BILL ALERTS for people who are short on time.
THESE BILLS ARE NOT RTS QUALIFIED BUT YOU CAN DESIGNATE YOUR POSITION
Use “My Bill Positions” in the RTS side bar menu to give these bills a thumbs-up or thumbs-down:
ANIMAL WELFARE
SB1238 – SUPPORT – Bans Animal and Cockfighting Paraphernalia. This bill would prohibit a person from knowingly possessing, purchasing, or selling equipment and supplies used in animal and cockfighting, both of which are illegal. Provides exemptions for paraphernalia used in connection with ranching, rodeos, and other lawful purposes. Supported by the Humane Society of the United States and the Animal Defense League of Arizona. (02/07/21)
CLIMATE CHANGE
SB1152 – SUPPORT – Zero-Emissions Vehicle Plan and Zero-Emissions State Motor Vehicle Fleet. Requires the Arizona Department of Transportation, in coordination with the Departments of Environmental Quality and Administration, to develop a plan to increase the number of registered zero-emissions vehicles in the state, and to prioritize state fleet purchasing and leasing of zero-emission vehicles. (02/07/21)
HB2287 – SUPPORT – This bill would appropriate $1.5 million to the Arizona Department of Education to award grants to school districts for the purchase or leasing of electric buses. (02/07/21)
DISABILITY COMMUNITY and ELDERCARE
SB1259 – SUPPORT – Mobile Home Caregivers. This bill would implement federal and state Fair Housing Laws to allow a mobile home resident with a disability to have one or more persons providing live-in healthcare, personal care, or supportive services if necessary to afford the resident an equal opportunity to use and enjoy their dwelling. It also removes the requirement that the caregiver be over age 18. Supported by AARP, the Arizona Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, and various manufactured-home lobby groups.
SB1281 – SUPPPORT – Continues the Developmental Disability Advisory Council. This council helps to establish, review, and implement policies and programs for individuals with developmental disabilities. (02/07/21)
SB1282 – SUPPORT – Continues the Board of Examiners of Nursing Care Institutions Administrators and Assisted Living Facility Managers, to help assure the safe and professional management of these facilities. (02/07/21)
HB2290 – SUPPORT – Tightens up requirements and procedures for inspecting healthcare institutions that provide medical services, including nursing homes, assisted living facilities, intermediate care facilities for facilities for individuals with developmental disabilities, hospice services, personal care services, outdoor behavioral health services, and others. Supported by the Arizona Department of Health Services, Arizona Public Health Association, and Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers. (02/07/2021)
HB2299 – SUPPORT – Appropriates $1 million and 13 FTEs to the Arizona Department of Health Services to hire additional long-term care facility surveyors to promote quality healthcare and safety. Supported by AARP, the Arizona Association of Area Agencies in Aging, Arizona Academy of Family Physicians, Arizona Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, and Arizona Public Health Association. (02/07/2021)
HB2300 – SUPPORT – Appropriates $1.2 million to the Arizona Department of Economic Security to establish a Group Home Monitoring Program to provide oversight for community residential settings of six people or less with developmental disabilities. (02/07/21)
ENVIRONMENTAL
SB1177 – SUPPORT – Promote healthy forests and watersheds, and help prevent wildfires. This bill would establish a Healthy Forest Production Tax Credit allowed against individual and corporate income tax liability beginning in taxable year 2022. The taxpayer must be certified under the existing Healthy Forest Enterprise Incentives Program and have a Memorandum of Agreement with the Arizona Commerce Authority, and process qualifying forest products (dead standing and fallen forest thinnings associated with the harvest of small diameter timber, slash, wood chips, peelings, brush and other woody vegetation) at a facility located in Arizona. This bill has an anticipated General Fund fiscal impact of $395,800. This bill is supported by a number of counties, including Coconino County, and the Arizona Wildlife Federation. (02/07/21)
SB1275 – SUPPORT – Help save the bees. Neonicotinoid Pesticides (“Neonics”). This bill would authorize the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality to regulate the sale and use of neonics, which paralyze and kill bees and other beneficial insects. This bill would also require ADEQ to incorporate pollinator habitat expansion and enhancement practices into the state’s managed pollinator protection plan. (02/07/21)
