COCONINO COUNTY DEMOCRATS ARIZONA LEGISLATIVE ALERT
February 6, 2023
Below is our Arizona Legislature Alert for this week. Our representatives continue to be busy – mostly suppressing the vote, imposing restrictions on public schools, arbitrary constraints on cities and counties, etc. The reason there are so many bills in this alert is that TODAY 2/6 is the deadline for introducing new bills.
Please take whatever time you can to use RTS (Request to Speak) to voice your position on the bills outlined in the attached. Better yet, end and email or make a phone call to your representative to really let them know how you feel.
Remember that Civic Engagement Beyond Voting holds a hour long “Happy Hour” every Sunday at 4:00 PM to review what the legislature is up to. It is well worth your time. You can find a link to CEBV registration form to attend these zoom sessions here.
This week is a doozie!! The state legislature is rushing to get all their bills through committee this week since the deadline for each house to get this done is this Friday, 2/17. After that the bills switch houses – house bills go to the Senate and Senate bills go to the House. As a result there are a ton of bills eligible for RTS. Please do not get overwhelmed here. Pick those issue important to you and focus on them. You don’t need to respond to all of them. Take a breath and take your time.
LD 7 REPRESENTATIVE SPONSORS
SB 1239 – OPPOSE – ROGERS – Would allow state agencies to accept cryptocurrency as payment by partnering with a private third-party company. Crypto is a gamble used by the mega rich. USE RTS!
SB 1114 – OPPOSE – ROGERS – Would appropriate $3.64 Million to the existing hyperbaric oxygen
therapy fund for military veterans. Such therapy can be sued for serious infections. It is likely this is an
attempt to get state funding for fraudulent COVID treatment. USE RTS
SB 1366 – OPPOSE – ROGERS – Would mandate that medical personnel inform women seeking
abortions that health benefits may be available to her if she chooses to stay pregnant and a lot of other
incentives to not getting an abortion. This bill serves no medical purpose. USE RTS!
SB 1300 – OPPOSE – ROGERS – Would ban school governing boards from restricting or prohibiting the
parent of a student from carrying or transporting a firearm on school property if the parent possesses a
valid concealed weapons permit (something that is ridiculously easy to get). USE RTS
HB 2411 – OPPOSE (Cook) Would punish Scottsdale mayor and city council for refusing to sell water to residents of Rio Verde Foothills, a high priced unincorporated area near Scottsdale. Scottsdale notified Rio Verde residents two years ago that Scottsdale was going to only sell water to residents inside Scottsdale city limits. This is clearly a punitive measure against Scottsdale and makes no attempt to address the bigger water scarcity issue. USE RTS
HCR 2016 – OPPOSE – COOK & SCR 1016 (Mesnard) – Would request a constitutional convention to create term limits. This is a huge deal – a constitutional convention would include one delegate from each state and it would allow our entire Constitution to be rewritten – there is no intent to limit the scope of this to just term limits! USE RTS!
ABILITY OF CIITES/COUNTIES TO MANAGE FUNDS
SB 1500 – OPPOSE – Would require all state investments be made solely for pecuniary benefit and specifically prohibits boycotting any investment company. Probably intended to prevent boycotting fossil fuels. USE RTS!
SB 1146 – OPPOSE – Would require Arizona’s retirement system to divest from companies that “promote, facilitate or advocate for” abortions for minors, or for “the inclusion of, or the referral of students to, sexually explicit material.” Would hamstring financial managers and prevent effective investments for state, county and local workers. USE RTS!
SB 1500 – OPPOSE – Creates definition of “nonpecuniary factor” to mean consideration of corporate governance, social or environmental “nonpecuniary factors”. In short, it would prohibit looking at risk from the sense of good governance, social responsibility, and environmental goals. Organizations against this bill include AZ National Organization for Women and the State Conference NAACP. USE RTS!
EDUCATION
SB 2705 – OPPOSE – Would require public district and charter schools to provide students with firearms training between grades 6 and 12. It also allows schools to accept in-kind donations of materials, equipment or services for the training from anyone with NO safety provisions. USE RTS.
HB 2458 – OPPOSE – This is an “anti-CRT” bill fueled by anti-public school culture wars. This would ban teaching “controversial topics” in schools and drive further distrust of educators. Students need to know both the good and the bad of our history so they can learn from the mistakes of the past. USE RTS!
SB 1305 – OPPOSE – This is an “anti CRT” bill – fueled by anti-public school culture wars. It would ban teaching “controversial topics” in public schools (but NOT ESA taxpayer funded private schools). This is a terrible bill and would further increase the distrust of educators. USE RTS.
