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

HELLO, I'M LORENE MILLS, AND WELCOME TO REPORT FROM SANTA F. OUR GUEST TODAY IS SENATOR MICHAEL PADILLA, WHO IS A DEMOCRAT FROM DISTRICT 14, HE'S FROM BERNALILLO, BUT SENATOR, WHAT I LOVE ABOUT YOU IS THAT THE AREA OF BERNALILLO COUNTY THAT YOU'RE FROM IS CALLED LAS PADILLAS BECAUSE YOUR FAMILY HAS LIVED THERE FOR 150 YEARS.

>>MICHAEL: THAT'S RIGHT, WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SETTLE IN THIS AREA, AND WE STARTED OUT IN LIFE AS CHILE FARMERS AND APPLE FARMERS AND ALFALFA FARMERS, LIKE MANY NEW MEXICO FAMILIES THAT LANDED IN NEW MEXICO, WE MADE A HOME FOR OURSELVES HERE.

>>LORENE: WELL, IT'S A LOVELY, LOVELY HOME, AND I LOVE THAT IT'S CALLED LAS PADILLAS.

YOU'VE BEEN A SENATOR SINCE 2013, AND YOUR OFFICIAL TITLE AS A MEMBER OF THE SENATE IS THE MAJORITY WHIP OF THE NEW MEXICO SENATE.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO OUR AUDIENCE WHAT YOUR JOB IS AS A WHIP?

>>MICHAEL: YEAH, SO I ACTUALLY JOINED AND WAS ELECTED TO LEADERSHIP IN MY SECOND YEAR IN THE SENATE AND HAVE BEEN DOING THIS, YOU KNOW, QUITE SOME TIME NOW.

BUT THE SENATE MAJORITY WHIP IS A VERY BUSY JOB, DURING THE SESSION, IT'S MY JOB TO WORK WITH THE MAJORITY LEADER AND THE PRESIDENT PRO TEM OF THE SENATE, AND WE PUT TOGETHER, WORKING WITH OUR CAUCUS, OF COURSE, A LEGISLATIVE AGENDA AND THESE ARE ITEMS THAT WE ABSOLUTELY WANT TO HAVE PASSED IN THAT PARTICULAR SESSION.

AND THEN WE ALSO, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN, WE DETERMINE WHAT BILLS WE DO NOT WANT TO SEE PASSED AND SO AS THE MAJORITY WHIP, IT'S MY JOB TO CRACK THAT WHIP, BASICALLY, AND WORK WITH OUR CAUCUS TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE VOTES NEEDED TO PASS THAT LEGISLATION.

IN A BODY OF 42 TOTAL SENATORS, WE HAVE 26 DEMOCRATIC SENATORS, SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE A PRETTY GOOD MARGIN FOR OUR MAJORITY WHEN WE WANT SOMETHING PASSED AND WE WANT SOMETHING KILLED, BASICALLY.

THAT'S THE FIRST KEY RESPONSIBILITY.

SECOND, IT'S MY JOB TO MAKE SURE I KNOW ABSOLUTELY WHERE EVERY SINGLE DEMOCRATIC SENATOR IS 24 HOURS A DAY, BECAUSE WHENEVER THERE'S A VOTE THAT'S ABSOLUTELY NEEDED, I NEED TO KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THEY'RE AT, HOW TO GET THEM IN THE CHAMBER, AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR CHEEKS ARE IN THE SEATS, BASICALLY, SO VERY, VERY IMPORTANT STUFF THERE.

>>LORENE: WHAT A CHALLENGE FOR YOU.

>>MICHAEL: AND THEN IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT THAT I HELP TO GAIN MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS ACCESS TO OUR MEMBERS, SO WE HAVE A COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR.

HE AND I WORK VERY CLOSELY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR MEMBERS GET COVERAGE ON THEIR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA AND THEN IT'S ALSO VERY IMPORTANT THAT I WORK WITH THE MAJORITY LEADER ON STRATEGY ON HOW TO MANAGE THE DAY-TO-DAY OF THE OPERATION THERE.

THEN WHENEVER THE MAJORITY LEADER IS NOT AVAILABLE, I AM SORT OF AN ACTING MAJORITY LEADER TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FLOOR CONTINUES TO OPERATE AS IT'S SUPPOSED TO.

SO THAT'S DURING THE SESSION.

THEN OFF SESSION, IT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY TO RAISE A LOT OF MONEY FOR OUR CAUCUS, TO, AGAIN, WORK WITH THE MEDIA, AND TO HELP OUR SENATORS GET REELECTED.

SO IT'S A PRETTY BUSY JOB TO BE THE MAJORITY WHIP.

>>LORENE: YOU TALK PRETTY MUCH IN YOUR OWN CAUCUS, IN YOUR OWN PARTY, BUT HOW MUCH DO YOU DEAL WITH, SAY, THE MINORITY WHIP AND WITH THE MINORITY IN THE SENATE, ALTHOUGH YOU HAVE THAT VERY COMFORTABLE PLURALITY OF MAJORITY, BUT DO YOU WORK MUCH WITH THE MAJORITY, I MEAN, THE MINORITY, I'M SORRY.

