Produced by Coconino County Democratic Party
- DEMAND our House Representative support aid for Ukraine ASAP! The Senate has agreed to a bi-partisan immigration deal but the House refuses to put it up for a vote! Without additional funding from the US for military assistance, Ukraine could be overrun by Russian aggression!! Republicans are stalling this aid by demanding draconian asylum, parole and detention policies at the U.S.- Mexico border. The anti-immigrant policies Republicans want would separate families at the border, and are irrelevant to funding Ukraine. These demands are dictated by Trump and Stephen Miller. It sets a very dangerous precedent to exchange domestic policy for foreign policy. Congress must fund the Ukraine effort without conditions!! It is wrong for Republicans to hijack this crucial aid to push their unrelated immigration law changes. It is doubly wrong when their only reason is to make the border immigration an issue for the presidential election in November!! DEMAND Ukraine aid ASAP!
- Demand our Representatives pass the bipartisan proposal to expand the Child Tax Credit!! Congress has announced a bipartisan tax policy agreement that would expand the Child Tax Credit for about 80% of families with low incomes. Congress expanded the child tax credit in 2021 via the American Rescue Plan and it helped cut child poverty nearly in half. Unfortunately the child tax credit was allowed to expire in 2022. This new proposed expansion would benefit 16 million children and lift 400,000 of them out of poverty. After the Child Tax Credit expansion lapsed in 2022, more than 1 in 4 adults living with kids under the age of 6 had food hardships! We must do everything possible to pass the proposed Child Tax Credit expansion!!
- Insist our Representatives pass the Tribal Cultural Areas Protection Act!! For too long, federal land management laws have led to the desecration of sacred cultural sites on public lands. The bast majority of federal lands are carved out of the ancestral homelands of tribal nations. Native peoples’ cultural connections to these places have never been extinguished. The legislation would establish a national system of culturally significant sites on public lands, empower Tribal Nations to co-manage our cultural area on public lands, and prohibit mining or other harmful forms of development. PASS THE TRIBAL CULTURAL AREAS PROTECTION ACT NOW!
- Urge our Senators to OPPOSE the nomination of Andrew Biggs to the Social Security Advisory Board. Andrew Biggs is McConnell’s pick to be on the Social Security Advisory Board. The Senate Finance Committee is voting on this nomination next week. Andrew Biggs was instrumental in the Bush admin’s attempt in 2005 to privatize Social Security, he advocated for raising the retirement age in 2023, he supports means-testing Social Security, he has dismissed the looming retirement income crises as a “non issue”, he has supported Donald Trump’s move to unilaterally defund Social Security altogether!! Biggs will be a loud voice for privatization of Social Security if he is allowed to sit on the Advisory Board. The nomination of Andrew Biggs MUST be Stopped!!
Sen. Mark Kelly: Call (202) 224-2235 (DC); Email via his website at https://www.kelly.senate.gov/contact/. Tag the Senator at @senmarkkelly.
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema: Call (202) 224-4521 (DC) or (602) 598-7327. Email via her website at https://www.sinema.senate.gov/contact-kyrsten. Tag the Senator at @senatorsinema.
Rep. Eli Crane: Call (202) 225-3361 (DC) or email via website at https://crane.house.gov/contact. Tag the Congressman @RepEliCrane
President Biden: https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House,
202-225-2777 (DC) or email via website at:
https://mikejohnson.house.gov/contact/
Tag the Congressman @RepMikeJohnson
Senator Mitch McConnell:
Email: https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=ContactForm
Call: 202-224-2541
COCONINO COUNTY DEMOCRATS
ARIZONA LEGISLATIVE ALERT
January 29, 2024
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 Denise Epstein 602-926-4870
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
Majority Ldr Leo Biasiucci 602-926-3018
Minority Ldr Lupe Contreras 602-926-5284
E-Mail Contact for Governor Katie Hobbs:
https://azgovernor.gov/contact/form/contact-governor-hobbs
E-Mail Contacts for Governor Hobbs Staff:
BILLS AUTHORED BY LD 7 REPRESENTATIVES
SB 1125 – Rogers – OPPOSE – Would require “age and identity verification” for companies that provide “material harmful to minors” over the internet. The state of course would be able monitor such access. See HB 2586 – same bill in the House.
SB 1128 – Rogers – OPPOSE – Would allow state agencies to accept cryptocurrency as payment for anything from taxes to fees to fines and assessments.
SB 1197 – Rogers – OPPOSE – Would exempt virtual currency from taxation!
SCR 1010 – Rogers – OPPOSE – Same as SB 1197 but sent directly to the ballot to avoid the Governor’s veto (like she did last year).