SB 1013 – Kavanagh (R-3) – OPPOSE – Would eliminate “free speech” zones on college campuses – allowing anyone who is present to protest anywhere on campus. This could result in protests in the classrooms and other sensitive areas – crating safety issues. Being pushed by the Goldwater Institute – enough said. Use RTS
SCR 1025 – OPPOSE – Would ask voters to insert the “parents bill of rights” into the state Constitution. This is an act that is often wielded by far-right political groups as a bludgeon against schools, health care organization and children’s advocacy groups. USE RTS!
HB 2533 – OPPOSE – Would require public schools to post a list of every item teachers use or discuss with students!! USE RTS!
HB 2539 – OPPOSE – Would force the State Board of Education to implement a “public awareness program” that promotes the use of the tax-payer funded ESA voucher program! USE RTS!
HB 2748 – SUPPORT – Would ban district and charter schools from imposing suspension as a penalty for a student’s unexcused absences. It doesn’t make sense to force a kid out of school for missing school. USE RTS!
HB 2786 – OPPOSE – Would require school boards to notify parents of recommended or funded “training opportunities” for teachers or school administrators. This is intended to ban anything that might be remotely construed to be social-emotional learning. The Horne administration wants to ban anything that might be like “critical race theory”. USE RTS!
SB 1145 – OPPOSE – Would exempt students at all three in-state universities from student activity fees if the student says the payment would “violate their conscience”. Intended to enshrine culture wars into statute. USE RTS!
SB 1385 – OPPOSE – Would require schools to include their rules and actions on school discipline in the list of educational performance indicators, and ties school discipline to school letter grades. Tom Horne repeated out-of-touch, authoritarian rhetoric intends to force schools to “keep orderly classrooms”. USE RTS!
SB 1410 – OPPOSE – Would allow any state lawmaker to order the Attorney General to investigate whether a city is violating state law – and extend this “right” to school boards. This “right” has been used by Republicans to stop cities from enacting policies that they don’t like. USE RTS!
SB 1657 – OPPOSE – Would reinstate statewide testing to graduate from high school. In 2015 Republican lawmakers overwhelmingly chose to repeal this requirement. This bill contains no exceptions for students with many forms of special needs who struggle to pass standardized tests. USE RTS.
SB 1674 – SUPPORT – Would require the state Auditor General to complete a cost study of Arizona online instruction. USE RTS!
SB 1694 – OPPOSE – Would ban the state, including schools, from requiring “diversity, equity, and inclusion programs” for its employees, spending public funds on such programs, or setting policies to influence the composition of the workforce on the basis of sex, race or color. USE RTS!
SB 1700 – OPPOSE – Would double down on last year’s measures to ban many books from schools and institute public review of such books. Any parent would be able to ask a school to remove a book. Ridiculous! USE RTS!
SB 1706 – SUPPORT – Would create reporting that requires the ADE to release more information about who is use ESA vouchers and how taxpayer funds are being spent!! USE RTS!
HB 2075 – SUPPORT – Would exempt school blueprints from public records laws. This would make it more difficult for bad actors to plan attacks on students. USE RTS!
HB 2667 – OPPOSE – Would prohibit universities and community colleges from banning anyone with a concealed weapon permit from possessing, storing, or transporting guns on campus! USE RTS!
PUBLIC SAFETY
HB 2667 and SB 1300 – OPPOSE – Would ban school governing boards from restricting or prohibiting the parent of a student from carrying or transporting a firearm on school property if the parent possesses a valid concealed weapons permit (something that is ridiculously easy to get). USE RTS
HB 2544 – OPPOSE – Would exempt firearms or ammo that are “modified” in Arizona from federal regulation. Huge loophole! USE RTS!
HEALTH & WELFARE
HB 2227 – SUPPORT – Would direct the Department of Economic Security to change its child care program to allow it to collect federal money for child care for some out of school provider organizations that are not currently eligible. USE RTS!
HOMELESS
HB 2284 – OPPOSE – Would create state funded “tent cities” for anyone experiencing homelessness. It would segregate and criminalize people without dealing with the homelessness issue. AZ has a serious homeless crises and real solutions are needed not attempts to criminalize the condition for people. USE RTS.
HB 2634 – SUPPORT – Would allow buyers and sellers of real estate to donate to the Housing Trust Fund. This fund is used to support people experiencing homelessness. USE RTS!