>>MICHAEL: YES, ABSOLUTELY.

SO IN THE TIME THAT I'VE BEEN THE WHIP, THE MAJORITY WHIP, I'VE HAD FOUR DIFFERENT MINORITY WHIPS TO DEAL WITH.

I WILL TELL YOU THAT THEY ALL COME WITH ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS THEMSELVES AND DIFFERENT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.

FOR MYSELF, THE CURRENT MINORITY WHIP, AND I ACTUALLY CAME INTO THE SENATE ON THE SAME DAY AND SO WE ARE ACTUALLY VERY GOOD FRIENDS, WE WORK ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS TOGETHER.

WE ACTUALLY ARE SORT OF, I'M SORT OF CENTER-LEFT AND HE'S SORT OF CENTER-RIGHT, SO WE SORT OF MEET IN THE MIDDLE THERE ONCE IN A WHILE.

BUT THEN THERE'S ALSO THOSE HEATED MOMENTS WHERE I'VE GOT TO GET THINGS DONE AND HE'S GOT TO GET THINGS DONE AND THEN IT JUST TURNS INTO A LITTLE BIT OF A BATTLE ROYALE THERE, BUT BY AND LARGE, WE GET ALONG GREAT.

>>LORENE: WELL, ALSO, THERE HAVE BEEN BATTLE ROYALES IN THE SENATE, BUT I NOTICE AT THE LEVEL OF PARTISANSHIP THERE USED TO BE TERRIBLE PARTISAN, TOXIC PARTISANSHIP.

BUT I NOTICE THAT IT'S PRETTY MUCH ON AN EVEN KEEL NOW, IT'S FUNCTIONING IN A MUCH MORE BIPARTISAN MANNER, WHICH MAKES EVERYBODY, I THINK IT'S EASIER TO GET THINGS DONE THAT WAY.

>>MICHAEL: WELL, YOU KNOW, LORRAINE, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

YOU KNOW, MR. AND MRS. NEW MEXICAN, THEY WANT US TO GET OUR WORK DONE, THEY DON'T WANT US TO BE PETTY AND CHILDISH, THEY WANT THE WORK DONE.

SO I'M GOING TO TELL YOU THAT IN THE 13 YEARS I'VE BEEN IN THE STATE SENATE HERE IN NEW MEXICO, I FIND THAT THERE ARE PROBABLY 14, 15, MAYBE 18 ISSUES THAT WE VIOLENTLY DISAGREE ON, BUT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN, WE ACTUALLY AGREE ON ABOUT, YOU KNOW, 92 OR 95% OF THE ISSUES OVERALL.

UNFORTUNATELY, THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES IN OUR LEGISLATURE WHERE WE'VE ALLOWED THOSE 15 OR SO ISSUES TO DIVIDE US SO MUCH THAT WE CAN'T GET THE OTHER 90% DONE.

SO I'M ALL ABOUT GETTING WORK DONE AND IF WE CAN LOOK BEYOND, YOU KNOW, TODAY, WE MIGHT BE COMPLETELY OPPOSED ON SOMETHING AND IT'S OKAY TO DISAGREE, JUST NOT TO BE DISAGREEABLE.

BECAUSE TOMORROW WE MIGHT BE IN THIS LITTLE TINY BOAT TOGETHER WORKING ON SOMETHING TOGETHER, I DON'T WANT IT TO BE LIKE SOMEBODY FARTED IN THAT LITTLE BOAT, WE'VE GOT TO GET SO MUCH WORK DONE HERE.

>>LORENE: AN EXCELLENT METAPHOR OR SIMILE, THANK YOU.

SO, YOU SERVE ON THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE, YOU'RE ALSO ON THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMITTEES, BUT SENATE FINANCE IS A HUGE, HUGE JOB.

THEY MEET ALL THE TIME AND IT'S REALLY WHERE THE RUBBER HITS THE ROAD.

SO WHAT HAS YOUR EXPERIENCE BEEN AS A MEMBER OF THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE?

>>MICHAEL: WELL, NOTHING STARTS UP IN THE MORNING AND NOTHING ENDS IN THE EVENING IN GOVERNMENT WITHOUT DOLLARS TO DO IT.

AND SO AS A MEMBER OF THAT COMMITTEE, I'M VERY PROUD TO WORK ON THAT COMMITTEE, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT.

WE MEET TWICE A DAY, WE MEET THE MOST OUT OF MOST LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES AND ONCE THE BUDGET COMES OVER FROM THE HOUSE, THE VERY LAST STOP BEFORE IT GOES FOR FULL ADOPTION IS THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE.

SO WE HAVE MULTITUDES OF THINGS, WE LISTEN TO ALL DEPARTMENTS AND WHAT THEIR BUDGET NEEDS ARE, WE LISTEN TO ALMOST EVERY PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT HAS A DIRECT APPROPRIATION ASSOCIATED WITH IT.

