♪ 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 FE.

WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND I HAVE ONE OF MY MOST RESPECTED, ESTEEMED, AND ADMIRED LAWMAKERS, SENATOR PETER WIRTH, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.

>>PETER: THANK YOU, LORENE, FOR HAVING ME.

>>LORENE: WELL, YOU'RE A DEMOCRAT FROM SANTA FE, YOU'RE THE SENATE MAJORITY FLOOR LEADER AND YOU WERE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM 2004 TO 2006.

THEN YOU TOOK SOME SORT OF SABBATICAL AND THEN YOU'VE BEEN A SENATOR SINCE 2009.

HOW HAVE THINGS CHANGED SINCE THEN?

>>PETER: YEAH, 22 YEARS AND I ACTUALLY DIDN'T TAKE A SABBATICAL, I WENT STRAIGHT THROUGH.

FOUR YEARS IN THE HOUSE AND THEN IN THE SENATE.

IT'S BEEN A WILD THING TO WATCH AND JUST TO PARTICIPATE AND TO SEE THE CHANGES AND SO MANY EXCITING THINGS TO WATCH YOUNGER MEMBERS COMING IN, MUCH MORE DIVERSE, LOTS OF WOMEN.

AND I JUST, AGAIN, HAVE BEEN REALLY PRIVILEGED TO BE THE MAJORITY LEADER IN THE SENATE FOR 10 YEARS, MY 10TH YEAR NOW.

AND AGAIN, IT'S STEERING THE SHIP AND AS THE CAUCUS HAS CHANGED, I JUST FEEL LIKE WE'RE STRONGER THAN WE'VE EVER BEEN, IN THE TIME I'VE BEEN THERE.

SO, IT'S EXCITING AND REALLY IMPORTANT IN THESE TIMES.

>>LORENE: WELL, YOU HAVE THE HELM IN YOUR HANDS AND SOMETIMES I LOOK AT IT AND THINK, IT MUST BE LIKE SQUISHING MERCURY SOMETIME AND YET YOU'RE ABLE TO DO IT.

SO IT TAKES A LOT OF SKILL AND ALSO I'VE NOTICED A LOT OF BIPARTISANSHIP AND REAL RESPECT BETWEEN YOU AND THE MINORITY FLOOR LEADER, THE REPUBLICAN.

>>PETER: YEAH, THAT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN IMPORTANT TO ME FROM THE START AND LET ME SAY, IT'S NOT KIND OF A NEW THING JUST WITH ME.

I ALWAYS ADMIRED THE PRIOR MAJORITY LEADER MICHAEL SANCHEZ AND HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH STUART INGLE.

I THINK COMMUNICATION BETWEEN BOTH SIDES IS CRITICAL AND WHEN YOU'RE ABLE TO TALK AND JUST UNDERSTAND WE HAVE CHALLENGES IN OUR CAUCUS, SENATOR SHARER, THE MINORITY LEADER, HAS CHALLENGES IN HIS CAUCUS, AND JUST KIND OF TOGETHER NAVIGATING HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET THROUGH IT, I THINK IS IMPORTANT.

AND PERHAPS MORE THAN EVER, AS OUR DEMOCRACY REALLY IS UNDER ATTACK AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, I GET LOTS OF COMPLIMENTS FROM CONSTITUENTS WHO SAY, YOU KNOW, I WATCH THE NEW MEXICO LEGISLATURE, I'M PROUD OF YOU GUYS.

BECAUSE WE DO IT IN A WAY THAT WE ARE ABLE TO DELIVER, WE DEFINITELY HAVE OUR DIFFERENCES, AND WE'LL FIGHT LIKE CATS AND DOGS, BUT THEN COME BACK TOGETHER.

REMEMBER YOUR GOOD OLD MAX COLL, SOMETHING HE TAUGHT ME YEARS AGO, OF COURSE, I SUCCEEDED HIM IN THE HOUSE, HE WAS A REPRESENTATIVE FOREVER HERE.

HE SAID, "YOU KNOW, YOUR ENEMY ON ONE BILL ONE DAY IS GOING TO BE YOUR CO-SPONSOR THE NEXT."

AND SO WHEN YOU TAKE THAT APPROACH AND TRY TO KEEP EVERYTHING WITHIN THE BANDWIDTH, THAT'S MY LESSON TO LOTS OF THE NEWER MEMBERS.

IT'S SO EASY TO GET EMOTIONAL AND FRUSTRATED, BUT IF YOU CAN JUST KIND OF WORK THROUGH IT, THAT'S BOTH DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS.

I THINK WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT AND I'M PROUD OF THE WAY OUR CHAMBER IS RUN.

>>LORENE: AND THE KIND OF AMBIANCE THAT YOU EMANATE AND CONTROL IN A WAY IS THAT SENSE OF RESPECT, MUTUAL RESPECT.