SCR 1001 – Rogers – OPPOSE – Would ask voters to ban the use of photo radar!! Another attempt to by-pass the Governor’s veto pen by going directly to the ballot.
SB 1127 – Rogers – OPPOSE – Would ban cities and counties from imposing any tax or fee on anyone running a blockchain node (aka, mining cryptocurrency). Each bitcoin transaction consumes enough electricity to run an American home for 6 weeks!!
SB 1129 – Rogers – OPPOSE – Would require law enforcement to immediately remove any “transient occupant” of private residential property and charge them with trespassing. State statutes already exist to cover this behavior.
WATER SUSTAINABILITY
HB 2006 – Griffin – OPPOSE – Weakens the provisions for managing subdivision development. It would allow a developer to avoid having to assure there is an adequate water supply for new development.
HB 2008 – Griffin – OPPOSE – Would establish active management areas (AMA) for commercial and industrial water users. However, it prohibits the rules from requiring them to obtain a certificate of assured water supply or otherwise meet a statuary replenishment obligation.
HB 2014 – Griffin – OPPOSE – Would slow down the actions on limiting ground water pumping.
HB 2057 – Dunn – OPPOSE – Appropriates an additional $143 million to the water augmentation fund for water projects outside of Arizona.
HB 2200 – Dunn – OPPOSE – Allows groundwater to be transported from the Harquahala Irrigation Non-expansion Area to any location in La Paz County and adds private entities to the list of those who can do so.
HB 2366 – Griffin – OPPOSE – Would stop enforcement of the Groundwater Management Act and creates more loopholes!!
HB 2368 – Griffin – OPPOSE – Would allow private water companies to annually withdraw groundwater from the San Pedro Groundwater Basin for transportation to the Douglas AMA for municipal purposes.
HB 2589 – Dunn – OPPOSE – Would allow an analysis of assured water supply as a valid demonstration of a physical existence of such water to meet the requirements for a development when, in fact, there may not actually be sufficient water.
LAND DEVELOPMENT
HB 2007 – Griffin – SUPPORT – Would improve the enforcement of penalties if a subdivider or agent engages in unlawful practices relative to the sale or lease of subdivided lands.
HB 2301 – Griffin – OPPOSE – Requires an application to split a parcel of land be approved if the applicant provides answer to two questions regarding the applicant’s ownership status. This will result in approval of more lots split and more infrastructure issues.
BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY
SB 1011 – Jake Hoffman – OPPOSE – Would reject federal funding for biking and walking infrastructure, depriving Arizona of millions of dollars. Hoffman introduced this same bill last year but it failed to pass.
DIVERSITY AND ESG
SB 1167 – Kavanagh – OPPOSE – Prohibits financial institutions such as banks from using social credit score to make determinations about service.
SB 1005 – Jake Hoffman – OPPOSE – Would ban the state (including public schools) from requiring “diversity, equity and inclusion programs” for its employees. An employee required to participate could sue. Hoffman introduced this same bill last year and it failed to pass.
SB 1013 – Jake Hoffman – OPPOSE – Would ban government from taking social or environmental values into consideration when investing.
SB 1014 – Jake Hoffman – OPPOSE – Would ban financial institutions, insurers and credit reporting agencies from considering political affiliation, social or environmental values. Similar to vetoed bill last year.
ENVIRONMENT
HB 2281 – Dunn – OPPOSE – Imposes a special tax on solar electricity generation.
SB 1147 – Kern – OPPOSE – Would appropriate $250,000 for the livestock compensation fund to reward irresponsible livestock interests when a wolf kills or harms any of their livestock.
SB 1176 – Gowan – SUPPORT – Appropriates $250,000 for the Arizona Trail Fund.
GOVERNANCE
SB 1153 – Hoffman – OPPOSE – Prohibits a proposed rule from becoming effective, if the rule is estimated to increase regulatory costs by more than $500,000 within five years.
SCR 1012 – Hoffman – OPPOSE – Same provision as SB 1153 but to be sent to the ballot in 2024 to avoid Governor Hobbs veto.
HB 2471 – McGarr – OPPPOSE – Would require all rules developed by the state administration to be approved by a majority of the AZ legislature. Would tie the hands of state agencies and likely is a separation of powers issue.
HB 2570 – Biasiucci – OPPOSE – Would ban cities of over 50,000 population from regulating most zoning for single-family homes, including lot size, square footage or dimension, lot coverage, accessory structures, etc. Incredible!
HB 2584 – Gillette – OPPOSE – Would ban cities from regulating modular or manufactured homes differently than traditional construction.