HB2127 – SUPPORT – This bill would appropriate $10 million in FY 2021-22 to the State Parks Heritage Fund. Supported by numerous environmental organizations and local governments. (02/07/2021)
HEALTH
SB1250 – SUPPORT – Opioid Overdose and Disease Prevention. This bill would allow local governments and nongovernmental organizations to establish a Syringe Service (Needle-Exchange) Program and carry out related disease and addiction prevention activities, including providing safe needle disposal, health education, and naloxone hydrochloride kits. Supported by the Arizona Public Health Association and numerous public health and social services organizations. (02/07/2021)
HB2250 – SUPPORT – Patient Right-to Know Act. This bill would require healthcare providers who limit the services they provide based upon religious beliefs to disclose those limitations to patients and health insurance plan providers. (02/07/2021)
HB2251 – SUPPORT – Comprehensive, medically-accurate sex education. This bill would require school districts to provide age-appropriate, medically-accurate information relating to human development, healthy relationships, decision-making, abstinence, contraception, and disease prevention. The bill includes provisions to allow parents to withdraw pupils from instruction. Supported by the Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence. (02/07/2021)
HB2273 – SUPPORT – Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). This bill would expand access to CHIP by raising the eligibility levels from gross household income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level to at or below 300% of the poverty level. (02/07/21)
HB2276 – SUPPORT – This bill would requires the licensing of facilities at which transvaginal ultrasounds are performed. It would also require that transvaginal ultrasounds be performed by licensed or certified healthcare providers whose scope of practice includes providing tranvaginal ultrasounds. Similar to SB 1199. (02/07/21)
NATIVE AMERICANS
HB2236 – SUPPORT – This bill would reconfigure the membership requirements for the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board by increasing the number of police chiefs on the Board from two to three, and requiring that one of the three police chiefs be appointed from a federally-recognized Native American tribe, and also by adding one position for a certified law enforcement officer from the police department of a federally-recognized Native American tribe. (Reps. Teller and Tsosie, sponsors) (02/07/2021)
TRANSPORTATION
SCM1003 – OPPOSE – This memorial, sponsored by Sen. Wendy Rogers, proposes renaming State Route 260 the “Donald J. Trump Highway.” (02/07/21)
LGBTQ+ RIGHTS
SB1163 – SUPPORT – This bill would require that the person completing a death certificate record the decedent’s sex to reflect the decedent’s gender identity. The bill contains provisions to aid in resolving conflicts over the decedent’s gender identity. (02/07/21)
VOTING RIGHTS
HB2720 – OPPOSE – sponsored by Rep. Shawnna Bolick, R-Phoenix, but not assigned to committee would allow the Legislature to overturn the electoral vote, which currently has to comport with the results of the popular vote for president. It says the Legislature “retains its legislative authority regarding the office of presidential elector” and can, by a simple majority vote, at any time before the inauguration of a new president, revoke the certification regardless of whether the Legislature is in regular or special session or has held hearings on the matter.
HCR2001 – OPPOSE – A resolution requiring that initiatives be limited to just one subject. This may sound simple, but it mainly provides one more way to those who oppose citizen votes to throw initiatives off the ballot. Passed 7-6 by House government and elections committee. Also passed Rules.
HB2369 – OPPOSE – Notarizing early ballots. This bill would require early ballots to be notarized before returning! As a huge percentage of Arizona votes are now cast by early ballots, this would be a disaster as notarization requires the voter to find a notary, go there, get it signed! A huge voter suppression bill. Introduced, not assigned. (Payne, LD21).
GOVERNANCE
HB2014 – OPPOSE – Petition to request review. This statutory change would permit any person, based on their own personal belief, to require the GRRC (the Governor’s regulatory review commission) to review and then empower them to actually declare void any rules or policy promulgated by a government agency. The GRRC is a group of seven persons, six of whom are appointed by the governor. This bill sounds as if it would greatly increase the power of the governor to overrule government agencies – a part of a “deregulation” initiative. Passed House government and elections committee 7-6. Passed Rules on 5-3 vote. Passed House Committee of Whole 4/2, so is moving fast.
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