♪ 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 .

I'M DELIGHTED TO INTRODUCE OUR GUEST TODAY, REPRESENTATIVE CHRISTINE CHANDLER, DEMOCRAT FROM DISTRICT 43 AND IT INCLUDES... >>CHRISTINE: LOS ALAMOS, SANTA FE, SANDOVAL COUNTIES.

>>LORENE: WOW, THAT'S A NICE TERRITORY.

>>CHRISTINE: IT IS, AND IT'S DIVERSE, WHICH IS INTERESTING.

>>LORENE: IT IS, YOU'VE BEEN REPRESENTING THEM SINCE 2019.

>>CHRISTINE: CORRECT, YES.

>>LORENE: YES, GOOD FOR YOU.

YOU ARE THE CHAIR OF HOUSE JUDICIARY, IN MY MIND, ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL JOBS IN THE LEGISLATURE AND VERY CHALLENGING, PARTICULARLY WITH THE BILL THAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT, HB 99, WHICH IS THE MEDICAL MALPRACTICE CHANGES, A VERY TRICKY AND CONTROVERSIAL BILL.

BUT ALSO, YOU'RE ON TAX AND REV, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU... >>CHRISTINE: FORMER CHAIR OF TAX AND REV, ALSO.

>>LORENE: YOU'RE THE FORMER CHAIR.

WELL, IT'S GOOD FOR YOU TO BRING THAT KNOWLEDGE INTO JUDICIARY, THEY'RE LUCKY TO HAVE YOU.

SOME OTHER BILLS THAT YOU WILL TALK ABOUT ARE SOME OF YOUR WILDFIRE BILLS AND YOUR SUGGESTIONS IN CHANGING HOW UNIVERSITIES CHOOSE THEIR REGENTS, MAYBE NOT TO THE BIGGEST KNOWN OR MAYBE TO SOMEONE WHO'S AN EDUCATOR.

>>CHRISTINE: WHO'S QUALIFIED, HOW ABOUT THAT?

>>LORENE: ONE THING I WANT TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT, AND WE'LL GET TO IT, IS DEEP FAKES AND AI, BECAUSE TO ME IT IS VERY SCARY.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ON HOW TO TELL WHAT'S REAL AND WHAT'S ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS REALLY WELL DONE.

BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT MEDICAL MALPRACTICE.

OKAY, SO YOU WERE IN THE PAPER RECENTLY, THE BILL IS BIPARTISAN, BOTH PARTIES.

>>CHRISTINE: YES, YES.

SO HOUSE BILL 99 IS A REFORM BILL OF THE MEDICAL MALPRACTICE ACT AND WHAT GOT ME INTERESTED, OF COURSE, IS THE OUTPOURING OF CONSTITUENT INPUT THAT WE'VE ALL BEEN RECEIVING, ACTUALLY, PROBABLY FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS, EXPRESSING CONCERN ABOUT INABILITY TO ACCESS HEALTH CARE, INABILITY TO SEE PHYSICIANS IN A TIMELY WAY AND OTHER HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND ALTHOUGH I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF REASONS FOR THAT, IT'S NOT JUST MEDICAL MALPRACTICE.

CERTAINLY THAT IS ONE OF THE FACTORS THAT DETERS DOCTORS FROM COMING HERE AND I THINK IT CAUSES DOCTORS TO LEAVE.

WE'VE SEEN THAT IN SOME POLLING RECENTLY.

KELLOGG HAS DONE SOME POLLING OF PHYSICIANS, AND I THINK IT'S A VERY HIGH NUMBER OF SOMETHING ON THE ORDER OF, LIKE, 80% OR 70% OF PHYSICIANS SAY THEY HAVE CONSIDERED LEAVING THE STATE BECAUSE OF THE MEDICAL MALPRACTICE ENVIRONMENT HERE IN NEW MEXICO.

WHICH I SPENT A FAIR AMOUNT OF TIME TRYING TO UNDERSTAND AND I HAVE TO SAY I'M SYMPATHETIC WITH WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM.

>>LORENE: I AM TOO, BECAUSE WITH NO CAPS ON THE AMOUNT THEY COULD BE FORCED TO PAY AND THE HORRIBLE THING TO ME IS THAT IT'S PUNITIVE DAMAGES.

IT'S NOT LIKE YOU CUT THE GUY'S HAND OFF BY MISTAKE AND YOU'RE COMPENSATING HIM FOR THE MISTAKE, BUT THEN THE PUNITIVE DAMAGES.

I READ THAT THEY TRY TO STAY WITHIN NO MORE THAN 400% OF THE COMPENSATION.

>>CHRISTINE: OH, WELL, THAT'S STILL A VERY LARGE NUMBER.

>>LORENE: IT'S STILL A VERY LARGE NUMBER.

>>CHRISTINE: YEAH, IT IS.

JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF DETAIL, WHAT I DID DURING THE SUMMER WAS LOOK AT WHAT OTHER STATES DO AND HOW THEY ADDRESS MEDICAL MALPRACTICE.

AND WHAT I CONCLUDED WAS WE ARE AN OUTLIER AND HOW IS IT THAT WE'RE AN OUTLIER?

WELL, IN ONE WAY IS WE DO NOT CAP PUNITIVE DAMAGES, NOW, I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT ALL STATES DO, BUT MOST STATES DO, AND THOSE STATES THAT DO NOT HAVE OTHER MECHANISMS TO TRY TO MANAGE AND CONTROL MEDICAL MALPRACTICE LITIGATION.

FOR EXAMPLE, COLORADO, OUR NEIGHBOR, AND A STATE THAT'S VERY MUCH LIKE US, YOU KNOW, THE ENVIRONMENT AND, YOU KNOW, THE BEAUTY AND THE CULTURE AND ALL OF THAT, THEY HAVE CAPS BOTH ON MONETARY AWARDS, AND WE DO HAVE CAPS ON MONETARY AWARDS, AND ON PUNITIVE DAMAGE AWARDS.

I WOULD POINT OUT ALSO, COLORADO'S CAPS ON MONETARY AWARDS ARE LOWER THAN OURS AND THEY DON'T DISTINGUISH BETWEEN HOSPITALS AND OTHER HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS.

WE DO.

>>LORENE: RIGHT, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE MAIN DIFFERENCES HERE BECAUSE A HOSPITAL OR A MEDICAL FIRM CAN CARRY, AS A BUSINESS EXPENSE, SIGNIFICANT MEDICAL MALPRACTICE INSURANCE FOR THE INDIVIDUAL PHYSICIAN.

>>CHRISTINE: YES, SO WE STRUGGLE WITH THAT AND WE'VE BEEN SEEING SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN MEDICAL MALPRACTICE PREMIUMS, BOTH ON INDIVIDUAL PHYSICIANS, SMALL PRACTICE GROUPS, AND THE HOSPITALS WHO ARE ALSO BEING CONFRONTED WITH VERY, VERY HIGH PREMIUMS.

SO, KEEP IN MIND WE HAVE SOME CORPORATE HOSPITALS IN THE STATE FOR SURE, BUT WE ALSO HAVE NOT-FOR-PROFITS LIKE PRESBYTERIAN, WHO HAS BEEN PROVIDING HEALTHCARE TO NEW MEXICANS FOR OVER 100 YEARS.

THEY'RE LIKE A MAINSTAY OF OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM AND THEY ARE TOO BEING CONFRONTED WITH SIGNIFICANT MEDICAL MALPRACTICE PREMIUMS.

CHRISTUS ST.

VINCENT, ANOTHER LONG-STANDING HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IN THE STATE, WHEN I FIRST MOVED HERE IT WAS KNOWN AS ST.

VINCENT'S, BUT THEY'VE MERGED WITH ANOTHER COMPANY, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN HERE FOREVER, AND THEY HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH SOME OF THE WEIGHT OF THE MEDICAL MALPRACTICE LITIGATION.

AND SO WE HAVE NO CAPS ON MEDICAL MALPRACTICE, THE SURROUNDING STATES HAVE CAPS ON MEDICAL MALPRACTICE, MONETARY AWARDS AND PUNITIVE DAMAGES, AND I FELT THAT WE WERE OUT OF ALIGNMENT.

THERE'S A HEALTHCARE SHORTAGE OF PHYSICIANS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, THAT'S TRUE, BUT IF YOU'RE A PHYSICIAN WHO HAS A CHOICE TO GO TO COLORADO, FOR EXAMPLE, OR NEW MEXICO, AND YOU SEE THE ENVIRONMENT HERE IS MORE DIFFICULT IN TERMS OF CHALLENGING, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD WORD FOR IT, YOU'RE GOING TO PICK COLORADO.

>>LORENE: RIGHT AND SO WE'VE MADE A BIG DEAL ABOUT THESE COMPACTS WITH ALL THE OTHER STATES THAT MEDICAL PROVIDERS COULD GO BACK AND FORTH.

>>CHRISTINE: RIGHT.

>>LORENE: I THINK THAT SOME MEDICAL PROVIDERS, NOT THAT I'VE TALKED TO ANY OF THEM, WOULD BE THINKING, LET ME GO WHERE THE ENVIRONMENT SUPPORTS ME, WHERE I'M NOT HELD.

THERE WILL NOT BE PUNITIVE DAMAGES AGAINST ME THAT COULD BE ASTRONOMICAL.

>>CHRISTINE: YES, AND WE'VE SEEN SOME VERY LARGE PUNITIVE DAMAGE AWARDS.

THERE WAS AN AWARD AGAINST REHOBOTH, I DON'T KNOW, ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO, $50 MILLION PUNITIVE DAMAGE AWARD AGAINST REHOBOTH HOSPITAL, AND THAT IS IN GALLUP.

>>LORENE: I KNOW.

THEY'RE SERVING, IT'S AN UNDERSERVED AREA.