SB 1145 – Kern – OPPOSE – Would fine the Bar and the state Supreme Court for “infringing” on “political speech” of lawyers. Aimed to benefit people like Alex Kolodin (R-3) who was disciplined for filing bad-faith lawsuits over the 2020 election as well as Kern (R-27) who was ordered to pay $75,000 in legal fees for filing a frivolous lawsuit over his role in the January 6 insurrection.
SB 1156 – Petersen – OPPOSE – Would ban cities and towns from raising taxes or fees without a two-thirds supermajority vote.
SB 1097 – Wadsack – OPPOSE – Would make school board elections partisan, a move being pushed by national extremist organizations.
VOTING RIGHTS
HB 2472 – McGarr – OPPOSE – Allows any voter to challenge the election due to a break in chain of custody on ballots inconsistent signatures or information on early ballots. It includes a lot of other election conspiracy theory provisions.
HB 2482 – Parker – SUPPORT – Requires county recorders to notify people either via text or in writing if they make any changes to their voting records.
HB 2404 – Gillette – OPPOSE – Would ban county recorders from providing a voter registration card to someone whose mailing address is out of state. Would impact retirees, winter visitors and college students the most.
HB 2474 – Kolodin – OPPOSE – Would make it harder to circulate petitions to form a new political party.
HB 2547 – Jones – OPPOSE – Would ban voting centers and limit precinct size to 1,000 voters.
TAXATION
SB 1092 – Petersen – OPPOSE – Allows people to deduct losses in foreign currency trades and from cryptocurrency off their taxes. Based on another conspiracy theory.
SB 1148 – Kern – OPPOSE – Would give AZ taxpayers over the age of 55 a one-time rebate of an unspecified amount on their state taxes. With a $1.7 Billion shortfall in the current budget we can’t afford this.
HB 2331 – Marshall – OPPOSE – Would create another special vehicle license plate. AZ already has 101 special plates causing a lot of difficulty for law enforcement. We don’t need anymore special plates.
DIVERSITY AND ESG
SB 1167 – Kavanagh – OPPOSE – Would ban banks from “discriminating” against people or businesses for holding right-wing views. This is even more ludicrous than typical anti-ESG bills.
EDUCATION
HB 2442 – Payne – OPPOSE – Would ban emergency use immunizations from being required for school attendance.
SB 1007 – Jake Hoffman – OPPOSE – Would put Arizona public school teachers (but not teachers at ESA-funded private schools) behind bars for up to 2 years if they so much as recommend a book to students that lawmakers consider too “sexually explicit”.
SCR f1007 – Carroll- OPPOSE – Would ask voters to ban “Arizona public entities” including public schools, from signing contracts with companies unless they agree not to “discriminate” against gun manufacturers.
HB 2088 – Laurin Hendrix – OPPOSE – Would ban anyone who contributes to a bond or override campaign from bidding on a contract that is funded as a result of the bond or override. This would drastically limit funding for bonds and overrides which many schools rely on for funding.
HB 2178 – Kolodin – OPPOSE – Would allow students at AZ public universities to dedicate their student activity fees to specific university-recognized student organizations or clubs. A university should retain final say over the funding allocation for its programs.
PUBLIC HEALTH
SB 1037 – Shope – SUPPORT – Would allow AZ Medicaid program, AHCCCS, to cover primary and preventative dental care for adults.
HB 2328 – Payne – OPPOSE – Would relax regulations on food trucks. Payne owns a food truck.
PUBLIC SAFETY
HB 2232 – Longdon – SUPPORT – Would add “on-track equipment” to railroad crossing safety statues, thus requiring vehicles to stop for this equipment.
PRIVACY
HB 2586 – Dunn – OPPOSE – Would require “age and identity verification” for companies that provide “material harmful to minors” over the internet. The state of course would be able monitor such access. See SB 1125 – same bill in the Senate.
HB 2661 – Toma – OPPOSE – Would bar the sale of computers, smart phones and tablets in AZ if they don’t include a filter that would block children from accessing “obscene content”.
HB 2183 – Willoughby – OPPOSE – Would require health care entities to give parents access to all of their minor children’s medical records, even for services that don’t require parental consent.
CONSPIRACY THEORY BASED
SB 1010 – Jake Hoffman – OPPOSE – Would ban government from setting goals to reduce vehicle miles of travel. Based on the conspiracy theory that believes the “world government” wants to limit people’s freedom of travel and advance a totalitarian agenda.
SCR 1002 – Jake Hoffman – OPPOSE – Same as SB 1010 but designed to be put on the ballot and hence immune from Governor veto.
Share this: