECTED THE PRESIDENT PRO TEM WHICH IS A VERY POWERFUL, VERY POWERFUL POST IN THE SENATE.

THE LAST TIME YOU WERE ABLE TO TELL US WHAT THE PRO TEM DOES AND HOW YOU CHOSE COMMITTEE CHAIRS AND ALL OF THAT, BUT LET'S LOOK BACK AND SEE HOW THE SESSION WAS.

I THINK IT WAS EXTRAORDINARY, BUT ONE OF THE SUCCESSES YOU WANTED TO TALK ABOUT I KNOW WAS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CROP OF NEW MEMBERS, JUST PHENOMENAL PEOPLE, LET'S TALK ABOUT THEM.

>>MIMI: WELL, LORENE, THEY ARE JUST SO INTELLIGENT, ARTICULATE, THOUGHTFUL.

PETER WIRTH AND I WOULD LOOK AT EACH OTHER AND SAY, "SO, THESE ARE BILLS WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO PASS FOR DECADES AND THEY ARE FLYING OUT OF THE SENATE."

THE END OF LIFE BILL, THE ELIZABETH WHITEFIELD BILL, THE HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION TO USE AS THE GOVERNOR SAID "POQUITO PINCH" OF THE LAND GRANT PERMANENT FUND, REPEALING THE STATUTES WE HAVE THAT CRIMINALIZE ABORTION DOCTORS AND WOMEN SEEKING.

SO ALL OF THESE BILLS PASSED, WE HARDLY HAD ANY LOSSES IN THE SENATE FOR SIGNIFICANT BILLS THAT WE TRIED TO PASS FOR MANY YEARS AND IT WAS THE NEW PEOPLE THAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE.

IN FACT THE LAST NIGHT OF THE SPECIAL SESSION ALL OUR NEW SENATORS REMINDED THE GOVERNOR THAT THE CANNABIS REGULATION BILL PASSED BY SEVEN VOTES AND THERE THEY WERE ALL SEVEN OF THE NEW PEOPLE, THEY'RE READY TO HELP US.

SO OUR CAUCUS IS VERY DIFFERENT, IT IS MUCH MORE DIVERSE NOW.

WE HAVE OUR FIRST BLACK SENATOR, HAROLD POLK, AND HE WAS SIMPLY AMAZING, STOOD UP WHEN HE NEEDED TO ON THE FLOOR OF THE SENATE.

TWO MORE LGBT, LEO JARAMILLO AND CARRIE HAMBLEM, AND THEY WERE FANTASTIC.

KATIE DUHIGG ACTUALLY WE ASKED HER TO WORK EVERY DAY BETWEEN THE REGULAR SESSION AND THE SPECIAL SESSION ON CANNABIS REGULATIONS AND SHE PUT IN ALL THAT WORK WITH JAVIER MARTINEZ AND ANDREA ROMERO, LINDA LOPEZ, AND JERRY ORTIZ Y PINO.

THEY WORKED FOR 10 DAYS BETWEEN THE SESSIONS, SO OUR NEW FOLKS WERE JUST TOTALLY AMAZING, I AM VERY GRATEFUL THAT WE HAVE THEM ALL.

>>LORENE: I WAS ACTUALLY, AS AN OBSERVER, CONSTANTLY KIND OF ROCKED BACK ON MY HEELS AT WHAT THEY BROUGHT TO THE GAME.

I MEAN THEY KNEW THEIR STUFF, THEY WERE VERY ARTICULATE, THEY ARGUED WELL, AND PARTICULARLY KATIE DUHIGG AND SENATOR POPE.

IT WAS JUST LIKE, I THOUGHT HOW WONDERFUL THAT WE HAVE THESE INTELLIGENT, TELL ME THE GENDER BREAKDOWN, HOW MANY NEW WOMEN ARE IN THE SENATE?

>>MIMI: WELL WE NOW HAVE 12 WOMEN, TWO ARE REPUBLICANS, WE NOW HAVE 10 DEMOCRATIC WOMEN, THAT'S MORE DEMOCRATIC WOMEN I THINK THAN WE HAVE EVER HAD IN THE SENATE, IT IS CERTAINLY THE MOST WE HAVE HAD IN A LONG TIME, THEY MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE.

SIAH CORREA HEMPHILL FROM THE SILVER CITY AREA WAS ALSO A ROCK STAR, THEY WERE ALL ROCK STARS IN THEIR OWN WAY.