WHAT DID THEY DO, THEY HAD TO GO OUT OF BUSINESS, I WOULD THINK.

>>CHRISTINE: NO, THERE WERE SOME NEGOTIATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT WHAT THAT DOES, THOUGH, WHEN THERE IS THE PROSPECT FOR GIGANTIC AWARDS, AND WE HAVE SEEN THEM IN THE STATE, THAT FORCES DOCTORS AND HOSPITALS TO SETTLE AT AMOUNTS THAT THEY WOULD PROBABLY NOT OTHERWISE AGREE TO, BECAUSE THEY'RE ALWAYS WORRIED ABOUT THAT PUNITIVE DAMAGE AWARD HANGING OVER THEM.

SO, YOU KNOW, LITIGATION'S A COMPLEX THING, THERE ARE MANY FACTORS, BUT WE'VE BEEN TOLD TIME AND TIME AGAIN, AND ACTUALLY IT'S BEEN MY EXPERIENCE TOO, BECAUSE I USED TO PRACTICE CIVIL LITIGATION, NOT MEDICAL MALPRACTICE, BUT THE SAME CONCEPTS.

YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU ARE IN A NEGOTIATION, PEOPLE USE VARIOUS FORMS OF LEVERAGE, YOU KNOW, KINDS OF DISCUSSIONS AND THE PROSPECT OF PUNITIVE DAMAGE AWARDS IS TROUBLING.

>>LORENE: IT'S A BIG LEVER.

>>CHRISTINE: EXACTLY.

IT IS IN SETTLEMENT NEGOTIATIONS AS WELL.

>>LORENE: I JUST, YOU KNOW, PARTICULARLY TO HIT HEALERS LIKE AN INDIVIDUAL FAMILY PHYSICIAN OR SOMETHING THAT JUST WANTS TO FIX YOUR BROKEN ARM, TREAT YOUR KID'S SORE THROAT, TO HAVE THIS THREAT LOOMING OVER THEM IS REALLY, REALLY A DISINCENTIVE TO EVEN BE HERE.

>>CHRISTINE: EXACTLY, WELL, THAT'S THE POINT.

AND WE KNOW WE'RE LOSING PHYSICIANS, THE DATA SHOWS WE'RE LOSING PHYSICIANS AND ONE OF THE REASONS, ONE OF THE PRIMARY REASONS THEY CITE, IS THE MEDICAL MALPRACTICE ENVIRONMENT.

SO WE REALLY NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO TRY TO ADDRESS IT SO PEOPLE SEE WE'RE CHANGING THINGS HERE.

>>LORENE: AS I WAS READING THIS, I THOUGHT, THIS IS REALLY URGENT.

>>CHRISTINE: YES.

>>LORENE: WE HAVE TO DO THIS NOW BEFORE ANYBODY ELSE GETS TRAPPED BY IT.

SO, ENTER HOUSE BILL 99.

>>CHRISTINE: YES.

SO HOUSE BILL 99 IS SOMETHING, AS I SAID, I WORKED OVER THE SUMMER.

I TALKED TO PHYSICIANS ABOUT WHAT THEIR CONCERNS WERE, I TALKED TO LAWYERS ON BOTH SIDES, DEFENSE LAWYERS AND PLAINTIFF'S LAWYERS, TO GET THEIR PERSPECTIVES ON HOW THE STATUTE WORKED OR, IN MANY CASES, DIDN'T WORK WELL.

AND LOOKED AT WHAT OTHER STATES DID, AS I SAID.

AND TRIED TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT I THOUGHT WAS BALANCED.

>>LORENE: THANK YOU.

>>CHRISTINE: AND I HOPE THAT I'M FEELING PRETTY GOOD ABOUT WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS.

WE GOT THE BILL OUT OF HOUSE HEALTH.

YOU MAY HAVE READ ABOUT THE AMENDMENT THAT WAS PLACED ON IT.

>>LORENE: YES, AND THEN DID THEY TAKE IT OFF, IT WAS AN UNFRIENDLY AMENDMENT.

>>CHRISTINE: IT WAS AN UNFRIENDLY AMENDMENT, MEANING I DID NOT AGREE TO IT AND MY HOPE AND EXPECTATION IS WHEN WE HEAR THE BILL IN HOUSE JUDICIARY TODAY THAT WE WILL CHANGE THAT AND THERE WILL BE SOME OTHER CHANGES IN THE BILL AS WELL THAT I'LL BE PRESENTING.

WE STILL, OF COURSE, ARE GOING TO HAVE CAPS ON PUNITIVE DAMAGES AND THERE ARE SOME OTHER ADJUSTMENTS, BUT WE WILL BE REMOVING THE AMENDMENT.

FRANKLY, I THINK THE WELL-INTENDED DID NOT DO WHAT THE SPONSOR OF THAT AMENDMENT WAS PROPOSING TO DO.

SO WE'LL CLEAN THE BILL UP AND HOPEFULLY, GET IT TO THE FLOOR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND THEN GET IT TO THE SENATE.

