Week Eighteen: Fifty-Fifth Legislature — Second Regular Session

Story of the Week: No News Is Good News

Conservative politicians have stalled the legislative session to deliberate about which of their donors will receive the largest tax breaks, while everyday Arizonans face higher gas prices and an out-of-control housing market.

Even with a $5 billion dollar surplus that could significantly help Arizonans – news and activity coming out of the Capitol has been quite slow. In the meantime – we’re reviving some of the House Democratic bills that never received a hearing this session.

These pieces of legislation could have significantly helped Arizona families and communities. Arizona Republicans shelved them to debate on radical bills that do nothing to solve our biggest problems.

The House Democratic Bills That Could’ve Been 🥲

HB2529 – Rep. Schwiebert sponsored a bill that would expand access to breast cancer gene screening, which would impact thousands of Arizonans at high risk for breast cancer.

HB2350 – Rep. Schwiebert sponsored a bill that would allow funds set aside for teacher development programs to be used for school psychologists and counselors as well.

HB2817 – Rep. Schwiebert sponsored a bill that would appropriate $3M to schools for professional development for new and experienced teachers for the 2022-2023 school year.

HB2818 – Rep. Schwiebert sponsored a bill that would expand Career and Technical Education in community colleges.

HB2074 – Rep. Pawlik sponsored a bill that would require literacy endorsements for noncertified staff who work with students in grades K-5.

HB2075 - Rep. Pawlik sponsored a bill that would prohibit schools from using corporal punishment on children. This would end local districts’ ability to harm children.

HB2077 – Rep. Pawlik sponsored a bill that would allow online signatures for ballot and referendum petitions. 

HB2759 – Rep. Abraham sponsored an ongoing appropriation of $810,300,000 is appropriated from to the Department of Education. 

HB2755 – Rep. Abraham sponsored a bill giving renters more time to leave their home during an eviction. 

HB2262 – Rep. Andrade sponsored a bill that increases the minimum wage to $15 per hour starting January 2023. 

HCR2026 – Rep. Andrade sponsored a resolution that would repeal the Arizona constitution relating to the ‘Right to Work’. 

HB2562 – Rep. Jasmine Blackwater-Nygren sponsored a bill that appropriates $5 million to construct a traffic circle at the intersection of North Lake Powell Boulevard and U.S. Route 89 in Page. 

HB2564 – Rep. Jasmine Blackwater-Nygren sponsored a bill that would replace the holiday on the second Monday in October with Indigenous People’s Day.

HB2754 – Rep. Reginald Bolding sponsored a bill that would make the vote by mail list permanent. 

HB2206 – Rep. Kelli Butler sponsored a bill that would cover comprehensive dental care for women who are pregnant. 

HB2205 – Rep. Kelli Butler sponsored a bill that would provide children a bill that would provide medical care for children whose parents have an income at or below 250% of the poverty level.  

HB2463 – Rep. Andrés Cano sponsored a bill that would make it so that a person may not construct and the department may not issue a permit or drilling card for a new well in the upper San Pedro groundwater basin or the Verde Valley groundwater subbasin.

HB2499 – Rep. César Chávez sponsored a bill that an employer shall allow an employee who has been employed by an employer for at least twelve months to take family leave from employment, for up to twelve weeks, for any reason that is covered under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993.

HB2259 – Rep. Diego Espinoza sponsored a bill that makes a person’s right to vote automatically restored on final discharge from imprisonment or probation. 

HB2369 – Rep. Daniel Hernandez sponsored a bill that establishes the Earned Income Tax Credit may be used to satisfy debts that the taxpayer owes to the state. 

HB2680 – Rep. Daniel Hernandez sponsored a bill that establishes a same day voter registration. 

HB2143 – Rep. Jennifer Jermaine sponsored a bill that defines the victims compensation fund to include Native American ceremony or burial expenses that are considered reasonable, and mental health counseling and care. 

HB2362 – Rep. Jennifer Longdon sponsored a bill that requires firearms dealers to take resonable measures to prevent the transfer of firearms to straw purchases and firearms traffickers. 

HB2363 – Rep. Jennifer Longdon sponsored a bill that if any person who presents the federally licensed firearms dealer with a concealed weapons permit, the federally licensed firearms dealer shall confirm the validity of the permit by checking the department of public safety's secure website portal. If the permit is invalid, the federally licensed firearms dealer must conduct a background check before selling or providing the person with a firearm.

HB2404 – Rep. Jennifer Longdon sponsored a bill that prohibits  a person who has been convicted of domestic violence or a dangerous crime against children from possessing a firearm.

HB2194 – Rep. Pam Powers Hannley sponsored a bill that enters Arizona into an agreement among states to elect the president by national popular vote. 

HB2806 – Rep. Christian Solorio sponsored a bill that appropriates $50,000,000 to the housing trust fund.