BRENDA MCKENNA THE CAUCUS CHAIR AND SHE TOOK TO THAT, SHE IS THE ONE THAT HELPED PASS THE TRAPPING BAN.

BRENDA MCKENNA HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THAT FOR A DECADE WORKING WITH DEB HAALAND, SO I WAS VERY PROUD OF HER GETTING THAT ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.

SENATOR SIAH CORREA HEMPHILL HELPED WITH THE GILA RIVER BILL THAT WE FINALLY GOT ACROSS THE FINISH LINE, SO WE ARE GOING TO USE $80 MILLION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ON WATER PROJECTS IN THOSE FOUR SOUTHWESTERN COUNTIES, SOMETHING THAT WE'VE NEEDED TO DO FOREVER.

SO EVERY ONE OF THEM BROUGHT THEIR BEST GAME, THEY ALL PASSED BILLS.

SENATOR WIRTH GAVE THEM ALL A BIG PLAQUE OF THE FIRST BILL THEY PASSED IN THE SENATE BUT THEY SHOWED UP EVERY DAY.

WHEN YOU CAME TO COMMITTEES, THEY WERE ALL THERE, THEY WERE ALL THERE ON THE FLOOR ALL THE TIME.

SO THEY JUST TOOK EVERYTHING SERIOUSLY AND SEVERAL OF THEM SAID TO ME, "THESE BILLS WE'RE DOING NOW, THIS IS THE REASON I RAN FOR OFFICE."

CAROL POPE SAID THAT TO ME ABOUT THE PAID SICK LEAVE BILL, I RAN FOR OFFICE BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE.

SO THEY WERE ARTICULATE, THEY WERE PROUD TO BE THERE, THEY WORKED HARDER THAN THE REST OF US SOME OF THE TIME.

SO I AM JUST VERY PROUD OF THEM, WE ARE GOING TO SEE A LOT FROM THESE NEW FRESHMEN.

>>LORENE: WELL WE WILL REVISIT THE PAID SICK LEAVE BILL IN A LITTLE BIT.

I WANT TO DO A LITTLE MORE OVERVIEW OF WHAT IS GOING ON.

SO THIS WAS OUR FIRST PANDEMIC INDUCED ZOOM LEGISLATURE.

SO THERE WERE SOME STRONG POINTS, THERE WERE PERHAPS INCREASED, WELL IT IS A TWO EDGED SWORD.

MORE PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO CALL IN AND TO HAVE THEIR VOICE HEARD EVEN IF FOR A LITTLE TINY INCREMENTS.

BUT THEN IT BROUGHT UP THE ISSUE OF INTERNET ACCESS AND THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DID NOT HAVE A WAY EVEN THOUGH THEY MADE IT SO YOU COULD CALL IN ON YOUR TELEPHONE.

BUT IT WAS STILL CHALLENGING FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST AT THE TIME WHEN ALL THE SCHOOL KIDS ARE HAVING TO USE BROADBAND FOR SCHOOL AND WE HAD TO USE INTERNET ACCESS TO REACH THE CAPITOL.

SO WHAT IS YOUR OVERALL VERDICT ON HOW THE ZOOMING WENT?

>>MIMI: WELL IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT, LORENE, IT REALLY WAS.

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED IS HOW MUCH GETS DONE BECAUSE OF OUR PERSONAL INTERACTIONS AND HOW MUCH DOES NOT GET DONE BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH FEWER PERSONAL INTERACTIONS IN THE ZOOM WORLD.

SO WE PASSED MANY FEWER BILLS, A HUNDRED FEWER BILLS THAN WE NORMALLY DO IN A 60 DAY SESSION.

WE JUST DID NOT HAVE THE TIME TO REALLY GO THROUGH OUR COMMITTEES THE WAY WE NORMALLY WOULD.

SO IT WAS GOOD TO HEAR FROM MORE PEOPLE, SOME OF THE TIME IT FELT LIKE WE WERE HEARING FROM MORE PEOPLE BUT SOME OF THE TIME IT FELT LIKE WE HAD PUT TOO SHORT OF A WINDOW FOR THE COMMITTEE TO REALLY HEAR FROM PEOPLE.

BUT WE JUST COULDN'T GET TO BILLS, IT WAS HARDER TO AMEND THESE BILLS, WE HAD TO SHOW THE AMENDMENT ON THE SCREEN, FOR THOSE OF US THAT WERE IN THE CAPITOL WE GOT THE AMENDMENTS PASSED OUT TO US.

BUT JUST EVERY STEP OF THE WAY IT WAS HARDER TO DO.

THERE IS A LOT OF TOUCHING OF PAPER IN THE LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS, WE JUST COULDN'T DO THAT, WE DIDN'T HAVE AMENDMENTS ON TIME, WE DIDN'T HAVE SUBSTITUTES ON TIME OR THEY WERE SENT TO US THROUGH EMAIL AND WE WERE GETTING HUNDREDS OF EMAILS A DAY, WE COULDN'T FIND THEM.

I COULDN'T FIND THE ZOOM LINKS HALF OF THE TIME, I WAS LATE TO MEETINGS BECAUSE I COULDN'T REMEMBER WHICH ZOOM MEISTER SENT ME THE ZOOM LINK FOR THAT PARTICULAR MEETING AND EVERY DAY WAS LIKE THAT.

IT WAS EXHAUSTING, IT WAS HARDER TO DO AND IT REALLY DID SHOW SOME OF OUR INTERACTIONS AS CERTAINLY NEEDING WORK, WE NEED TO WORK ON OUR INTERACTIONS THAT THE PUBLIC, THE ZOOM REALLY SHOWED THAT.

>>LORENE: AND IT ALSO KIND OF SHOWED THE POWER OF THE COMMITTEE CHAIRS, NOT ALL OF WHOM MANIFESTED THE KIND OF FAIRNESS THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE TO IN A COMMITTEE ROOM WITH EVERYBODY THERE.

SO THERE WAS A LOT OF, OF COURSE THEY BLAMED IT ON THE INTERNET AND THE PEOPLE WERE NOT EVER SENT THE ZOOM, SO THAT BOTH SIDES OF A BILL MIGHT NOT BE HEARD AND THE TIME ON SOME BILLS WAS VERY, VERY SHORT FOR PEOPLE TO SPEAK, FOR PEOPLE TO ORGANIZE THEIR THOUGHTS IN 30 SECONDS OR A MINUTE THAT WAS HARD.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS SO INTRIGUED ABOUT WAS THAT A LOT OF HAVING TO USE ANOTHER FORMAT OF THE INTERNET A LOT OF HIDDEN ISSUES WERE REVEALED THAT PERHAPS WE JUST DIDN'T NOTICE FOR A LONG TIME.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME UP WERE ISSUES OF MISOGYNY, SEXISM, BULLYING AND WHAT WAS ALL CALLED IN EVERY CULTURE THE "OLD BOYS CLUB."

AND IT BECAME PARTICULARLY POIGNANT AND CONCERNING IN YOUR BILL AND MANY OTHERS BUT THE HB20 THIS PAID SICK LEAVE, THERE WAS AN EPISODE LATE AT NIGHT WHEN EVERYONE WAS VERY TIRED THAT JUST SMACKED OF BULLYING AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE VERY, VERY UNHAPPY ABOUT THAT.

MANY LAWMAKERS STOOD UP AND SAID, "THIS IS WRONG, WE JUST CAN'T DO THAT."

SO ONE OF YOUR CONCLUSIONS WAS THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE CULTURE OF THE LEGISLATURE AND PERHAPS CHANGE IT SO THAT THESE UNCONSCIOUS BIASES CAN PERHAPS BE CHANGED.

NOW THAT IS A TALL ORDER, THIS IS A PLACE THAT RUNS ON ESTABLISHED RITUAL AND UNCONSCIOUS BIAS, SO WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THAT, YOU CAN HANDLE THIS QUESTION ANYWAY YOU WANT.

>>MIMI: WELL, THE ZOOMS REALLY DID SHOW US NOT ALWAYS AT OUR BEST.

I THINK THE ZOOMS SHOWED US TIRED, FRUSTRATED AND NOT ALWAYS INTERACTING WITH EACH OTHER IN A COLLEGIAL WAY AND NOT INTERACTING WITH THE PUBLIC IN A DIPLOMATIC AND COLLEGIAL WAY.

IT IS HARD TO SEE, IT IS HARD TO LOOK AT AND IT IS HARD FOR SOME PEOPLE TO ADMIT THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM, BECAUSE WE ARE USED TO DOING IT THIS WAY.