>>LORENE: RIGHT, RIGHT, AND I'M SURE THE SENATORS WILL ACKNOWLEDGE THE AMOUNT OF WORK YOU PUT INTO THIS AND HOW NECESSARY IT IS.

>>CHRISTINE: I HOPE SO.

>>LORENE: YES, I'LL BE WATCHING.

>>CHRISTINE: THIS IS A POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT AND ONE CAN NEVER PREDICT.

>>LORENE: WE'RE TAPING ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH THE SESSION.

>>CHRISTINE: YES, EXACTLY.

>>LORENE: NO MORE BILLS CAN BE INTRODUCED, BUT NOW IT'S A BACK AND FORTH, BILLS, COMMITTEES, HOUSES.

>>CHRISTINE: CORRECT.

WE'RE GOING DOWN THE TRACK AND WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN THE SENATE.

I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT THE SENATORS ARE REACTING THE SAME INPUT THAT ALL OF US HOUSE MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE ARE, AND THAT IS PEOPLE WANT TO SEE SOME CHANGE, THEY WANT TO SEE AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE LITIGATION ENVIRONMENT FOR THEIR PHYSICIANS, THEY WANT BETTER ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE.

THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.

>>LORENE: SO I WOULD ASSUME, IN A WAY, THAT THE PRIMARY OPPONENTS ARE TRIAL LAWYERS OR PLAINTIFF'S LAWYERS.

>>CHRISTINE: MOSTLY, YES, I'VE TRIED TO STAY AWAY FROM, YOU KNOW, WHO'S AGAINST AND WHO'S FOR, SOME OF THE RHETORIC I'VE BEEN VERY CONCERNED ABOUT, IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW.

>>LORENE: THE ADS ON TELEVISION AND THEY'RE WRONG.

>>CHRISTINE: THEY ARE.

>>LORENE: THEY'RE REALLY SLANTED, BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS A GIFT TO THE STATE AND A GIFT TO NEW MEXICANS.

>>CHRISTINE: WELL, I HOPE IT HELPS.

AND, YOU KNOW, THE LEGISLATURE IS DOING OTHER THINGS AS WELL.

MEDICAL MALPRACTICE IS PART OF IT, BUT AS YOU SAID, WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING THE COMPACTS THROUGH, THERE'S A LARGE FUNDING MECHANISM IN THE BUDGET TO EXPAND THE MEDICAL SCHOOL.

WE'RE GOING TO BE GROWING OUR DOCTORS.

>>LORENE: WON'T THAT BE WONDERFUL?

>>CHRISTINE: OH, YES.

>>LORENE: EIGHT HUNDRED STUDENTS WILL GRADUATE, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT'S A YEAR OR TWO.

>>CHRISTINE: SOME NUMBER, SIGNIFICANT NUMBER.

>>LORENE: AND 350 FACULTY.

AND THEN I BELIEVE THAT IF NEW MEXICANS GO TO THE NEW MEXICAN MEDICAL SCHOOL.

>>CHRISTINE: THEY'LL STAY.

>>LORENE: THEY'LL STAY, THEY'LL STAY.

>>CHRISTINE: YES, YES, YES.

WE WANT TO INCREASE RESIDENCY OPPORTUNITIES, THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT LOAN REPAYMENT, THAT'S MY BILL ALSO.

>>LORENE: YEAH, GOOD FOR YOU.

>>CHRISTINE: WHICH WOULD HELP DOCTORS PAY OFF THEIR SUBSTANTIAL DEBT WHICH THEY INCUR LIKE THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, YOU KNOW, AFTER THEY GET OUT OF MEDICAL SCHOOL.

WE WOULD BE PROVIDING $75,000 A YEAR TO A DOCTOR WHO QUALIFIES.

>>LORENE: OH MY GOD, THAT'S WONDERFUL.

>>CHRISTINE: THEY HAVE TO COMMIT, OBVIOUSLY, TO STAYING AND PRACTICING HERE.

>>LORENE: BUT HOW LONG DO THEY HAVE TO COMMIT FOR?

>>CHRISTINE: FOUR YEARS, FOUR YEARS.

>>LORENE: THAT'S FAIR.

>>CHRISTINE: AND THE PROGRAM ALSO WOULD ADDRESS OTHER HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS AS WELL AND PROVIDE THEM.

>>LORENE: LIKE NURSES?

>>CHRISTINE: NURSES, PHYSICAL THERAPISTS, PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS, DENTISTS, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE LITANY OF PROVIDERS, SO THEY WOULD ALSO BE ELIGIBLE.

NOT FOR THAT QUITE AMOUNT, WE REALLY WANT TO FOCUS ON DOCTORS BECAUSE THEY CARRY THE HEAVIEST DEBT LOAD, BUT VERY EXPANSIVE PROGRAM THAT I'M HOPING WILL BRING PEOPLE INTO THE STATE.

>>LORENE: WE'RE SPEAKING TODAY WITH REPRESENTATIVE CHRISTINE CHANDLER, PARTICULARLY ABOUT HER BILL, HB 99, MEDICAL MALPRACTICE REFORM.