LGBTQ RIGHTS
SB 1040 – Kavanagh (R-3) – OPPOSE – Would ban trans kids from using the school bathrooms, changing, facilities and “sleeping quarters” that align with their gender identity. Allows anyone to sue. Previous legislation like this has been found to be unconstitutional – this will lead to serious legal challenges that will need to be defended at tax-payer expense. USE RTS.
SB 1001 – Kavanagh (R-3) – OPPOSE – The bill would ban teachers from using a student’s chosen pronoun without parental written permission. Kids dealing with personal identity confusion need all the help they can get. They are very susceptible to suicide. The support exhibited by using their preferred pronoun lowers that suicide risk. USE RTS.
SB 1030 – OPPOSE – Would mandate that counties change their zoning laws to define business that hold “drag shows” as adult-oriented and would also ban the beloved Sunday drag brunch. The goal seems to be to mislead the public, intimidate LGBTQ people by perpetuating false, offensive narratives. USE RTS
SB 1698 – OPPOSE – Would add drag shows to a state law about dangerous crimes against children. The bill equates a drag show with an adult-oriented performance and makes it a crime on par with bestiality, child sex trafficking, second-degree murder, and sexual assault. A viewing of “Mulan” or “Hairspray” could result in a class 4 felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Bonkers! USE RTS!
JUDICIAL INDEPENDENCE
HB 2757 – OPPOSE – Would expand retention elections for appeals court judges to be statewide, rather than county wide. This is a clear effort to make it even harder for people to unseat bad judges and meant to stack our courts. USE RTS!
SCR 1026 – OPPOSE – Would ask voters to amend the state constitution to change the process for appointing members of the Appellate and Trial Court Nominating Commission, as well as the Commission on Judicial Conduct. It weakens the ability to ensure a nonpartisan process for selecting and appointing judges. USE RTS!
VOTING RIGHTS
SB 1074 & HB 2613 – OPPOSE – Would ban all electronic voting equipment from primary use unless it meets Department of Defense cybersecurity standards. Unnecessary and based on more conspiracy theories. USE RTS!
SB 1140 – OPPOSE – Would ban county-based voting centers and mandate that counties return to precinct-style voting. The voting center concept is very beneficial – it provides voter convenience, financial savings and increased turnout. USE RTS!
SB 1213 – OPPOSE – Would mandate the Legislative Council, not the Secretary of State, create the official elections procedure manual. Can you imagine what that would do to our elections!! USE RTS
SB 1324 and HB 2560 – OPPOSE – Would require copies of digital ballot images to be made publicly available online. This is a recommendation of the Cyber Ninjas after their failed ballot review. An obvious invasion of privacy and a continuing attempt to undermine Arizona’s election process. USE RTS.
SB 1332 – OPPOSE – Would make the “cast vote record” a public record. This is a recipt of everything scanned by a voting machine. It’s the latest example of the endless and fruitless search for proof of election wrong doing. Never substantiated! USE RTS!
SB 1518 – OPPOSE – Would allow voters to skip the signature verification process by presenting an ID when dropping off ballets on Election Day. This would break the chain of ballot custody! The bill also bans one person in a family from dropping off ballots after the Friday before Election Day. USE RTS!
SB 1566 – OPPOSE – Would void ALL voter registrations in Arizona this year and force everyone to reregister every 10 years!! Incredible! USE RTS!
SB 1595 – OPPOSE – Would make voters present ID in order to drop off their early ballot after 7PM on the Friday before Election Day. This would unnecessarily complicate voting for 20% of all voters and likely result in more ballots being rejected. USE RTS!
SB 1596 – OPPOSE – Would require government offices, including school district offices, to serve as polling places if elections officials ask for it. This is a sly attempt to promote a return to precinct-style voting. USE RTS!
SB 1597 – OPPOSE – Would require elections officials to tabulate early ballots on-site at polling places no later than November 2024. There is not appropriation to support this very expensive requirement. USE RTS!
HB 2232 – OPPOSE – Would ban most early and absentee voting mandate voters to show ID before voting, institute holograms and numbering for paper ballots and mandate the hand counting of all ballots!! Crazy!! USE RTS!
HB 2591 – OPPOSE – Would mandate that ballot drop boxes must be located inside a county building or secured to a building or footing. USE RTS!
HB 2722 – OPPOSE – Would allow county elections officials to hand count all of the ballots for any election. Such a move would put ballot security at risk, create counting errors, and damage voter confidence. USE RTS!
HB 2785 – OPPOSE – Would eliminate early voting by mail in Arizona, all-mail elections, and Arizona’s active early voting list. USE RTS!