YOU KNOW CHAIRS ARE USED TO, I AM NOT GOING TO SCHEDULE THAT BILL, WE DON'T HAVE TIME OR I AM GOING TO SCHEDULE THESE BILLS BUT I AM ONLY GOING TO HEAR 10 MINUTES OF COMMENT ON EITHER SIDE.

AND WE DO THAT ALL THE TIME IN PERSON, SOMEHOW, IT WORKS BETTER IN PERSON, IT DID NOT WORK WELL IN THE ZOOM.

SO I AM TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO HAVE THE MEMBERS OF OUR CAUCUS LOOK AT WHAT THEY DID AND TRY TO CHANGE AND TRY TO ACCEPT THAT THEIR BEHAVIOR MIGHT NEED A LITTLE WORK.

SO I AM LOOKING AT HIRING PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY DO SOME TRAINING OF OUR SENATE CAUCUS.

HOW DO YOU RELATE TO PEOPLE THAT ARE SO DIFFERENT FROM YOU AND ARE COMING FROM A DIFFERENT BACKGROUND AND MAY NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE DIPLOMACY THAN THE WAY YOU TREATED THEM.

HOW DO YOU DEBATE ON THE FLOOR WITHOUT BEING MEAN AND ABUSIVE, HOW DO YOU HANDLE THESE KINDS OF ISSUES THAT COME UP WITH PEOPLE TRYING TO GET ON THE ZOOM AND NOT BEING ABLE TO DO IT AND THEN GET BUMPED OFF AND THEN WANTING TO COME ON AGAIN AND YOU CAN SEE THEIR FACE AND THEY'RE SO UPSET, SO HOW DO WE HANDLE THESE KINDS OF ISSUES.

BUT REALLY HOW DO WE INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE PUBLIC IS PROUD OF THE WAY WE ARE INTERACTING NOT AGHAST OR ASHAMED OR EMBARRASSED.

YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE MEETINGS AND IT REALLY IS EMBARRASSING TO SEE HOW WE TREAT EACH OTHER OR SOMETIMES HOW WE TREAT THE PUBLIC AND WE ALL CAN LEARN FROM GOOD TRAINING FROM PEOPLE WHO PAY ATTENTION TO THE PSYCHOLOGY ABOUT INTERACTING.

ARE YOU SHOWING SOME OF YOUR SEXISM, ARE YOU SHOWING SOME OF YOUR MISOGYNY, ARE YOU SHOWING A LITTLE OF YOUR RACIAL BIAS AND THESE COME OUT AND THESE, WE HAVE A LOT OF EXPERTS IN NEW MEXICO WHO ARE TELLING US WHAT IS HAPPENING ON THESE INTERACTIONS.

AND SO I AM HOPING TO PUT TOGETHER GOOD TRAINING FOR US SO WE CAN LEARN FROM OUR INTERACTIONS AND IMPROVE THEM, I CERTAINLY WANT TO LEARN HOW TO IMPROVE MY INTERACTIONS ALSO.

>>LORENE: WE ARE SPEAKING TODAY WITH SENATOR MIMI STEWART WHO IS THE PRESIDENT PRO TEM OF THE NEW MEXICO SENATE.

SO SHE IS PERFECTLY POISED TO OFFER A WAY OF LEARNING LESSONS FROM THIS.

IT IS VERY HARD FOR PEOPLE, I THINK SENATOR DUHIGG SAID THIS AT THE END OF THE VERY TEMPESTUOUS EVENING ABOUT THE PAID SICK LEAVE AND SHE SAID THAT SHE HAD BEEN SHOCKED AT HOW SHE AS A WOMAN WAS TREATED AND SHE SIMPLY SAID, "IF YOU DON'T NOTICE WHAT IS GOING ON, IT IS BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT A WOMAN."

AND SO IT IS THESE OLD GENDER ISSUES THAT ARE SO HARD AND OPERATE ON SUCH AN UNCONSCIOUS LEVEL.

BUT WE WILL ALL BE BETTER OFF IF WE CAN SEE OUR OWN UNCONSCIOUS BIASES AND MOVE IN A MORE AS YOU SAY CONGENIAL AND CIVIL WAY, BECAUSE WE ARE DOING THE WORK FOR NEW MEXICO, WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE NEW MEXICO THE BEST IT CAN BE.

SO I AM GRATEFUL AND VERY INTERESTED IN WHAT CAN BE DONE WITH THIS AND IF PEOPLE HAVE IDEAS, THEY SHOULD LET US KNOW BECAUSE YOU KNOW SOME THINGS CAN'T BE CHANGED.

ONE THING THAT I HAVE OBSERVED MANY TIMES, FOR EXAMPLE YOUR BILL ABOUT THE BEES AND BANNING THE NEONICOTINOIDS I HOPE I AM SAYING IT RIGHT AS A PESTICIDE IN CITY GARDENS, NOT AGRICULTURAL, BUT IN YOUR FLOWERBEDS TO NOT USE THIS KIND OF PESTICIDE THAT KILLS BEES AND MANY SENATORS, YOU SAID THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH COMMERCIAL AGRICULTURE THIS IS A RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM JUST TO TRY TO AND YOU KNOW WITHOUT BEES WE DON'T HAVE POLLINATORS, WE DON'T HAVE CROPS, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT.

BUT THE SCALE YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT WAS REALLY DOMESTIC AND RESIDENTIAL AND I THINK YOU SAID IT FIVE OR SIX TIMES AND THE SAME THING WITH THE PAID SICK LEAVE, THE OTHER ELEMENTS IN THE SENATE WANTED TO ADD IT FOR PUBLIC EMPLOYEES WHICH IS A WHOLE OTHER KETTLE OF FISH.

THE RULES FOR PRIVATE BUSINESS ARE VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE RULES FOR STATE, THIS IS ONLY FOR BUSINESSES AND YET, YOU KNOW, THEY JUST IGNORED WHAT YOU WERE SAYING AND IT MADE THE DISCUSSIONS LONGER AND MORE DIFFICULT.

SO I DON'T THINK IT IS ANYTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT THAT, WE CAN'T HAVE LISTENING TRAINING BUT WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT ASPECT OF IT?

>>MIMI: WELL, I WISH EVERYONE WOULD LISTEN TO WHAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT BUT WE DON'T ALL LISTEN TO EACH OTHER AND YOU KNOW SOMETIMES MORE ON A FILIBUSTER FROM THE OTHER SIDE, I JUST TUNE OUT, I CAN'T LISTEN, I CAN'T SIT THERE THROUGH ONE, TWO, THREE HOURS OF A FILIBUSTER BUT THE PUBLIC SURE IS, THEY ARE LISTENING AND MAKING COMMENTS ABOUT IT.

I THINK PART OF THE PROBLEM REALLY IS COVID, IF YOU ARE ON THE FLOOR OF THE STATE SENATE, YOU CAN'T EVEN SEE FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER BECAUSE OF ALL THE PLASTIC BARRIERS THAT WERE PUT IN BETWEEN ALL OF OUR DESKS, SO YOU CAN'T HEAR EACH OTHER VERY WELL WITH THE MASKS ON.

WHEN I WAS UP IN THE PRESIDENT'S CHAIR, PEOPLE HAD TO KEEP TELLING ME I CAN'T UNDERSTAND YOU, I WAS WEARING TWO MASKS, I HAD TO REMOVE ONE.

SO THE ZOOM REALLY HAS KEPT US MORE APART THAN NORMAL AND I THINK THAT MADE THAT WE DIDN'T LISTEN AS WELL, THAT WE JUST DIDN'T LISTEN AS WELL TO EACH OTHER.

WE HAD ALL NEW LEADERSHIP AND IT WAS HARD FOR THE NEW LEADERSHIP TO INTERACT JUST BECAUSE OF ZOOM AND ALL THE BARRIERS.

SO I AM HOPING THAT THE TRAINING WE DO WILL LOOK FURTHER THAN JUST HOW ONE INTERACTS AND HAPPENS, THAT WE WILL TRY TO HAVE THE SENATE WORK AS A WHOLE ON THE WAY WE TREAT EACH OTHER.

SO I WILL JUST TELL YOU ONE THING THAT HAPPENED THAT WAS SO AFFIRMING TO ME AND THAT IS WHEN WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE PAID SICK LEAVE BILL AND I WAS UNDER DURESS BECAUSE OF THE WAY ONE SENATOR CONTINUED TO ASK ME THE SAME QUESTION OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

WHEN I FINALLY DECIDED THAT I HAD ANSWERED HIS QUESTION MULTIPLE TIMES AND I WASN'T GOING TO DO IT ANYMORE, ALL THE WOMEN IN THE SENATE STOOD UP AND CAME OVER TO MY DESK AND PUT NOTES ON IT.