SO IT'S MUCH NEEDED, I THINK BOTH DEMOCRATS, IT HAS BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.

YES, MINORITY LEADER GAIL ARMSTRONG IS ON THE BILL, IS A CO-SPONSOR ON THE BILL, SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES ARE ON THE BILL AND THEN WE HAVE THIS CO-SPONSORSHIP LIST, AND THERE ARE BOTH DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS.

>>LORENE: RIGHT, FOR SENATE CO-SPONSORS.

>>CHRISTINE: THERE ARE A COUPLE OF SENATORS WHO HAVE SIGNED ON TO THE BILL.

VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE KIND OF GROUNDSWELL OF SUPPORT WITHIN THE LEGISLATURE TO TRY TO MOVE FORWARD ON SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY NEED TO TAKE CARE OF.

>>LORENE: WE REALLY NEED TO, SO I'M REALLY GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR DOING THIS.

SHOULD WE TALK ABOUT SOME OF YOUR OTHER PROJECTS?

>>CHRISTINE: YES, I MENTIONED THE LOAN REPAYMENT BILL.

SO AS I POINTED OUT, THAT WOULD PROVIDE SOME SUBSTANTIAL SUPPORT TO THE HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS.

FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS OR SO, I'VE BEEN INTERESTED IN TRYING TO GET OUR ARMS AROUND WHAT'S GOING ON WITH AI AND LAST YEAR I CARRIED A BILL THAT WOULD REQUIRE WHAT WE CALL DEPLOYERS OR PEOPLE WHO USE AI TO SCREEN PEOPLE OUT OF EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO DO CERTAIN THINGS.

SO I'M SURE YOU'RE AWARE AT THIS POINT THAT HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, INSURANCE COMPANIES, EMPLOYMENT, ACCESS TO HOUSING OFTEN AI IS USED WHEN YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION TO SCREEN YOU OUT.

>>LORENE: RIGHT.

>>CHRISTINE: THEY'RE LOOKING FOR KEYWORDS OR THERE MAY BE BIAS IN THE ALGORITHM BECAUSE AI SCRAPES EVERYTHING OFF THE INTERNET.

WE KNOW THERE'S BIAS ACROSS THE INTERNET.

>>LORENE: ALSO DEEP FAKES.

>>CHRISTINE: YES, DEEP FAKES AS WELL.

DEEP FAKES IS THE CREATION OF IMAGES OF PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT REAL, IT MAY LIKE YOU OR I AND MY BILL ADDRESSES WHAT WE'RE CALLING INTIMATE DEEP FAKES, WHICH IS A WAY TO ESSENTIALLY HARASS AND TORMENT PEOPLE BY POSTING IMAGES OF THEM INVOLVED IN INTIMATE ACTIVITIES.

IT'S DISGUSTING, REALLY, WHAT CAN BE DONE AND IT LOOKS SO REAL NOW.

IT'S NOT LIKE PHOTOSHOP IN THE OLD DAYS WHEN, YOU KNOW, YOU'D LOOK AT IT AND YOU'D REALIZE THIS IS A FAKE.

>>LORENE: THE HEAD DOESN'T MATCH THE ARMS.

>>CHRISTINE: YEAH, AND THEY'RE NOT MOVING IN SYNCHRONY, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT SYNCHRONIZED IN THEIR STRANGE POSTURES AND THE LIKE.

THIS IS VERY REALISTIC AND SO THIS WOULD ADDRESS THAT ISSUE.

IT CREATES THE ABILITY FOR SOMEONE TO SUE AND GET DAMAGES IF SUCH A THING HAPPENS AND THE LIKE.

DEEP FAKES IS GOING TO BE AN ISSUE THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO BE LOOKING AT EVEN FURTHER NEXT YEAR, SO FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, WITH THE LOSS OF THE WOMAN IN ARIZONA, YOU KNOW, THE MOTHER WHO WAS KIDNAPPED, SAVANNAH GUTHRIE'S MOTHER.

I REMEMBER LISTENING ON THE NEWS WHERE THEY WERE SAYING, SAVANNAH AND HER FAMILY ARE VERY CONCERNED, OF COURSE, THEY WANT PROOF OF LIFE, OF COURSE, AND THE QUESTION IS, WILL THEY GET SOMETHING THAT'S REAL.

>>LORENE: EXACTLY.

>>CHRISTINE: YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN YOU BELIEVE NOW WHEN YOU GET IMAGES OF SOMEONE.

>>LORENE: BUT IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE THE DOORKNOB, THE GUY THAT WENT UP TO THE DOORKNOB, THE IMAGES HAD BEEN TRANSLATED TO THE CLOUD AND THEY WERE ABLE TO GET THEM, EVEN THOUGH HE TORE OUT THE CAMERA AND ALL THAT.

BUT THEY HAD THE IMAGES AND THEY BELIEVED THEY MIGHT HAVE FOUND HIM.

>>CHRISTINE: I HOPE SO BECAUSE I MEAN WHAT A TRAGIC THING IS GOING ON.

>>LORENE: I'D SAY PRAYERS FOR HER AND HER FAMILY BECAUSE IT'S JUST TOO CRUEL.

ONE THING THAT I WANT US TO TALK ABOUT IS EDUCATION.

YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE WHAT WAS GOING ON IN MINNESOTA, THERE WAS VIDEO, IT WAS REALLY CLEAR, BUT THE ADMINISTRATION WAS SAYING SOMETHING ELSE.

WHO ARE YOU GOING TO BELIEVE, ME OR YOUR LYING EYES?

WELL, I BELIEVE MY EYES.

SO, BUT WE'RE AT, I THINK, A CRITICAL POINT WHERE PEOPLE AND KIDS AND EVERYTHING REALLY NEED EDUCATION ABOUT WHAT'S OUT THERE.

>>CHRISTINE: YES.

>>LORENE: SO, WHAT CAN WE DO?

>>CHRISTINE: WELL, I KNOW THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE IS ACTUALLY LOOKING AT THAT AND DEVELOPING POLICIES TO ADDRESS IT.

OVER THE SUMMER, ACTUALLY, THE LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE HAD AS ONE OF THEIR TOPICS AI AND AI EDUCATION IN THE SCHOOLS.

>>LORENE: I'LL GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT, IT'S ALL ONLINE.

>>CHRISTINE: I THINK YOU MIGHT FIND SOME REALLY INTERESTING THINGS FOR MAYBE EVEN A FUTURE PROGRAM BECAUSE THERE ARE TWO POINTS.

ONE IS TO EDUCATE THE STUDENT AS TO HOW TO RECOGNIZE AND UNDERSTAND WHAT AI IS AND HOW IT CAN BE USED IN A POSITIVE WAY AND IN WHAT THE THREATS ARE, BECAUSE I ACTUALLY WORRY A LOT ABOUT YOUNG PEOPLE BEING SUCKED INTO THE WHOLE AI ENVIRONMENT AND OF COURSE, CHATBOT IS SOMETHING THAT CUTS UP, THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE TALKING TO SOMEONE ONLINE, BUT IT'S NOT A REAL SOMEONE, COMPLETELY ARTIFICIAL.

AND THOSE ALGORITHMS ARE SET UP TO DRAW YOU INTO THE CONVERSATION, SO THEY HAVE A LOT OF AFFIRMING LANGUAGE WHEN THEY TALK TO YOU.

IT'S A FUNNY WAY, A MACHINE GENERATE IT AND WHAT THEY DO IS THEY HOOK THE YOUNG PERSON UP OR A VULNERABLE PERSON OR A LONELY PERSON, AND THEY ENCOURAGE THEM TO DO THINGS THAT ARE NOT IN THEIR BEST INTEREST, LIKE ENCOURAGE SUICIDAL THOUGHTS, YOU KNOW, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS, MAYBE BULLYING.

ALL OF THIS KIND OF STUFF WE NEED TO GET OUR GET OUR ARMS AROUND IT.

>>LORENE: WE ABSOLUTELY DO AND ESPECIALLY TARGETING TEENAGERS AND YOUNG PEOPLE.

THAT'S WHY EDUCATION, I WILL LOOK AT IT.

>>CHRISTINE: 100% AND THE OTHER THING THE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE IS LOOKING AT HOW TO USE AI IN THE SCHOOLS.

WHAT'S A GOOD WAY TO USE AI, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO SAY THAT AI IS BAD UNIVERSALLY.

>>LORENE: ABSOLUTELY.

>>CHRISTINE: IT CAN BE A VERY POSITIVE FORCE IN THE EDUCATION ENVIRONMENT, BUT WE HAVE TO TEACH TEACHERS HOW TO USE AI AND WHAT ARE APPROPRIATE USES FOR AI AND ENSURE THAT THEIR STUDENTS KNOW WHEN IT'S GOOD TO USE AI AND WHEN IT'S NOT GOOD TO USE AI.

>>LORENE: AND ALL OF US, WE HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO DETECT WHAT'S REAL AND WHAT'S NOT.

I NEVER THOUGHT IT WOULD REALLY COME TO THIS.

>>CHRISTINE: WELL, ONE OF MY BILLS HAS A CHATBOT THING WHERE YOU HAVE TO INFORM THE PERSON THAT YOU'RE TALKING TO AI.

>>LORENE: OH, THAT'S GOOD.

>>CHRISTINE: YOU HAVE TO INFORM THE PERSON EVERY 30 MINUTES OR 20 MINUTES AND THE VOICE HAS TO BE, AS YOU POINTED OUT, DIFFERENT THAN THE VOICE THAT'S BEING USED IN THE CONVERSATION, SO IT'S LIKE A DISCLAIMER.

>>LORENE: MY HEAD SPINS WHEN I THINK OF IT.

>>CHRISTINE: I'M AFRAID, REALLY, SOMETIMES I'M AFRAID ABOUT THIS STUFF.

>>LORENE: AND I'M AFRAID FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE.

>>CHRISTINE: YES, 100%.

>>LORENE: BECAUSE THEY CAN BE DAMAGED SO BADLY BY THIS.

CAN I TALK ABOUT SOME OF YOUR OTHER INITIATIVES?

>>CHRISTINE: PLEASE.

>>LORENE: WILDFIRES.

>>CHRISTINE: BIG TOPIC.

>>LORENE: WE'RE LOOKING AT A WILDFIRE SUMMER RIGHT NOW.

>>CHRISTINE: YES, WE ARE.

SO I HAVE, LOS ALAMOS HAS BEEN THE OBJECT OF WILDFIRES, AS I'M SURE YOU KNOW AND THERE WAS, I THINK, ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO, WE LOST HOMES.

>>LORENE: WASN'T IT 400 HOMES?

>>CHRISTINE: YEAH, 400.

THE WHOLE TOWN WAS EVACUATED, THE WHOLE TOWN.

I WAS LIVING THERE AT THE TIME.

>>LORENE: AND PEOPLE WOULD BE AT FRIENDS HOUSES WATCHING TV, WATCHING THEIR HOUSE BURN DOWN.

>>CHRISTINE: IT WAS HORRIBLE.

AND ACTUALLY, I WAS ON THE COUNTY COUNCIL AT THAT TIME, SO WE WERE ALL PART OF THAT, TRYING TO MANAGE THE WHOLE FIRE RECOVERY.

BUT I ALSO REPRESENT THE JEMEZ AREA, AND YOU KNOW THERE ARE WILDFIRES OUT IN THE JEMEZ AND IN THE CALDERA AREA AND SO ON.

WHAT IT HAS CAUSED IS, OBVIOUSLY DAMAGE, THAT'S CLEAR.

FLOODING, DAMAGE FROM FLOODING, AND ALSO IT HAS CREATED PROBLEMS FOR PEOPLE TO GET HOME INSURANCE.

>>LORENE: YES.

>>CHRISTINE: I'D BEEN HEARING FROM CONSTITUENTS ALL LAST YEAR ABOUT LOSING THEIR POLICIES AND STRUGGLING TO GET ACCESS TO HOME INSURANCE.

>>LORENE: SO WHAT CALIFORNIA HAS DONE, AND WE DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME, BUT THEY'VE ACTUALLY HAD A LAW THAT INSURANCE COMPANIES CANNOT FAIL TO RENEW OR OFFER NEW POLICIES AND SO WHAT THE INSURANCE COMPANIES DID, THEY JUST TOOK A WHOLE PART OF CALIFORNIA THAT HAD WILDFIRES AND SAID, WE'RE NOT EVEN OFFERING INSURANCE.

>>CHRISTINE: YEAH, I KNOW, THAT IS A PROBLEM.

WE DON'T HAVE, WE IN NEW MEXICO, SUCH A SMALL STATE, WE DON'T HAVE THE LEVERAGE WITH INSURANCE COMPANIES, AND IF THEY DID THAT TO CALIFORNIA, YOU KNOW, BUT WHAT WE HAVE, WE DO HAVE A STATE FUND THAT HELPS PEOPLE, WHICH, YOU KNOW, I WON'T BORE YOU WITH.

>>LORENE: CALIFORNIA CAME UP WITH THEIR OWN CALIFORNIA CARES OR SOMETHING.

>>CHRISTINE: YEAH, EXACTLY, WE HAVE SOMETHING SIMILAR.

>>LORENE: WHERE THEY WERE ABLE TO HELP PEOPLE, BUT STILL, YOU KNOW, IT COSTS TOO MUCH TO REBUILD AND IT'S JUST A BIG TRAUMA.

>>CHRISTINE: IT'S ROUGH.

SO THAT'S ONE THING.

WE'RE CREATING A WILDFIRE FUND TO SUPPORT PEOPLE WHO HAVE SUFFERED DAMAGES AS A RESULT OF WILDFIRE DAMAGE AND FLOODING.

AND I'M SPONSORING A BILL, I THINK IT'S WITH SENATOR DUHIGG, THAT WOULD REQUIRE INSURANCE POLICIES THAT COVER THE FLOODING THAT IS THE RESULT OF A FIRE.

THEY TRY TO AVOID HAVING TO COVER THAT AS NOT BEING COVERED BY THE POLICY.

>>LORENE: FIRE AND FLOOD.

>>CHRISTINE: YEAH, BECAUSE THEY GO HAND IN HAND, REALLY.

YOU'RE STRIPPING THE ROOTS SYSTEM AND THE GROUND IS HARD AND IT DOESN'T ABSORB THE WATER.

>>LORENE: ANOTHER WONDERFUL BILL YOU HAVE, BECAUSE WE JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF MINUTES, IS HOW REGENTS ARE CHOSEN FOR OUR UNIVERSITIES.