WE LISTEN TO THE TAX BILL, THE CAPITAL OUTLAY BILL, THE AUTHORIZATION, SUPPLEMENTALS, AND CHANGES TO THE BUDGET INTRA-YEAR AND THEN ACTUALLY HOUSE BILL 2, WHICH COMES OVER, AND IT USUALLY NEEDS A LOT OF WORK, EVEN AFTER THE HOUSE HAS WORKED ON IT.

SO AS A RESULT, WE'RE THERE PRETTY MUCH NONSTOP TO GET THAT DONE.

ONCE THAT PART IS LIFTED OFF OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, THEN IT GOES TO THE FLOOR AND SOMETIMES IT'S A FIGHT, AND SOMETIMES IT'S VERY EASY TO ACCOMPLISH.

>>LORENE: WELL, ALSO, WHEN EACH HOUSE MAKES CHANGES, THE OTHER HOUSE, SENATE OR HOUSE, HAS TO CONFER WITH IT.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH WHEN THERE'S NOT MUCH TIME TO GET THINGS DONE TOWARD THE END.

>>MICHAEL: I'LL POINT TO ONE PIECE OF LEGISLATION, WHICH I SENT OVER FOR US TO TALK ABOUT, ACTUALLY, IT'S SB 42.

I GREW UP IN FOSTER HOMES ALL OVER NEW MEXICO IN SEVEN DIFFERENT COUNTIES AND ACTUALLY, MY SISTERS AND I ALSO LIVED IN THE ALL FAITHS HOME, WHICH WAS OUR LAST ORPHANAGE HERE IN NEW MEXICO.

SO I HAVE A DEEP PASSION FOR CYFD AND REFORMING CYFD, I'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS DONE FOR THEM AND TO REFORM THAT DEPARTMENT.

WELL, THIS YEAR, WE HAD PROBABLY THE LARGEST REFORM BILL IN SEVERAL DECADES TO REFORM THAT, IT'S CALLED SB 42 ON THE CYFD BILL.

AND ONE OF THE MAJOR, THERE WERE ABOUT SEVEN DIFFERENT COMPONENTS THAT WOUND UP IN THE BILL AND I WAS THE SPONSOR OF THAT LEGISLATION, ALONG WITH, I ASKED SENATOR TRUJILLO, SENATOR BERGMAN, SENATOR BRANTLEY, EXCUSE ME, AND SENATOR DUHIGG TO JOIN ME FOR THAT PIECE OF LEGISLATION, BUT THE LARGEST PIECE WAS THE CARA REFORM.

BASICALLY, HOW WOULD WE DEAL WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSED NEWBORNS, BECAUSE THAT'S SORT OF THE PATH FOR THE WHOLE REST OF THE STORY WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT.

UNFORTUNATELY, THAT DOES OCCUR HERE IN NEW MEXICO AND SO WE BASICALLY TOOK OUT SOME KEY LANGUAGE OF THE WORD SHALL, I'M SORRY, MAY, AND INSERTED THE WORD SHALL.

SO THERE'S NO HORSING AROUND IN BACK OF THE AIRPLANE ANYMORE ON THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE.

WE'RE GOING TO TAKE IT VERY SERIOUSLY, WE'RE COMING DOWN VERY HARD ON THIS ISSUE AND I THINK NEW MEXICANS ARE GOING TO SEE SOME REAL CHANGE IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA.

SO THAT WAS ITEM NUMBER ONE AND THEN THERE'S A WHOLE SLEW OF OTHER THINGS THAT WOUND UP IN THAT OMNIBUS BILL ON CYFD REFORM.

YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME REAL CHANGE HERE IN NEW MEXICO.

>>LORENE: WELL, I THINK PEOPLE WILL BE VERY GRATEFUL, WE'VE HAD SUCH A PROBLEM WITH JUVENILE JUSTICE NOWADAYS.

LIKE YOU SAY, DISMANTLE IT AND PUT IT TOGETHER, REPRIORITIZE OUR OLD PRIORITIES, AND BE CURRENT WITH WHAT'S GOING ON.

BECAUSE I'M SURE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY REALLY SURPRISED AT THE LEVEL OF JUVENILE CRIME.

>>MICHAEL: WE WOUND UP WITH THIS HORRIFIC ISSUE IN LAS CRUCES ABOUT A WEEK AGO, AND IT JUST HAS BROKEN MY HEART, I KNOW IT'S BROKEN EVERY NEW MEXICAN'S HEART.

I BELIEVE WHAT THAT COMMUNITY NEEDS RIGHT NOW IS A LOT OF TENDER LOVE AND CARE AND WE NEED TO DISSECT THAT ISSUE FOR HOW DID WE WIND UP AT THAT ISSUE.

WE NEED SOME SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES, TREATMENT, AND FOLLOW-THROUGH IS HOW I LOOK AT IT, TO AVOID THOSE ISSUES AND WE SEE IT MORE AND MORE, AND WE'VE GOT TO STOP THAT FOR OUR PEOPLE.