YOU ARE DOING GREAT, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER ANYMORE, YOU ARE DOING A GREAT JOB, WE ARE HERE WITH YOU.

SENATOR SHANNON PINTO WHO WAS UP IN HER OFFICE CAME DOWN TO THE FLOOR SO THAT SHE COULD SUPPORT ME.

SO THE WOMEN UNDERSTOOD WHAT WAS GOING ON, YOU CAN'T EVEN UNDERSTAND IT REALLY BY LOOKING AT THE TAPE YOU HAD TO BE THERE.

IT WAS JUST SO MUCH GOING ON ON THE FLOOR AND THEN WHEN SENATOR STEFANICS AND SENATOR PADILLA JUST STOOD UP AND SAID, "THIS IS BULLYING AND HAS TO STOP."

IT WAS MY COLLEAGUES THAT STOOD UP FOR ME AND MOSTLY THE WOMEN, IT WAS VERY AFFIRMING THAT, OKAY WE DON'T LIKE THIS EITHER, WE DON'T LIKE THE WAY YOU ARE BEING TREATED, IT IS UNNECESSARY THE QUESTIONS HAVE ALL BEEN ANSWERED, IT IS TIME TO GIVE UP THE MIC.

IT JUST FELT VERY AFFIRMING THAT IT WASN'T JUST ME GETTING UPSET OR FEELING ATTACKED, IT WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THAT BODY THAT UNDERSTOOD WHAT WAS GOING ON.

SO I THINK THAT THE NEW WOMEN, THE NEW LEGISLATORS, THEY JUST DON'T LIKE WHAT THEY HAVE SEEN FROM THE WAY WE INTERACT AND THEY ARE GOING TO INSURE THAT WE ALL DO BETTER, ALL OF US DO BETTER.

I HAVE GOT THINGS TO LEARN ALSO, SO I AM HOPING THE NEW PEOPLE AND MY ATTEMPTS AT GETTING US SOME TRAINING WILL MAKE SOME CHANGES.

WE HAVE TO CHANGE, WE ARE PUBLIC SERVANTS, YOU KNOW WE NEED TO ACT LIKE IT.

>>LORENE: I WOULD LIKE YOU TO LOOK AT WHAT BILLS WE ARE GOING TO REVISIT.

THERE WAS A VERY LOW FAILURE RATE, BUT THERE ARE STILL SOME BILLS TO COME BACK TO, BUT FIRST I DO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO RAUL BURCIAGA AND THE CAPITOL AS A MEDIA PERSON, I HAD TO HAVE THE TESTING EVERY FIVE DAYS, BUT THEY REALLY MADE THE BEST OF A GOOD SITUATION.

THERE WERE VERY FEW POSITIVES, EVERYTHING WAS TRACKED, THERE WAS A MASK MANDATE YOU KNOW NO MATTER WHAT PARTY YOU WERE IN AND HOW YOU FELT ABOUT IT YOU HAD TO WEAR A MASK AND I FEEL THAT THEY REALLY DID A GOOD JOB TO KEEP US SAFE.

NOW, SO WE ARE LOOKING AT OUR SUCCESSES.

WHAT BILLS DO YOU WANT TO COME BACK AND WORK ON IN THE INTERIM AND HELP SO THAT THEY PASS THIS TIME, BUT LIKE YOU SAID, THE CANNABIS LEGALIZATION, THE END OF LIFE OPTIONS ACT, THE PERMANENT FUND MONEY FOR A TINY PERCENTAGE OF IT FOR THE SCHOOLS.

THERE WAS STUFF THAT HAS FAILED FOR YEARS, SUDDENLY IT WAS JUST LIKE IT WAS WONDERFUL TO SEE ALL THESE PROGRESSIVE BILLS GOING THROUGH THAT WILL MAKE OUR STATE BETTER.

WHAT DO WE HAVE TO WORK ON STILL?

>>MIMI: WELL WE STILL HAVE WATER AND ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE ISSUES.

I WAS PROUD TO BE THE PRIMARY SPONSOR OF OUR SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY TASKFORCE, AND I WORKED WITH ANGELICA RUBIO AND MELANIE STANSBURY IN THE HOUSE AND THEY PUT ANGELICA RUBIO'S BILL, WHICH IS REALLY A JUST TRANSITION FOR IMPACTED COMMUNITIES TO HAVE BETTER JOB PROSPECTS, WE PUT HER BILL INTO THAT BILL SO IT IS A VERY STRONG BILL, SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY TASKFORCE.