HCR 2033 – OPPOSE – Would ask voters to enshrine our current direct primary system in the state constitution -making if nearly impossible to explore other options such as rank-choice voting. USE RTS.
HCR 2040 – OPPOSE – Would ask voters to eliminate early voting and make absentee voting vastly harder! USE RTS!
HCR 2041 – OPPOSE – Would ask voters to restrict Arizona’s initiative and referendum process by requiring ballot measures to collect signatures from a percentage of voters in EACH of Arizona’s 30 legislative districts!!! USE RTS!
TRANSPORTATION
SB 1122 – OPPOSE – Would extend the longtime Maricopa County half-cent sales tax that funds crucial freeways, roads and public transportation across Metro Phoenix. Unfortunately, the bill prevents spending on any commuter rail, light rail or streetcars – hence prevents the County from addressing real transportation needs. USE RTS!
TAXATION
SB 1156 – OPPOSE – Would allow $40,000 deduction for taxes (up from $3,000) for adoptions. Just another way to reduce the state’s general fund. We already give away much more than we take in on revenue. We don’t need anymore credits. USE RTS!
SB 1281 – OPPOSE – Would give income tax rebates of $200 for individual and $400 for a couple for tax year 2022. This could cost the state general fund almost $1 Billion!!! USE RTS!
SB 1559 – OPPOSE – Would exempt from state taxes all of the first-year profits for a corporation in its first year of business, half the profits in year two and a quarter of the profits in year three. It would waive all fees as well. This is no time to further grant tax breaks to business! USE RTS!
SB 1577 & SCR 1035 – OPPOSE – Would mandate that If Arizona had a budget surplus in any given year, then the state would have to automatically cut income taxes by 50% for the next year! USE RTS!
GOVERNANCE
SB 1245 – OPPOSE – Would ban cities and counties from using vehicle license tax revenue for anything except transportation. State has no business micro managing local decisions on how to use revenues. USE RTS.
SB 1313 – OPPOSE – Would ban cities from making any plans that would “reduce overall system capacity of motor vehicle traffic”. This bill is based on the conspiracy theory that believes world government wants to limit people’s freedom of movement and advance a totalitarian agenda!! Ridiculous! USE RTS!
HB 2309 – OPPOSE – Would ban Arizona and all its counties and cities from complying with US law if it’s inconsistent with Arizona law regarding the authority of the state and local law enforcement agencies. Guess the sponsor of this bill didn’t read the Constitution!! USE RTS!
HB 2756 – OPPOSE – Would penalize cities and counties if they didn’t spend “enough” on law enforcement. This fear-based bill is designed to hamstring efforts to redistribute law enforcement money to address the root causes of crime and poverty. USE RTS!
SCR 1034 & HCR 2038 – OPPOSE – Would ask voters to amend the state Constitution to automatically extend the previous year’s budget if lawmakers don’t pass one in time. This would eliminate any incentive or requirement for lawmakers to compromise on spending decisions! USE RTS!
HCR 2043 – OPPOSE – Would ask voters to amend the state Constitution to make the regulation of employee benefits, including wages, a statewide issue and ban cities from further regulating them. This is aimed at penalizing Flagstaff for our higher minimum wage than the state average. USE RTS!
SB 1137 – OPPOSE – Would strip Maricopa county Board of Supervisors of their power by splitting the county into four smaller counties. This would be another form of gerrymandering to isolate the Democrats in the county into one of the new four counties. USE RTS!
SCR 1023 – OPPOSE – Would ask voters to amend the state Constitution to repeal charter cities in Arizona. Larger cities can adopt a charter which then supersedes any state law that conflicts with purely municipal affairs. State lawmakers have long hated charter cities since it restricts their ability to mandate things. USE RTS!
SCR 1038 – OPPOSE – Would establish a process for a statewide special election to elect delegates to an Article V convention to amend the US Constitution. USE RTS!
HOMELESS
HB 2284 – OPPOSE – Would create state funded “tent cities” for anyone experiencing homelessness. It would segregate and criminalize people without dealing with the homelessness issue. AZ has a serious homeless crises and real solutions are needed not attempts to criminalize the condition for people. USE RTS.
SB 1413 – OPPOSE – Would require cities and counties to immediately remove any “homeless encampment” and throw away all material found there. The bill does not include solutions for housing or shelter. USE RTS!