IT'S A SCOURGE ON OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE MUST STOP IT.

>>LORENE: AND IN THE PAST, IT WAS JUST A SLAP ON THE WRIST, BOYS WILL BE BOYS, AND ALL OF THAT.

AND IT'S ACCELERATED SO MUCH THAT PEOPLE ARE REALLY HORRIFIED AT THIS LAST ONE WITH AN 11-YEAR-OLD, A 13-YEAR-OLD, AND A 15-YEAR-OLD, RUNNING OVER THAT BICYCLIST.

I MEAN, IT JUST REALLY SHOCKED THE PEOPLE, SO I'M REALLY GLAD THAT YOU'RE ON IT.

I DON'T WANT TO RUN OUT OF TIME, WE'VE GOT SO MUCH TO TALK ABOUT.

CAN YOU BRIEFLY DISCUSS THE LAST SESSION AND THEN I'VE GOT SOME OF YOUR BILLS, I REALLY WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT.

>>MICHAEL: SURE.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR INTEREST IN OUR WORK AND IN MY WORK.

YOU KNOW, IT'S AS THOUGH WE HAD AN ENTIRE LEGISLATIVE SESSION BY THE 30TH DAY OF THIS 60-DAY SESSION THAT WE JUST COMPLETED.

WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THREE MAJOR PIECES OF LEGISLATION RELATED TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.

ALL OF THAT'S GOING TO BE STREAMLINED AND PLACED WITH AN OVERSIGHT THAT REALLY WILL NOT ALLOW ANY OF THE BALLS TO BE DROPPED ANY LONGER, BECAUSE IT'S ONE THING TO PUNISH FOLKS, BUT IT'S ALSO ANOTHER THING TO COMPLETELY REFORM THEM OR TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES ON THE FRONT END SO THAT WE'RE PROACTIVE.

THAT'S WHAT SENATE BILLS 1, 2, AND 3 WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH, THEN WE ALSO HAD A CRIME PACKAGE THAT CAME OUT OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

ALL THAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED BEFORE THE 30TH DAY, WHICH WAS VERY EXCITING, THE GOVERNOR SIGNED THOSE BILLS ALMOST IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE SHE KNOWS, JUST LIKE WE KNOW, THAT WE'VE GOT A REAL PROBLEM HERE, WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS.

THEN THAT SET THE TONE FOR THE REST OF THE SESSION, WE WOUND UP WITH ABOUT 1,200 BILLS INTRODUCED BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE.

I INTRODUCED 51 OF THOSE BILLS MYSELF AND WAS ABLE TO GET 11 OF MY PERSONALLY AUTHORED BILLS ON THE GOVERNOR'S DESK THIS YEAR, I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT, INCLUDING THE SENATE BILL, BILL 42, THAT I JUST SPOKE A LITTLE WHILE AGO ABOUT.

WE'VE ALSO HAD SOME MAJOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LEGISLATION PASSED, TRANSITIONING OVER TO A LOT OF REFORM TO PUBLIC EDUCATION, INCLUDING THE 180-DAY SCHOOL YEAR AND HOW THAT'S GOING TO BE ADMINISTERED.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT IF YOU LOOK AT THE BREADTH OF WHAT WE ACCOMPLISHED THIS SESSION, YOU KNOW, IT REALLY WAS A VERY SUCCESSFUL SESSION.

I THINK WE GOT A LOT DONE, WE WERE ABLE TO KEEP THE BUDGET, YOU KNOW, KIND OF IN LINE.

AND SO WE DID OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND THEN SOME.

>>LORENE: WELL, WE'RE SPEAKING TODAY WITH SENATOR MICHAEL PADILLA, A DEMOCRAT FROM BERNALILLO COUNTY.

BEFORE WE GO THROUGH SOME OF YOUR BILLS, I REALLY WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT YOU'VE DONE WITH YOUR ANNUAL JOB FAIRS.

EVERY YEAR YOU HAVE A JOB FAIR AND YOU CAN GO ONLINE TO YOUR WEBSITE, AND THERE'S A LIST OF HOW MANY APPLICANTS, PEOPLE LOOKING FOR WORK WERE THERE, AND HOW MANY EMPLOYERS WERE THERE, AND HOW MANY JOBS WERE SUCCESSFULLY, PEOPLE WERE HIRED AS A RESULT OF YOUR JOB FAIRS.

I READ THAT THE TOTAL OF NEW JOBS FROM YOUR JOB'S FAIR SINCE 2013 IS 9,743 JOBS, CONGRATULATIONS, THANK YOU.

>>MICHAEL: THANK YOU.

SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN I GOT ELECTED IN 2012, ACTUALLY, WE WERE LITERALLY GROUND ZERO FOR HOME FORECLOSURE RATES AND STUFF.

AND I THOUGHT, WELL, THE BEST WAY TO DEAL WITH THAT IS TO HELP PEOPLE FIND A JOB SO THEY CAN PAY THAT MORTGAGE OR PAY THAT RENT AND THAT LENDS ITSELF TO BETTER THROUGHPUT AND CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

BECAUSE IF THE CHILDREN DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO SLEEP AT NIGHT, THE LAST THING THEY'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON IS THEIR HOMEWORK, IF THEY EVEN GET TO SCHOOL THAT DAY, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TURNED THAT AROUND.

WE STARTED OUT WITH ABOUT 25 EMPLOYERS IN THE FIRST JOB FAIR AND EVERY YEAR, WE'RE OVER 125 EMPLOYERS.

SO THERE'S BASICALLY SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY IN THESE JOB FAIRS.

IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, WE'VE HAD OVER 5,000 PEOPLE SHOW UP TO THIS JOB FAIR, IT'S THE LARGEST JOB FAIR IN NEW MEXICO NOW.

AND YOU'RE CORRECT, I'M GOING TO CORRECT A LITTLE BIT, WE'RE ACTUALLY NOW AT 10,700 JOBS AS A RESULT OF THIS JOB FAIR.

IT'S VERY EXCITING STUFF AND WE'RE GOING TO KEEP DOING IT BECAUSE WE THINK IT REALLY ADDS VALUE.

I THOUGHT, I'M GOING TO BRING THE EMPLOYERS TO THE UNEMPLOYED, AND IT'S WORKED OUT GREAT FOR US.

>>LORENE: WELL, ONE THING I WANT TO KIND OF LOOK BACKWARD, I WANT TO LOOK AT YOUR OTHER BILLS IN A MINUTE, BUT SINCE YOU MENTIONED THE STUDENTS, ONE OF YOUR PAST BILLS THAT WAS SO IMPORTANT WAS THE HUNGER-FREE STUDENTS BILL OF RIGHTS.

IT GOT INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION, THERE WAS SOMETHING CALLED LUNCH SHAMING GOING ON, CAN YOU TELL ME IF THERE'S MORE PROGRESS AND THERE'S A GROUP CALLED NEW MEXICO APPLESEED, ARE THEY AN ANTI-HUNGER GROUP.

WHAT'S BEING DONE TO KEEP KIDS AND STUDENTS FROM BEING HUNGRY?

>>MICHAEL: SO I GREW UP VERY HUNGRY, I GREW UP, YOU KNOW, WORKING IN THE LUNCHROOM AND WORKING FOR MY LUNCH.

THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT, I THOROUGHLY APPRECIATED THAT, IT'S TAUGHT ME THE WORK ETHIC THAT I HAVE TODAY.

BUT, YOU KNOW, OUR CHILDREN ARE HUNGRY, HOW CAN WE EXPECT THEM TO FOCUS ON THEIR STUDIES WHEN ALL THEY CAN HEAR IS THEIR STOMACHS IN THE AFTERNOON, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE CHANGE THAT.

SO IN 2017, I WAS ABLE TO PASS THE HUNGER-FREE STUDENT BILL OF RIGHTS, IT LITERALLY GARNERED WORLDWIDE ATTENTION.

I THINK I DID LITERALLY, LORENE, OVER 4,000 INTERVIEWS ALL OVER THE WORLD ON THAT.

>>LORENE: WELL, THEY WERE BIG TIME, THEY WERE CNN, NPR, MSNBC.

YOU GOT INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION FOR THIS.

>>MICHAEL: INTERNATIONAL NEWSPAPERS, TOO, IT WAS GREAT.

AS A RESULT, WE THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, JUST BECAUSE LITTLE JOEY IN THE FOURTH GRADE DOESN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY FOR HIS LUNCH DOESN'T MEAN HE SHOULDN'T HAVE THE SAME LUNCH AS HIS COUNTERPART, HIS CONTEMPORARY.

SO WE WERE ABLE TO PASS THAT BILL, BUT THEN FAST FORWARD TO 2023, I WAS ABLE TO PASS A BILL CALLED THE HEALTHY HUNGER-FREE STUDENT BILL OF RIGHTS.

I'M VERY PROUD TO REPORT THAT WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE FREE BREAKFAST AND LUNCH FOR EVERY NEW MEXICO PUBLIC SCHOOL CHILD NOW.

I MEAN, NO OTHER STATE HAS DONE IT THE WAY THAT WE'VE DONE IT THIS WAY, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT EVERY STATE, THAT EVERY CHILD HAS THE ABILITY TO TAKE THAT HUNGER OUT OF THEIR STOMACHS AND PLACE IT ON THEIR STUDIES WHERE IT REALLY BELONGS.

THINK ABOUT YOURSELF AT 2 AND 3 IN THE AFTERNOON, IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD LUNCH, YOU MIGHT ONLY HEAR ONE OUT OF EVERY THREE THINGS I SAY.

CAN YOU IMAGINE BEING A STUDENT IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL SITTING THERE NOT ABLE TO HEAR EVERYTHING THE TEACHER SAYS.

THIS IS GOING TO REALLY HELP IN THAT AREA AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO HELP READING SCORES AT THIRD GRADE, HIGHER MATH AND SCIENCE AT EIGHTH GRADE AND IT'S GOING TO CLOSE THIS GRADUATION ISSUE THAT WE HAVE AND I'M VERY PROUD OF IT.

>>LORENE: WELL, YOU SHOULD BE PROUD OF IT AND I ALSO LOVE THE FACT THAT IN ORDER TO AVOID LUNCH SHAMING, YOU KNOW, NOW EVERY KID CAN GET FREE BREAKFAST AND LUNCH.

SO IT'S NOT LIKE THE BROWN BAG KIDS AND THE OTHER KIDS, IT'S REALLY DEMOCRATIC AND GENEROUS.

YOU KNOW, IN SOME WAYS WE'RE A POOR STATE, BUT WE HAVE ENOUGH TO FEED OUR CHILDREN AND TO TAKE CARE OF OUR OLD PEOPLE, IT'S REALLY, REALLY WONDERFUL TO SEE THIS.

>>MICHAEL: BUT WE DIDN'T JUST, YOU KNOW, HOIST THIS RESPONSIBILITY ON THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS OUT THERE, WITHIN TWO YEARS I'VE BEEN ABLE TO FULLY FUND THE PROGRAM ALSO.

SO WE PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL 31% FOR EVERY BREAKFAST SERVED AND ANOTHER 29% FOR EVERY LUNCH SERVED AND THE REASON I ADDED THE WORD HEALTHY TO THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION FROM 2017 WHEN WE GOT THIS REBUILT IN 23, WAS BECAUSE NOW YOU GET THAT EXTRA MONEY IF YOU HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH LOCAL FARMERS, RANCHERS AND FOOD PRODUCERS.

SO IT'S GREAT FOR OUR ECONOMY AND IT GETS HEALTHIER FOOD TO THE LUNCH TABLE AND THE BREAKFAST TABLE FOR THESE CHILDREN.

>>LORENE: ANOTHER AREA THAT YOU'VE BEEN VERY PROGRESSIVE IN, BROADBAND AND BROADBAND FOR EDUCATION, YOU HAD A BILL CALLED SB401.

IF YOU HAVE AN IDEA, I HEARD YEARS AGO WHEN I PREPARED THIS, THAT 68% OF NEW MEXICO HAD NO INTERNET AND THEN THERE WAS THIS ISSUE OF DIDN'T YOU WRITE TO PRESIDENT TRUMP TALKING ABOUT $675 MILLION IN BROADBAND MONEY, AND YOU CREATED THE OFFICE OF BROADBAND ACCESS AND EXPANSION SO THAT BROADBAND WHICH IS A KEY TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, COULD BE ALL OVER THE STATE, ESPECIALLY THE RURAL AREAS.

>>MICHAEL: SO WHEN I CAME TO THE LEGISLATURE IN THE BEGINNING OF 2013, I BECAME CHAIRMAN OF THE SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE, AND IT WAS MY MISSION TO CLOSE THAT GAP THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED ON WHO DOES AND WHO DOESN'T HAVE BROADBAND.

BROADBAND DOES REALLY THREE LARGE THINGS FOR US, ONE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND JOB CREATION, TWO, TELEHEALTH AND TELEMEDICINE, AND THREE, DISTANCE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES.

SO I THOUGHT, WHY DON'T WE MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAS BROADBAND, SO WHEN I CAME TO THE LEGISLATURE, 43% OF NEW MEXICANS DID NOT HAVE HIGH-SPEED BROADBAND.

I DID A NUMBER OF THINGS, AND IN 2017, I REWROTE OUR ENTIRE TELECOMMUNICATIONS ACT, WHICH IS NOW BROADBAND, WE REFORMED THE RURAL UNIVERSAL SERVICE FUND, SO THAT WE CAN HELP THE MORE RURAL AREAS TO BRING BROADBAND, AND THREE, I PLACED BROADBAND IN THE LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE ACT, BECAUSE IT IS A WATERLINE, A SIDEWALK, A STREET, IT'S AN INFORMATION ROAD RIGHT INTO A TOWN AND INTO A CITY, INTO A PERSON'S HOME.

SO WE GOT THOSE THREE THINGS DONE THERE, THEN FAST FORWARD ABOUT FIVE YEARS, I CREATED THE OFFICE OF BROADBAND ACCESS AND EXPANSION, BECAUSE YOU HAVE BROADBAND, SO WE CLOSED THAT GAP TO ABOUT 28% WITH PEOPLE WITHOUT HIGH-SPEED BROADBAND AND NOW WE'VE BEEN CHUGGING ALONG, WE'RE LESS THAN 21% NOW OF THE STATE HAVING INADEQUATE OR NO BROADBAND AT ALL.

SO WE'VE MADE A LOT OF GAINS AND A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS, AND THE FEDERAL BEAD PROGRAM, THE BROADBAND EQUITY AND DIVERSITY PROGRAM, ACTUALLY AWARDED NEW MEXICO $675 MILLION TO CONTINUE, BECAUSE WE CREATED THAT OFFICE OF BROADBAND.