I MAY DISAGREE WITH YOUR BILL AND YOUR DEFENSE OF IT, BUT YOU HAVE THE SPACE TO DO THIS.

SOMETIMES IT GETS HEATED, BUT YOU ALWAYS BRING THE TEMPERATURE DOWN.

>>PETER: WE TRY TO.

IT'S A CHALLENGING PROCESS, AND BOY, YOU KNOW, 30-DAY SESSION.

>>LORENE: AND THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS NOBODY'S HAD ANY SLEEP AND THEY'RE CRANKY, YOU SAID YOU'D VOTE FOR MY BILL AND THEN YOU DIDN'T.

IT'S A HARD THING.

BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT THE BILLS.

>>PETER: YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

>>LORENE: YOU HAVE SOME BILLS, A LOT OF HEALTH CARE BILLS.

SO TELL ME ABOUT IT, ONE OF WHICH, THE TITLE OF WHICH IS A LITTLE MISLEADING, "REPORTING OF INDUCED ABORTIONS."

THAT ISN'T ACTUALLY REPORTING.

>>PETER: IT'S JUST A REPEAL BILL.

THERE'S A PROVISION THAT REQUIRES CERTAIN REPORTING OF DATA AND IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT JUST HAS BEEN KIND OF IN THE WEEDS, NOT REPORTED, SO THE IDEA IS TO JUST... >>LORENE: GET RID OF THAT.

>>PETER: THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT, GET RID OF THAT, SO THAT'S OUT THERE.

AND AGAIN, LET ME JUST SAY, LORENE, I THINK HEALTHCARE IS GOING TO BE THE KIND OF REAL DRIVING ISSUE HERE IN THIS SESSION.

I DID SOME TOWN HALLS IN THE COUPLE OF WEEKS BEFORE THE SESSION, IT WAS TOTALLY FOCUSED ON HEALTHCARE AND NEW MEXICO'S DOCTOR SITUATION, DISCUSSIONS ABOUT MALPRACTICE.

AND SO YOU'RE SEEING A WHOLE RANGE OF BILLS HERE IN THE SESSION DEALING WITH THOSE ISSUES.

>>LORENE: ONE, I'M PARTICULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT, THE CAP ON MEDICAL MALPRACTICE.

I MEAN, IT'S A TWO-EDGED SWORD.

DOCTORS WANT TO BE PROTECTED, WELL, DISCUSS IT WITH ME, WHAT'S COMING UP IN THIS SESSION?

>>PETER: SO THERE IS A BILL IN THE HOUSE, REPRESENTATIVE CHANDLER HAS INTRODUCED, WHICH IS ATTEMPTING TO DO A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT REFORMS OF OUR MEDICAL MALPRACTICE ACT.

THE BIG ISSUE IS PUNITIVE DAMAGES AND HERE IN SANTA FE, I'VE MET WITH LOTS OF DOCTORS, INCLUDING THE DOCTOR WHO DELIVERED BOTH OF OUR KIDS, AND IT'S A SMALL TOWN, SO I'M VERY SYMPATHETIC TO DOCTORS THAT ARE TRYING TO KEEP AN INDIVIDUAL PRACTICE IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, IT'S REALLY, REALLY TOUGH.

SO I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE BILLS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO HELP DOCTORS MITIGATE KIND OF CLAIMS OF MALPRACTICE FOR PUNITIVE DAMAGES.

THAT'S THE BIG ISSUE, PUNITIVE DAMAGES, WHICH IS TO PUNISH, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT A DISTINCTION, THOUGH, BETWEEN THE DOCTORS AND THE BIG HOSPITALS.

THE HOSPITALS ALSO ARE TRYING TO GET CAPS ON PUNITIVE DAMAGES.

I HAVE REAL RESERVATIONS ABOUT THE HOSPITALS.

>>LORENE: THEY HAVE DEEP POCKETS... >>PETER: BILLION-DOLLAR COMPANIES COMING OUT OF TENNESSEE WHERE THE NUMBER ONE STATE FOR PRIVATE EQUITY HOSPITALS.

>>LORENE: DON'T THEY TRY TO SOMETIMES APPEAR TO BE NON-PROFIT?

>>PETER: WELL, THERE'S SOME THAT ARE, CHRISTUS HERE IN SANTA FE IS A NON-PROFIT.

AGAIN, I HAVE RESPECT FOR WHAT THEY'RE DOING, I JUST THINK, THOUGH, I'VE ALSO SEEN SOME OF THE BAD SIDE OF THIS, AGAIN AS A LAWYER IN MY MEDIATION PRACTICE.

ALSO, I'VE BEEN COURT-APPOINTED IN SOME OF THESE CASES AS A PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE, SO I'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACTUALLY SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING AND WHAT'S BEING PRESENTED TO JURIES.