IT IS GOING TO BE RUN MOSTLY BY OUR CABINET SECRETARIES THAT DEAL WITH THE ENVIRONMENT AND ECONOMICS.

BUT WITH ANGELICA RUBIO'S BILL, WE NOW HAVE A GOOD SOLID PEOPLE OF COLOR, PEOPLE OF IMPACTED COMMUNITIES' ADVISORY COUNCIL THAT WORKS WITH THEM.

SO WE HAVE NOT CROSSED THE LINE ON BEING ABLE TO INSURE THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE WATER IN THE FUTURE ESPECIALLY WITH WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH CLIMATE CHANGE, WE NEED TO DO MORE WITH THAT.

WE NEED TO DO MORE WITH THE EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES.

WITH PETER WIRTH'S SENATE BILL 8, WHICH REALLY PUT BETTER LANGUAGE IN OUR STATUTE SO THAT WE CAN MAKE OUR REGULATIONS STRICTER THAN THE US REGULATIONS, THAT IS GIVING US A GOOD METHANE RULE THAT WE JUST PASSED.

SO IT IS OUR ENVIRONMENT THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON.

I WILL BRING BACK MY NEONICOTINOID BILL, I WILL TRY VERY HARD TO WORK WITH THE INDUSTRY IN THE INTERIM TO INSURE THAT EVERYBODY IS AT THE TABLE AND THAT THEY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE TO CHANGES THAT WE NEED, I PROMISE TO WORK ON THAT.

YOU KNOW WE ALL DO THIS, WE WORK FOR YEARS ON BILLS AND THEN WHEN THEY FINALLY PASS IT IS LIKE, ALRIGHT, I CAN FORGET THAT NOW.

AND SOMETIMES WE ALWAYS NEED TO COME BACK AND CHANGE THOSE BILLS.

I AM SURE THAT WE WILL BE MAKING CHANGINGS TO OUR CANNABIS REGULATION ACT.

WE GOT THAT OVER THE FINISH LINE THANKS TO KATIE DUHIGG AND JAVIER MARTINEZ AND ANDREA ROMERO AND SENATOR PIRTLE.

WE TOOK PARTS OF CLIFF PIRTLE'S BILL INTO OURS, HE REALLY WANTED TO FOCUS ON THE ABILITY OF OUR POLICE OFFICES TO MAINTAIN GOOD DRIVING ISSUES AND SO WE LISTENED TO HIM EVEN THOUGH AT THE END OF THE SESSION IT DIDN'T SOUND LIKE IT, WE DEFINITELY DID.

SO WE WILL BE BACK TO REDO THINGS, THERE MAY NEED TO BE SOME CHANGES WITH OUR SICK LEAVE POLICY.

IT IS A GREAT BILL, I AM VERY PROUD OF THAT WE DID AND IN THE END EVERY DEMOCRAT VOTED FOR IT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF TWO, SO ALL OF THAT HUBBUB, ALL THAT BALYHOO, ALL THAT ABUSE IN THE NIGHT STILL GOT US A GOOD BILL THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS SIGNED.

SO I WON'T SAY IT WAS WORTH IT BUT AT LEAST WE CROSSED THE FINISH LINE WITH THAT PAID SICK LEAVE BILL THAT WAS A VERY IMPORTANT BILL FOR OUR FRONTLINE WORKERS.

>>LORENE: IT SURE WAS.

>>MIMI: SO WE WILL BE BACK FIXING THINGS THAT WE HAVE MADE MISTAKES ON I AM SURE, LORENE.

>>LORENE: WELL, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU.

OUR GUEST TODAY IS SENATOR MIMI STEWART, THE PRESIDENT PRO TEM, OF THE NEW MEXICO SENATE.

I WANT TO THANK YOU, YOU REMIND US AGAIN THAT IT IS ABOUT PUBLIC SERVICE AND YOU AND YOUR FELLOW SENATORS WORKED SO HARD THIS SESSION, BOTH SESSIONS AND WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL TO YOU.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.

>>MIMI: THANK YOU, LORENE, FOR DOING YOUR SHOW AS ALWAYS.

>>LORENE: OKAY 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