WE GOT OURSELVES ORGANIZED, AND WE HAVE GOVERNANCE NOW, AND WE HAVE A WAY TO MANAGE ALL OF THESE DOLLARS AND WE'VE PUT EVERYTHING TOGETHER, WHICH REALLY WE BADLY NEEDED.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WE WERE NOTIFIED THAT THE PRESIDENT MAY WANT TO CUT THAT $675 MILLION.

SO I WROTE HIM A PERSONAL LETTER, I SENT IT UP TO THE WHITE HOUSE, I MADE SURE THERE WAS SOMEBODY THERE TO RECEIVE THE LETTER AND TO WALK IT OVER AND SHOW IT TO THE PRESIDENT, UNFORTUNATELY, I'VE NOT HEARD FROM HIM.

SO WE'RE GOING TO SEE HOW THAT GOES AND I'M NOT GOING TO LET UP ON THE GAS ON THIS.

I'M GOING TO KEEP PUSHING FOR THIS, BECAUSE IT'S MONEY THAT WE BADLY NEED AND I'M VERY ENCOURAGED BY IT.

>>LORENE: WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS.

WE ALL AGREE THAT IT'S CRUCIAL ON MORE WAYS THAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BUT LIKE YOU SAY, FOR HEALTH, FOR MANY OTHER REASONS.

THERE'S A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS THAT I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT.

YOU'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK WITH 9-1-1, AND YOU CHANGED, I THINK YOU HAD A SB 137 THIS TIME, TO CHANGE THE ENHANCED 911 ACT TO JUST PLAIN OLD THE 911 ACT, WHAT WERE YOU DOING WITH THAT?

>>MICHAEL: YEAH, SO YOU PROBABLY KNOW THIS, LORENE, BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN AROUND SANTA FE FOR A WHILE HERE, AND WE HAVE NOT INCREASED OUR 9-1-1 SURCHARGE SINCE 1989, IT'S BEEN 36 YEARS.

SO AS A RESULT OF THAT GAP IN FUNDING FOR 36 YEARS, WE FIND OURSELVES WITH ALL OF THESE NEW MODERN AMENITIES ON HOW TO HANDLE 9-1-1 EMERGENCY CALLS.

SO, YOU KNOW, AS A RESULT, IF YOU ADJUSTED THAT 51 CENTS THAT WAS THE RATE IN 1989, FOR INFLATION, IT WOULD ACTUALLY PUT OUR 9-1-1 SURCHARGE AT $1.79.

BUT WE THOUGHT, LET'S NOT JUST GO CRAZY WITH RAISING THAT MONEY, SO WE SET IT AT $1, AND IT'S GOING TO PROVIDE THE ADDITIONAL STAFFING NEEDED, BECAUSE A LOT OF OUR 9-1-1 SYSTEMS ARE NOT ACTUALLY CONNECTED, IF YOU CAN BELIEVE THAT.

THEY DON'T HAVE THE MODERN TECHNOLOGY WITHIN THE 9-1-1 CENTERS FOR RECEIVING THE CALL, FOR DISPATCHING THE CALL, FOR TYING THE INFORMATION TO THE LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT MIGHT NEED TO HEAR ABOUT THAT OR WHATEVER.

SO THIS IS ACTUALLY GOING TO DO THAT, IT'S GOING TO MOVE NEW MEXICO FORWARD IN A VERY POSITIVE DIRECTION FOR 9-1-1.

>>LORENE: EXCELLENT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A LIFESAVER, WE HAVE TO HAVE IT, WE HAVE TO HAVE IT FUNCTIONAL TO ITS HIGHEST ABILITY.

WHAT OTHER ISSUES, I KNOW THERE'S BEEN GRID MODERNIZATION, 9-11 MODERNIZATION.

WHAT ABOUT THE WHOLE THING ABOUT SB169 AND 170.

IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO EXPLAIN, BUT IT'S AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BILL FOR SITE AND UTILITY READINESS, SO THAT WHEN THE BUSINESSES ARE READY TO OPEN UP, ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS THERE, AM I CORRECT, AM I SAYING THAT RIGHT?

>>MICHAEL: YEAH, I THINK THAT'S PRETTY GOOD.

BUT WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH SITE READINESS AND UTILITY READINESS IS WE WOULD LIKE A CATALOG, AN INVENTORY IF YOU WILL, OF ALL BUILDINGS, PROPERTIES, ETCETERA, THAT ARE AVAILABLE, SO THAT WHEN A COMPANY IS LOOKING AT NEW MEXICO FROM THE OUTSIDE OF NEW MEXICO OR AN EXISTING NEW MEXICO BUSINESS WANTS TO GROW, WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO WITH THAT IS WE'LL TAKE THE INFORMATION THAT WE LEARN ABOUT THAT COMPANY, AND THEN WE'LL PRESENT THEM WITH A LIST OF PROPERTIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR THEM TO ACTUALLY MOVE QUICKLY TO COME INTO NEW MEXICO.