REMEMBER, IT'S A JURY THAT'S BEING ASKED TO MAKE THIS DECISION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT A HOSPITAL, IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE MORE MONEY, HAS ASKED A DOCTOR TO DO DOUBLE THE CASELOAD AND TAKEN STEPS AND THINGS AND THAT'S WHERE I DO THINK THERE'S A ROLE FOR PUNITIVE DAMAGES AGAINST A BIG CORPORATION TO GET THEM TO STOP.

SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THIS DEBATE AND IT'S A LIVELY ONE, I KNOW THAT CERTAINLY INDIVIDUAL DOCTORS ARE LOOKING FOR SOME RELIEF AND WE NEED TO FIGURE THAT OUT.

>>LORENE: WE CAN'T AFFORD TO LOSE ANY DOCTORS.

>>PETER: THAT'S RIGHT.

>>LORENE: AND I NOTICED THAT THERE'S A WONDERFUL LICENSURE ACCEPTANCE THAT A DOCTOR OR MAYBE EVEN A NURSE CERTIFIED IN ANOTHER STATE CAN COME AND PRACTICE HERE.

BUT I'M AFRAID THAT IT MIGHT ALSO WORK THE OTHER WAY, THAT OUR PHYSICIANS WOULD BE FREE TO PRACTICE THERE, AND WE CAN'T AFFORD TO LOSE ANY.

>>PETER: NO, IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP THEM HERE, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID THAT'S DIFFERENT THIS YEAR, WE HAVEN'T DONE THIS BEFORE, IN THE FIRST WEEK OF THE SESSION, WE PRIORITIZED THREE BILLS THAT HAD BEEN AROUND, THAT WE'D WORKED ON.

ONE IS THE MEDICAL COMPACT.

>>LORENE: YES.

>>PETER: LOTS OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT.

I GIVE A HUGE SHOUT OUT TO SENATOR LINDA TRUJILLO.

I ASKED HER TO PUT A WORKING GROUP TOGETHER AND WE DID THAT BIPARTISAN, BICAMERAL.

THEY WORKED WITH A COMPACT COMMITTEE AND THEY CAME UP WITH A COMPROMISE.

AND SO WE PASSED THAT BILL IN THE FIRST WEEK, SO THAT'S GOING TO BE A BIG ONE THAT THERE'S A HUGE PUSH FOR THE COMPACTS.

THE SECOND ONE IS A ROAD BONDING BILL, $1.5 BILLION FOR OUR ROADS.

>>LORENE: YEP, WE NEED IT.

>>PETER: WE DO.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'LL EVER PASS A GAS TAX INCREASE, IT'S SO POLITICALLY TOXIC.

WE KIND OF NEED TO DO THAT, WE HAVE ONE OF THE LOWEST GAS TAXES.

>>LORENE: BECAUSE THAT USED TO PAY FOR ROAD REPAIR.

>>PETER: THAT'S RIGHT.

>>LORENE: AND THERE HASN'T BEEN ENOUGH.

>>PETER: AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH ELECTRIC CARS AND HYBRID VEHICLES, SO THAT'S THE SECOND BIG BILL.

THE THIRD ONE IS ONE THAT THE GOVERNOR REALLY WANTED, THAT WE HAD PASSED IN THE SENATE UNANIMOUSLY.

IT'S KIND OF A TWEAK TO THE CIVIL COMMITMENT PROCESS AND WE CALL IT "HARM TO SELF," BASICALLY CREATING MORE VEHICLES TO GET THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO NEED HELP INTO THE SYSTEM, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SYSTEM VERSUS JUST DISMISSING CASES, AND THE SAME PEOPLE ARE IN THIS VICIOUS CYCLE.

SO THAT'S ONE THAT WE HAD WORKED ON IN THE SENATE, WE PASSED IT UNANIMOUSLY LAST SESSION, THERE WERE SOME CHALLENGES IN THE HOUSE.

THEY'RE GOING TO WORK ON IT BECAUSE WE MOVED IT QUICKLY IN THE FIRST WEEK AND I THINK IT WAS AN IMPORTANT BILL FOR THE GOVERNOR.

>>LORENE: SO THAT'S WHAT I SEE AS BEING SO DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS 30-DAY, BECAUSE THEY GO LIKE THAT.

I THINK YOU CALL IT THE ROCKET DOCKET.

YOU HAVE A NUMBER OF BILLS THAT ARE EARMARKED TO GET THROUGH BOTH HOUSES AND TO THE GOVERNOR BY THE HALFWAY POINT, INSTEAD OF LANGUISHING AT THE END WHEN PEOPLE ARE TIRED AND CRANKY.

>>PETER: WE'RE GOING TO GIVE IT OUR BEST SHOT, AND IT'S SOMETHING WE DID LAST YEAR IN THE 60-DAY SESSION.