SO TELL ME WHAT IT USED TO BE.

>>CHRISTINE: OKAY.

WELL, RIGHT NOW IT'S ESSENTIALLY A POLITICAL APPOINTMENT.

WHEN THERE'S A VACANCY, THE GOVERNOR CHOOSES WHOMEVER AND SOMETIMES THOSE CHOICES ARE GREAT, WELL SUITED TO THE INSTITUTION AND SOMETIMES THEY'RE POLITICAL ALLIES OR DONORS OR THE LIKE.

AND I WANT TO GIVE KUDOS TO SENATOR STEINBORN BECAUSE HE'S CARED THIS BILL A FEW TIMES.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE GREAT.

WE'VE MADE IT THROUGH THE HOUSE WITH THE BILL AND I THINK IT HAS SOME GOOD COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT'S IN THE SENATE AND I'M EXPECTING THE BILL TO GET THROUGH.

AND WHAT IT WILL DO IS CREATE NOMINATING COMMITTEES, KIND OF IN THE SAME WAY WE DO FOR JUDGES.

SO RIGHT NOW, PEOPLE APPLY, ESTABLISH THEIR CREDENTIALS, ARE INTERVIEWED.

AND CAN SHOW A REAL INTEREST IN THE INSTITUTION.

>>LORENE: AND KNOWLEDGE OF EDUCATION, MAYBE EVEN HIGHER EDUCATION THEMSELVES.

>>CHRISTINE: OR MAYBE EVEN SOMETHING LIKE FUNDRAISING, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, REGENTS SHOULD BE HELPING SUPPORT THE FINANCIAL WELFARE OF THE UNIVERSITIES AT ISSUE.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A MUCH BETTER SYSTEM AND MORE ACCESSIBLE TO SO MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF PEOPLE AS OPPOSED TO JUST PEOPLE WITH ACCESS TO THOSE OF US THAT ARE IN POLITICAL POWER.

>>LORENE: YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD ONE.

DID I FORGET ANYTHING, WE GOT A MINUTE LEFT.

SOME OTHER PROJECTS, I'M JUST SO GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE THINGS YOU'RE DOING.

>>CHRISTINE: WELL, I'M VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE.

I THINK WE'VE COVERED MOST OF MY BIG BILLS, REALLY.

SO I HAVE ONE THAT WILL ADDRESS THAT WE JUST GOT THROUGH HEALTH, PROTECT PEOPLE WHO ARE SEEKING ACCESS TO ABORTION, REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE, AND GENDER AFFIRMING CARE.

I HAVE A BILL THAT'S MAKING ITS WAY THROUGH THE SYSTEM.

>>LORENE: IS THAT THE ONE ABOUT REPORT, IT HAS A TERRIBLE TITLE BECAUSE IT'S NOT WHAT IT DOES, IT SAYS REPORT ABORTION ACCESS.

>>CHRISTINE: OH, NO, THAT'S A DIFFERENT BILL THAT ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES IS INTRODUCING, TO GET RID OF THAT LAW, ACTUALLY.

>>LORENE: RIGHT, BUT IT DIDN'T SAY THAT IN THE TITLE, TO VETO THAT LAW.

>>CHRISTINE: I GET IT, YEAH, IT IS A LITTLE BIT MISLEADING.

I KNOW WHICH BILL YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHO SPONSORED IT.

>>LORENE: NO, I CALLED UP THE SPONSOR RIGHT AWAY AND SAID, WHAT DO YOU MEAN, REPORT ABORTION?

>>CHRISTINE: YEAH, NO, THIS IS TO GET RID OF THAT.

IT'S A SHORT SESSION, TRYING TO FOCUS ON, YOU KNOW, THE BIG BILL, WHICH IS, OF COURSE, THE MEDICAL MALPRACTICE ACT REFORMS, WHICH I WILL TELL YOU HAS TAKEN A LOT OF TIME BECAUSE WE CONTINUE TO TRY TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE PROVIDERS AND THE LAWYERS IN TERMS OF WHAT THE BILL SHOULD SAY.

>>LORENE: WELL, YOU KNOW, I PRAY FOR ITS PASSAGE, IT'S REALLY URGENT.

WE CAN'T WAIT ON THIS, THE PROVIDERS CAN'T WAIT, THE PATIENTS CAN'T WAIT.

BUT ANYWAY, WE'RE SPEAKING TODAY WITH CHRISTINE CHANDLER, DEMOCRAT FROM LOS ALAMOS, SANDOVAL, AND SANTA FE COUNTIES, AND THE CHAIR OF HOUSE JUDICIARY.

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO FOR NEW MEXICO.

>>CHRISTINE: THANK YOU.

>>LORENE: THANK YOU FOR COMING ON THE SHOW.

>>CHRISTINE: IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE, I REALLY ENJOYED THE CONVERSATION.

>>LORENE: AND I'M LORENE MILLS, I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE CONVERSATION TOO ON REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

I'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

THANK YOU.

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.

♪ MUSIC