SO IT'S ONE THING TO FIND A SITE TO OPERATE IN, IT'S A WHOLE OTHER THING TO ENSURE THAT THEY CAN HAVE THE UTILITY PRESENCE ON THAT PROPERTY THAT THEY NEED TO MAKE THAT BUSINESS SUCCESSFUL.

AND SO WE'RE REFORMING HOW THE PRC, THE PUBLIC REGULATION COMMISSION, DOES A UTILITY APPROVAL WITH THIS LEGISLATION AND SO IN SOME CASES, IT TOOK UP TO 30, 36 MONTHS.

WHAT COMPANY IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO WAIT AROUND FOR THREE YEARS TO MAKE A DECISION TO COME TO NEW MEXICO, SO THE WAY THAT I WROTE THIS BILL AND THE WAY WE'RE ABLE TO GET IT PASSED WAS THE PRC IS REQUIRED TO PROVIDE THAT THROUGHPUT WITHIN SIX MONTHS, IF YOU COULD CALL SIX MONTHS AN EXPEDITED TIMELINE.

SO I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE A DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENT, WE'VE GOT SITE READINESS, UTILITY READINESS, IT'S GOING TO MAKE US VERY COMPETITIVE AROUND THE COUNTRY WHEN FOLKS ARE LOOKING AT COMING TO NEW MEXICO OR EXISTING NEW MEXICO BUSINESSES THAT WANT TO GROW.

>>LORENE: RIGHT, EXCELLENT.

SO NOW WE'RE IN THE INTERIM, THE LEGISLATURE IS OVER, WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON IN THE INTERIM AND WHAT ARE YOU, DO YOU HAVE SOME LONG-TERM FUTURE PLANS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ESTABLISH IN NEW MEXICO FOR THE BENEFIT OF NEW MEXICANS?

>>MICHAEL: WELL, I'LL TELL YOU, THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S A REALLY EXCITING AND SEXY TOPIC AND IT'S RELATED TO TAX REFORM.

SO I'VE BEEN WORKING ON A COUPLE OF PIECES OF LEGISLATION RELATED TO TAKING A LOOK AT THE 375, 400, IF YOU WILL, TAX CREDITS, DEDUCTIONS, INCENTIVES, ETCETERA, AND FIGURE OUT WHICH ONES ARE WORKING FOR US AND WHICH AREN'T WORKING FOR US.

SO I'VE BEEN DEVELOPING WHAT I'M CALLING A TAX THROUGHPUT INDEX.

THIS INDEX WILL HAVE THINGS LIKE WHEN WAS THE INCENTIVE PUT ON THE BOOKS, HOW MUCH DOES IT COST THE TAXPAYER EVERY YEAR, HOW MANY JOBS DOES IT CREATE, HOW LONG, WHAT ARE THE AVERAGE WAGES FOR THOSE JOBS, IS IT IN THE REGIONALLY UTILIZED ALL OVER THE STATE?

YOU'LL GET A SCORE THAT'LL BE SPIT OUT AT THE END THERE, EVERY ONE OF OUR TAX INCENTIVES, CREDITS AND DEDUCTIONS WILL BE STACK RANKED AND WILL DETERMINE THE BOTTOM 10% WILL SUNSET EVERY TWO YEARS, THE MONIES THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE IN THOSE ONES WILL BE PUT IN THE TOP 20% OF THE TAX INCENTIVES, CREDITS, AND DEDUCTIONS, SO THAT WE GET GREATER THROUGHPUT AND EFFICIENCY OUT OF OUR TAX DOLLARS.

>>LORENE: I THINK THAT'S BRILLIANT.

IT'S SORT OF ZERO-BASED TAX AUDITING, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S WORKING AND WHAT'S NOT WORKING.

>>MICHAEL: NOTHING PERSONAL, WE HAVE A FINITE AMOUNT OF DOLLARS HERE AND WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO BE DOING WITH THOSE DOLLARS IS MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE WORKING FOR US, OTHERWISE, LET'S GET RID OF THEM.

>>LORENE: WELL, THAT MAKES ME VERY, VERY HAPPY, I'M VERY GRATEFUL.

THANK YOU FOR TELLING US ABOUT THAT.

WE'VE RUN OUT OF TIME, BUT I WANT TO THANK OUR GUEST TODAY.

SENATOR MICHAEL PADILLA, DEMOCRAT FROM DISTRICT 14.

IT WAS REALLY A PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU HERE, I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

>>MICHAEL: THANK YOU, LORENE AND THANK YOU TO YOUR STAFF FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.

I HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT DAY.

>>LORENE: WELL, WE HAD SOME TECHNICAL CHALLENGES, BUT IT WAS A WONDERFUL SHOW.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SENATOR PADILLA.

AND I'M LORENE MILLS, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU, OUR AUDIENCE, FOR BEING WITH US TODAY ON A VERY SPECIAL EDITION OF REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

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

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