WE HAD HAD A FAILED SPECIAL SESSION, WE DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THAT, BUT ONCE IN A WHILE THAT HAPPENS, AND THAT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE LEGISLATURE PUSHES BACK WHEN SOMETHING'S NOT READY TO GO.

THAT, OF COURSE, WAS CRIMINAL COMPETENCY IN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.

WE TURNED THAT INTO AN INCREDIBLY PRODUCTIVE FIRST 30 DAYS OF A 60-DAY SESSION AND AS I THOUGHT ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN THE EIGHTH YEAR OF GOVERNOR LUJAN GRISHAM'S TERM.

I'VE DONE THIS TWICE, ONCE WITH GOVERNOR RICHARDSON AND ONCE WITH GOVERNOR MARTINEZ.

>>LORENE: AND SHE GAVE A VERY GOOD SPEECH, "STATE OF THE STATE" AND SHE STATED VERY CLEARLY WHAT HER PRIORITIES WERE AND THAT WAS HER LEGACY, AND SHE CALLED UPON THE LEGISLATURE TO ENACT THEM.

HOW ARE HER PROJECTS, HOW ARE HER BILLS LOOKING?

>>PETER: WELL, I THINK THE FIRST THREE BILLS THAT WE'VE SENT THROUGH ARE ALL THINGS THAT SHE DESPERATELY, THEY'RE ON HER LIST.

AND SO THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME BIG DISCUSSIONS.

THE ONE THAT'S CHALLENGING FROM A FUNDING PERSPECTIVE IS THE UNIVERSAL CHILD CARE.

>>LORENE: ABSOLUTELY, IT'S SUCH A WONDERFUL IDEA THAT WE WOULD BE THE FIRST STATE IN THE UNION TO OFFER UNIVERSAL CHILD CARE TO ANY KID UNDER FIVE.

AND THEN I THINK, WASN'T THERE ONE LITTLE BUMP IN THE ROAD THAT THERE WEREN'T ENOUGH FACILITIES?

>>PETER: WELL, THERE'S A NUMBER OF LITTLE BUMPS.

>>LORENE: YES, OKAY.

>>PETER: AND SO WHEN SHE ROLLED IT OUT, WE ARE THE FIRST STATE AND WE'RE DOING IT.

THE QUESTION NOW BECOMES HOW DO WE FIGURE OUT THE FUNDING.

ONCE AGAIN, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO PUT TOGETHER A BICAMERAL, BIPARTISAN GROUP OF SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES TO WORK ON THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS.

AND I'M CONFIDENT WE CAN COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT KIND OF DEALS WITH THAT ISSUE, BUT IT'S A BIG ONE AND CERTAINLY SOMETHING SHE WANTS.

LOOK, I'VE HEARD FROM LOTS OF CONSTITUENTS HERE IN SANTA FE WHO, YOU KNOW, YOUNGER FAMILIES, IT'S A BIG DEAL.

>>LORENE: RIGHT, BECAUSE ACTUALLY IT WOULD SAVE A FAMILY $12,000 PER CHILD.

YOU KNOW, THEY CAN STILL HAVE THEIR GRANDMOTHER, THEY CAN STILL MAKE OTHER ARRANGEMENTS, BUT IT'S AVAILABLE FOR A WORKING MOM TO HAVE GOOD CHILDCARE, SO I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL.

WE'LL BE WATCHING AND WAITING.

>>PETER: STAY TUNED.

>>LORENE: WE'RE SPEAKING TODAY WITH SENATOR PETER WIRTH, A DEMOCRAT FROM SANTA FE, ABOUT THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

YOU CO-SPONSORED A WHOLE LOT OF IMPORTANT HEALTH BILLS TOO, DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT ANY OF THEM?

I KNOW YOU SPONSORED A LOT, THEY ARE EVERYWHERE.

>>PETER: YEAH, SO THEY ARE EVERYWHERE.

IN THE SENATE, WE INTRODUCED THE WHOLE PACKAGE OF BILLS ON OPENING DAY.

A BIG ONE, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, YOU'RE RIGHT LORENE, IT'S A BUDGET SESSION AND AGAIN, I'VE LEARNED OVER THE YEARS THAT POLICY IS DRIVEN BY THE MONEY.

SO I'M REALLY ENCOURAGED THAT THE LEGISLATIVE FINANCE COMMITTEE HAS RECOMMENDED SPENDING $550 MILLION ON A NEW MEDICAL SCHOOL, DOUBLE THE SIZE OF THE MEDICAL SCHOOL.

>>LORENE: RIGHT, RIGHT AND IT WOULD PUT OUT, WHAT, 800 STUDENTS IN, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS IT WOULD TAKE, AND A FACULTY OF 365.

I MEAN, IT'S THE REAL DEAL.