PUBLIC SAFETY
HB 2316 – OPPOSE – A very broad anti-science bill that would make it a “discriminatory practice” for anyone in the state to withhold employment from an unvaccinated person. It bans vaccine requirements for schools and child care. Ridiculous!! Use RTS
HB 2630 – OPPOSE – Would block cities, towns and counties from regulating the sale of tobacco products. This would override virtually every local regulation now in existence. Incredible! USE RTS!
SB 1160 – SUPPORT – Would keep someone who seeks medical help for another person experiencing a drug-related overdose from being arrested for possession or use of drugs. USE RTS!
SB 1433 – OPPOSE -Would mandate any employer who requires a person to be vaccinated for COVID be liable for damages that result from a “significant injury’ caused by the vaccine, with a minimum penalty of $1 MILLION!! USE RTS!
WOMEN’S RIGHTS
SB 1600 – OPPOSE – Would broaden a controversial anti-abortion bill from 2017 that requires clinic, hospitals and physicians to “care for a baby delivered alive”. This bill forces unnecessary procedures on babies with no chance of survival instead of allowing those babies to die in the arms of their parents. USE RTS!
SOCIAL SAFETY NET
HB 2108 – OPPOSE – Would add additional requirements and hurdles to those seeking unemployment insurance. Arizona pays the SECOND LOWEST benefit of any state already and the amount hasn’t been raised since 2004!! People who are out of work need help not hinderance! USE RTS!
SB 1167 – OPPOSE – Would tie length of unemployment relief to Arizona’s unemployment rate. This would disproportionately harm rural areas and people of color, who typically have higher rates of unemployment compared to the state average. USE RTS
SB 1506 – SUPPORT – Would ban landlords from discriminating against renters who receive government assistance! USE RTS!
SB 1569 – SUPPORT – Would create a study committee on Statewide Eviction Prevention and Housing Affordability. USE RTS!
ENVIRONMENTAL
HB 2505 – SUPPORT – Continues the recreation coordinating commission through 2029. This commission reviews and provides comments on statewide recreation issues for state parks. USE RTS
HB 2506 – SUPPORT – Continues the Arizona State Park board until 2029. USE RTS
HB 2518 – SUPPORT – Appropriates $3.5 Million to the State Parks Board for Prescott and Prescott Valley to establish the Glassford Dells regional park. USE RTS
HCM2022 – OPPOSE – Sends a message to Congress to open up more public land to development! USE RTS
HCM 2004 – OPPOSE – Has a lot of misinformation and urges Congress to change the management of the National Forests. USE RTS
HB 2535 – OPPOSE – Would exempt private water wells on private property from regulation. USE RTS
SB 1224 – SUPPORT – Would restore the $10 million allocation from lottery dollars for the State Parks Heritage Fund for trails, protecting cultural sites, education ,etc. USE RTS.
SB 1093 – OPPOSE – Another attempt to punish Scottsdale for not selling water to Rio Verde community. USE RTS.
SB 1392 – SUPPORT – Would appropriate an unspecified amount for a state park at the headwaters of the Verde River. USE RTS
SB 1714 – SUPPORT – Would appropriate $250,000 for the Arizona Trail Fund. USE RTS.
SB 1501 – OPPOSE – Would ban public utility companies like APS, SRP and TEP from using their revenues to build or operate EV charging stations! USE RTS!
DEMOCRACY
HB 2059 – OPPOSE – Would create the crimes of ”mob intimidation” and “aggravated riot” in an attempt to stifle public protests. USE RTS!
HB 2552 – OPPOSE – Would ban the use of ranked choice voting in Arizona. USE RTS!
Here is the contact information for our Legislators:
AZ SENATE:
LD 1 – Ken Bennett 602-926-5874
LD 7 – Wendy Rogers 602-926-3042
LD 6 – Theresa Hatathlie 602-926-5160
President Warren Petersen 602-926-4136
Majority Ldr Sonny Borrelli 602-926-5031
Minority Ldr Raquel Teran 602-926-3308
AZ HOUSE:
LD 1 – Selina Bliss 602-926-4018
LD 1 – Quang Nguyen 602-926-3258
LD 7 – David Cook 602-926-5162
LD 7 – David Marshall 602-926-3579
LD 6 – Mae Peshlakai 602-926-3708
LD 6 – Myron Tsosie 602-926-3157
Speaker Ben Toma 602-926-3298
Majority Ldr Leo Biasiucci 602-926-3018
Minority Ldr Andres Cano 602-926-3027
E-Mail Contact for Governor Katie Hobbs:
https://azgovernor.gov/contact/form/contact-governor-hobbs