>>PETER: IT'S THE REAL DEAL.

>>LORENE: THERE MIGHT BE A CLAUSE THAT, YOU KNOW, ENCOURAGES PEOPLE OR REWARDS PEOPLE TO STAY IN NEW MEXICO AND PRACTICE AND MAYBE GIVE THEM A TUITION BREAK IF THEY'LL STAY FOR THREE YEARS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE THING IS.

>>PETER: SO THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL BILL, LOAN REPAYMENTS, KIND OF INCREASING OPTIONS THERE, AND THEN A BIG ISSUE IS RESIDENCIES.

YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE CREATE THIS ENVIRONMENT, I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE, AND WE TALKED ABOUT KIND OF THE MALPRACTICE COMPONENT, BUT ALL THESE DIFFERENT PIECES.

THE LEGISLATURE'S TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY, AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE MAKE THESE REFORMS, WE INVEST THE MONEY, AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT CONSTITUENTS ACROSS THE STATE WANT TO HAPPEN.

>>LORENE: I THINK IT IS THEIR NUMBER ONE ISSUE, TO KNOW THAT HELP IS ON THE WAY.

SO MANY THINGS, YOU'RE JUST DOING SO MUCH ABOUT HEALTH.

BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS.

YOU HAD A DRIVER PRIVACY AND SAFETY BILL, CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THAT IS?

>>PETER: YEAH, IT'S SOMETHING I'VE BEEN WORKING ON.

THIS IS THE THIRD YEAR, I'VE CARRIED THE BILL TWICE, A LITTLE DIFFERENT VERSION.

THIS CAME UP, MY WIFE, CAROL, WAS SERVING ON THE CITY COUNCIL HERE IN SANTA FE AND THE POLICE SHOWED UP AND SAID WE WANT TO IMPLEMENT THIS NEW LICENSE PLATE READER TECHNOLOGY.

WE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT WHAT ARE THE GUARDRAILS FOR THE DATA, BECAUSE REMEMBER, THIS TRACKS, SOMEONE USING THIS TECHNOLOGY CAN KNOW EXACTLY WHERE YOU ARE IN YOUR CAR, THEY CAN FOLLOW THE PLATES.

AND SO, LO AND BEHOLD, WE HAVE NO STATE GUARDRAILS, LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS KIND OF DEVELOPED THIS AND IT'S A VERY VALUABLE LAW ENFORCEMENT TOOL.

>>LORENE: WITH BOUNDARIES.

>>PETER: THAT'S RIGHT, WITH GUARDRAILS ON IT AND SO I INITIALLY, WORKING WITH THE ACLU HAD A BILL THE LAST COUPLE YEARS TO TRY AND LIMIT THE DATA RETENTION.

THERE ARE ALL THESE PRIVATE COMPANIES, DIFFERENT COMPANIES, THAT STORE THIS DATA AND WE WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW LONG SHOULD IT BE KEPT.

FOR THE EXACT REASON THEY COULD BE ACCESSED FOR NON-LAW ENFORCEMENT PURPOSES.

>>LORENE: WELL, COMMERCIAL, SELLING INSURANCE.

>>PETER: WELL, HERE'S THE SCARY THING, LORENE, THIS YEAR, THE ACLU, THROUGH SOME IPRA, INSPECTION OF PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS, FOUND OUT THAT OUT-OF-STATE ENTITIES WERE ACCESSING NEW MEXICO'S DATABASES TO TRACK WOMEN COMING TO NEW MEXICO FOR HEALTH CARE DECISIONS AND FOR IMMIGRATION PURPOSES.

THE MINUTE I HEARD THAT, I SAID, YOU KNOW WE'VE GOT TO SEE IF WE CAN TIGHTEN THIS UP.

AND LO AND BEHOLD, ILLINOIS IS ANOTHER STATE THAT HAS PASSED A LAW TO PREVENT THAT OUT-OF-STATE USE FOR NON-LAW ENFORCEMENT PURPOSES.

SO THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THIS, AND I'M HEARING IT'S GOING TO BE UP SOON IN THE SENATE TAX COMMITTEE, AND THEN WE'LL GO TO SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE, BUT I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT DOES NEED TO GET FIXED.

>>LORENE: CHILLING.

TO ME THAT'S COMPLETELY CHILLING AND I'M SO GLAD THAT YOU'RE ON IT.

THE OTHER THING THAT IS CHILLING ME IS ICE.

SO I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW, THE FRENCH PAPER, LE MONDE IN FRANCE, WROTE ABOUT IT, WELL, FIRST, WHAT I'M ASKING YOU IS THERE A BIPARTISAN INITIATIVE TO PROTECT NEW MEXICO FROM EVENTS LIKE WHAT HAPPENED IN MINNESOTA WITH ICE.

>>PETER: SO THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

I DON'T KNOW THAT I CAN SAY THAT THERE'S A BIPARTISAN, AGAIN, IT GETS VERY POLITICAL, OBVIOUSLY.

I THINK IN OUR CAUCUS, WE, THE DAY BEFORE THE SESSION, SENT A LETTER TO OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION THAT ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE CAUCUS, THE 26 DEMOCRATS, SIGNED AND I WAS REALLY PROUD OF THAT LETTER.

I'LL JUST READ ONE SENTENCE FOR YOU.

>>LORENE: PLEASE GO AHEAD.

>>PETER: THE NEW MEXICO STATE SENATE DEMOCRATS SPEAK WITH ONE VOICE.

DUE PROCESS IS NOT OPTIONAL, CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTIONS ARE NOT CONDITIONAL, AND HUMAN LIFE IS NOT EXPENDABLE.

SILENCE OR INACTION IN THE FACE OF THESE ABUSES IS COMPLICITY.

>>LORENE: OH, WOW.

>>PETER: WE ARE SUPER LUCKY TO HAVE IN OUR CAUCUS SENATOR CINDY NAVA, WHO WAS UNDOCUMENTED, HAS BEEN IN THIS BUILDING FOR A LONG TIME WORKING ON IMMIGRANT ISSUES AND CERTAINLY IS SOMEONE WHO IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE UNDOCUMENTED COMMUNITY AND SO SHE HAS BEEN KIND OF A GUIDING LIGHT TO ME AND HOW WE NAVIGATE THIS.

BECAUSE OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, THE TENSION IS, IF YOU CHALLENGE TOO HARD, THEN WE HAVE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN COLORADO.

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION COMES IN AND STARTS CUTTING OFF ALL THE FEDERAL FUNDING OR WHAT'S HAPPENING IN MINNESOTA, THEY SEND IN OFFICERS.

THAT COULD STILL CERTAINLY HAPPEN HERE IN NEW MEXICO.

I JUST LIKE, I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT, FROM A BIPARTISAN PERSPECTIVE, WHAT WE SAW IN MINNESOTA WAS HORRIFYING.

>>LORENE: YES, YES.

>>PETER: EVEN THE ADMINISTRATION IS NOW BACKING AWAY FROM THAT.

SO, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT A HUGE NATIONAL ISSUE, BUT IT'S GOING TO PLAY OUT RIGHT HERE BECAUSE WE HAVE A BILL TO BASICALLY BAN LOCAL GOVERNMENTS FROM ENTERING INTO CONTRACTS WITH ICE TO HOLD FOLKS THAT ARE DETAINED.

WE HAVE THREE OF THOSE FACILITIES IN NEW MEXICO.

IT'S A BILL THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, AND THIS YEAR I THINK WE HAVE THE VOTES IN THE SENATE.

IT'S ALWAYS BEEN HELD UP IN THE SENATE, BUT I THINK WE HAVE THE VOTES TO PASS IT.

SO THAT'S ANOTHER ONE YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOON, IT'S KIND OF ON THE EXPEDITED DOCKET.

>>LORENE: YES, BECAUSE ANYONE WHO'S WATCHED THAT VIDEO- NO MATTER WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION SAID- WAS SO CHILLING AND HEARTBREAKING AND WRENCHING THAT, AGAIN, THEY TRIED TO GIVE THE MESSAGE.

THAT WASN'T WHAT WE SAW, BUT WE SAW IT ALL AND WERE VERY WORRIED ABOUT THAT.

THERE WAS AN ARTICLE IN THE FRENCH PAPER LE MONDE THAT SAID, "NOTHING HAPPENING, THERE WAS NOTHING HAPPENING IN MINNEAPOLIS BEFORE ICE, AND WAS IT," THIS IS THE FRENCH POINT OF VIEW, "A SOCIAL EXPERIMENT AIMED AT PUSHING A CITY TO ITS BREAKING POINT," BECAUSE IT DID THAT.

IT DID THAT AND EVERY CITY IS VULNERABLE NOW.

>>PETER: WE CERTAINLY SAW IT IN PORTLAND AS WELL.

>>LORENE: PORTLAND, INDEED.

>>PETER: AND IN CALIFORNIA, IT WAS TRIED THERE.

WE'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS AND IT REALLY IS A KIND OF ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS IN OUR COUNTRY... >>LORENE: I THINK IT'S A REAL PIVOTAL POINT.

>>PETER: I AGREE.

>>LORENE: WE EITHER ALLOW THIS OR WE ABSOLUTELY FORBID IT, TO PROTECT AND SERVE, I MEAN, THEY WERE ATTACKING PEOPLE, THEY WERE ATTACKING PEOPLE.

ANYWAY, I KNOW THEY GET BIG BONUSES AND SHORT TRAINING, BUT THE DE-ESCALATION ISSUE HAS TO BE THERE.

>>PETER: WELL, AND IT'S GOING TO PLAY OUT NOW BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IT MIX RIGHT INTO THE WHOLE FEDERAL FUNDING TO KEEP DIVISIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT OPEN.

>>LORENE: RIGHT, BECAUSE THEY WANT TO CUT DOWN FUNDING FOR HOMELAND SECURITY, WHO PAYS FOR ICE.

THERE ARE A LOT OF LAWMAKERS WHO THINK, WELL, THIS IS HOW YOU STRANGLE A SNAKE, CUT OFF THE FUNDING.

>>PETER: WELL, IT GOES BACK TO WHAT I SAID EARLIER, THAT POLICY IS DRIVEN BY THE MONEY, IF THE MONEY IS NOT THERE.

THAT'S A HUGE OVERLAY OVER THIS SESSION AND CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ALL AWARE OF AND HORRIFIED BY, CERTAINLY ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE, I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR MY REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES, BUT AGAIN, REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES, I THINK, ALSO.

>>LORENE: IF THEY SAW THE VIDEO AND THEY HAVE A HEART, THAT'S IT.

>>PETER: WHEN YOU SEE THE VIDEO, IT JUST DOES, AND INTERESTINGLY, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE SOMEONE WHO'S GOT A CONCEALED CARRY PERMIT, LEGAL, SO THE NRA IS KIND OF DANCING HERE.

>>LORENE: THE NRA IS ACTUALLY IN SUPPORT OF HIM.

>>PETER: THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.

>>LORENE: A WHOLE LOT OF AMAZING GROUPS THAT YOU WOULDN'T THINK.

>>PETER: YOU JUST DON'T THINK, IT'S FUNNY WHAT YOU SEE.

>>LORENE: WELL, IT'S A LESSON FOR US IN OUR TIMES AND HOW WE REACT.

WE JUST HAVE A FEW MINUTES LEFT.

MY AUDIENCE IS VERY ACTIVE IN POLITICAL THINGS, CAN YOU GIVE A CALL TO ACTION AND ALSO THE OTHER THING, I'LL SAY THIS PART.

NEW MEXICANS SHOULD KNOW THAT THE CAPITOL IS THEIR CAPITOL, YOU CAN COME ANYTIME, YOU CAN WATCH THE FLOOR SESSIONS, YOU CAN ALSO WATCH THEM ON THE WEBCAST.

YOU CAN COME TO THE COMMITTEES, YOU CAN JUST SIT IN THE GALLERY AND WATCH HOW IT WORKS.

THIS IS A STATE WHERE AN INDIVIDUAL CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE, I WANT TO CALL OUT TO THE INDIVIDUALS OUT THERE IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE THAT YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT, COME ON DOWN, COME ON DOWN AND TALK TO YOUR LAWMAKERS.

>>PETER: I APPRECIATE THAT, LORENE, AND I ALWAYS SAY IN THE TOWN HALLS WE DO, YOU CAN COME RIGHT ONTO THE SENATE FLOOR BEFORE WE GAVEL IN, AND MY KIND OF QUIP IS, YOU KNOW, ALL THE LOBBYISTS HAVE FIGURED THIS OUT, SO THEY'RE ALL WAITING TO TRY AND GET MY ATTENTION AND I MUCH PREFER TALKING TO THE CONSTITUENTS ABOUT ISSUES, BUT IT IS A VERY OPEN PROCESS, INCLUDING POST-COVID, THERE'S NOW A WHOLE ABILITY TO ACCESS VIA ZOOM.

SO THAT'S A NEW THING FOR THOSE THAT ARE UNABLE TO MAKE IT DOWN, YOU CAN PARTICIPATE VIA ZOOM.

IT DEPENDS ON THE MATTER, I MEAN, IT'S DIFFERENT CHAIRS IN THE SENATE, IN PARTICULAR, HANDLE IT IN DIFFERENT WAYS, THE PUBLIC COMMENT.

WE DON'T JUST LET EVERYBODY STAND UP AND TALK AND TALK AND TALK.

>>LORENE: YEAH, I KNOW THERE'S A TIME LIMIT.

>>PETER: THERE'S A TIME LIMIT AND SOMETIMES, I JUST WAS IN THE TAX COMMITTEE, WHEN YOU HAVE 16 HANDS IN SUPPORT AND NO ONE IN OPPOSITION, AGAIN, CHAIRS WILL SOMETIMES ACKNOWLEDGE THE VOTES, THE HAND VOTES, AND THEN JUST MOVE ON TO THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS BECAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO MOVE THROUGH A HUGE NUMBER OF BILLS.

>>LORENE: ABSOLUTELY, A HUGE NUMBER OF BILLS.

BUT I THINK THAT I'M REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE PACE THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN DOING AND THE GOVERNOR TOO.

I'M SURE THOSE INITIAL BILLS THAT WERE ON HER AGENDA, HAS SHE SIGNED THEM ALREADY?

>>PETER: WELL, THEY GO OVER TO THE HOUSE.

SO WE'RE GOING TO CROSS OVER.

WE'RE GOING TO GET A SOCIAL WORKER COMPACT, AND THEN THAT'S ANOTHER COMPACT, AND WE'LL PASS THAT, AND THEN WE'LL GET THIS ICE DETENTION BILL, THAT NEEDS TO GO THROUGH THE SENATE.

THEY'LL HAVE THE THREE BILLS THAT WE PASSED AND AGAIN, I WORK CLOSELY WITH THE SPEAKER, AND WE TRY AND LINE THOSE UP.

SO I THINK NEXT WEEK WE WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE A PRETTY EXCITING MOMENT WITH THE GOVERNOR TO CELEBRATE SIGNING AND PROGRESS.

AGAIN, AT THE END OF AN ADMINISTRATION, 30-DAY SESSIONS ARE TOUGH, SO I THINK THIS JUST CHANGES.

YOU GET SO USED TO DOING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND I GUESS HAVING DONE THIS LONG ENOUGH, YOU START ASKING, WHY DON'T WE TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT?

AND NOW THAT I'M IN A POSITION TO BE ABLE TO DO IT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE DONE IT, AND MEMBERS WERE, I THINK, ELATED, ESPECIALLY THE NEW MEMBERS, TO BE IN THE FIRST WEEK TO FEEL LIKE WE CAME IN AND WE WENT RIGHT TO WORK, LOOK WHAT WE JUST DID.

>>LORENE: YEAH, YEAH.

>>PETER: SO IT'S EXCITING.

>>LORENE: WELL, CONGRATULATIONS.

THAT IS REALLY A TRANSFORMATIVE STEP FOR THE LEGISLATURE AND I THANK YOU.

OUR GUEST TODAY IS SENATOR PETER WIRTH, WHO IS THE SENATE MAJORITY LEADER AND I JUST THINK YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND MY AUDIENCE WILL FEEL SO MUCH BETTER WITH YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS.

CAN YOU ASK THEM TO CONTACT THEIR LAWMAKER AND HOW TO FIND OUT WHO THEIR LAWMAKER IS?

>>PETER: YES, I CAN, I THINK THAT'S A SUPER GOOD QUESTION, LORENE, BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ALWAYS TELL ALL MY WONDERFUL SANTA FE CONSTITUENTS, IT'S NOT AS EFFECTIVE FOR YOU, I USED TO SAY WITH SENATOR SMITH, IF YOU GO TALK TO SENATOR SMITH IN DEMING, IT'S JUST NOT GOING TO BE AS EFFECTIVE IF THE DEMING FOLKS TALK TO SENATOR SMITH.

>>LORENE: ABSOLUTELY.

>>PETER: SO WE HAVE A TERRIFIC LEGISLATIVE WEB PAGE, WWW.NMLEGIS.GOV AND YOU CAN TRACK WHO YOUR LEGISLATORS ARE, WHAT LEGISLATION THEY'VE INTRODUCED.

THERE'S A TRACKING FEATURE TO FOLLOW THE LEGISLATION, WHEN IT'S GOING TO BE HEARD, AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO BE SMART ABOUT HOW YOU INTERSECT.

YOU CAN FEEL GOOD ABOUT JUST COMING OVER AND RAISING YOUR HAND, BUT IT'S ALL ABOUT FIGURING OUT, OKAY, HOW MANY VOTES DO I NEED TO MOVE IT TO THE NEXT COMMITTEE, SO THERE'S A LOT OF REALLY GOOD GROUPS THAT CAN HELP ORGANIZE FOLKS AND THAT'S IMPORTANT TOO.

SO YOU'RE TARGETED AND CAN REALLY GET TO THE RESULT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.

>>LORENE: THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING THAT.

I AM ON THAT SITE A LOT MYSELF.

I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE NEW MEXICANS AGAIN, IT'S YOUR GOVERNMENT, IT'S YOUR CAPITAL, IT'S YOUR REPRESENTATIVES, AND YOUR VOICE CAN BE HEARD, SO SPEAK UP.

ANYWAY, OUR GUEST TODAY, I'LL SAY IT AGAIN, IS SENATOR PETER WIRTH, THE SENATE MAJORITY LEADER, DEMOCRAT FROM SANTA FE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING TODAY.

>>PETER: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>>LORENE: IT WAS A REAL PLEASURE.

>>PETER: ALWAYS GOOD.

>>LORENE: ALWAYS GOOD AND I'M LORENE MILLS, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU, OUR AUDIENCE, FOR BEING WITH US TODAY ON REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK 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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