Week Nine: Fifty-Fifth Legislature — Second Regular Session
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Moment of Silence: Bob McLendon
On Thursday, we learned of the passing of Bob McLendon, a former Arizona House Member, Arizona Senate Minority Leader, Member of the Board of Regents & Board of Supervisors.
He had a celebrated career as an educator and coach from Yuma and was a dedicated public servant throughout his decades of service in the Arizona State Legislature. He served in Arizona’s legislature for nine terms and was an advocate for all our schools and students in this state throughout his entire career. Our deepest condolences are with his family and loved ones.
Story of the Week: Nancy Barto's Bad Streak
Senator Nancy Barto continued her streak of bad bills as her 15-week ban on abortion, SB1164, made it through the Judiciary Committee this week. Her copy-cat legislation is a rip-off from Mississippi’s ban and is part of a larger attempt to chip away at Roe v. Wade.
This bill only has one more hurdle. SB1164 just needs to pass the full floor before it goes to Governor Doug Ducey for his signature.
The Good
HB2729 – Rep. Andrea Dalessandro sponsored a bill to require travel reimbursement at the federal rate for members of metropolitan planning organizations; passed the Senate Transportation and heads to the Senate Floor.
SB1682 – Sen. Sally Ann Gonzales and Sen. Theresa Hatathlie sponsored a bill that allows young people in Juvenile Corrections to take an equivalency diploma test; passed out of House Education and heads to the House floor.
SB1380 – Sen. Wendy Rogers sponsored a bill that requires, rather than allows, a county recorder to use the national change of address information provided by the USPS to identify registrants whose address may have changed; FAILED on the Senate floor.
SB1211 – Sen. Nancy Barto sponsored a bill that would create mechanisms for potential lawsuits against educators; FAILED on the Senate floor.
SB1642 – Sen. Karen Fann sponsored a bill that requires, by the 2022 primary election, a county recorder or other officer in charge of elections to have a dedicated special purposes election management system (EMS) gateway computer; FAILED on the Senate floor.
HB2656 – Rep. Jake Hoffman sponsored a bill that bans banks from discriminating based on a person's political affiliation, of which there is no evidence this is happening; FAILED on the House Floor (with a motion to reconsider for later).
SB1119 – Sen. Sonny Borrelli sponsored a bill that requires the officer in charge of elections, after the polls are closed, to make an online copy of any digital ballot images available to the public in a manner that is searchable by precinct and precludes any alteration; FAILED on the Senate floor (with a motion to reconsider for later).
SB1629 – Sen. Sonny Borrelli sponsored a bill that outlines requirements for election integrity audits by the Office of the Auditor General (OAG), the posting of digital ballot images, registration of voter registration collectors with the Secretary of State (SOS), voter list maintenance procedures, signature verification training and testing, ballot drop boxes and hand count audits; FAILED on the Senate floor (with a motion to reconsider for later).
SB1358 – Sen. Kelly Townsend sponsored a bill that would require ballots in counties using voting centers to be separated and grouped by precinct for the purpose of a hand count audit; FAILED on the Senate floor (with a motion to reconsider for later).
The Bad
SB1164 – Sen. Nancy Barto sponsored a 15 week, Mississippi-style, ban on abortion being heard in passed the Senate; passed the House Judiciary and heads to the House floor.
SB1138 – Sen. Warren Petersen sponsored a bill that prohibits gender affirming medical care to any person who is under 18 years of age; passed out of House Judiciary and heads to the House floor.
SB1165 – Sen. Nancy Barto sponsored a bill that would prevent transgender girls from participating in youth sports; passed out of House Judiciary and heads to the House floor.
HB2237 – Rep. Jake Hoffman sponsored a bill that prohibits same-day voter registration, passed the House on a party-line vote; passed Senate Government and Elections and heads to Senate floor.
HB2492 – Rep. Jake Hoffman sponsored a bill that outlines additional requirements to be verified before a person is properly registered to vote, including giving voters 30 days to provide proof of citizenship; passed Senate Judiciary and heads to the Senate floor.
HB2326 – Rep. John Kavanaugh sponsored a bill that requires the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission (ACJC) to require all superior court probation departments in Arizona to submit outlined identifying and conviction information to ACJC for each person in Arizona who is in violation of federal immigration law, convicted of a misdemeanor or felony offense and placed on supervised probation; passed out of Senate Judiciary and heads to Senate floor.
SB1445 – Sen. Wendy Rogers sponsored a bill that expands the definitions of endangered and abuse relating to child or vulnerable adults to criminalize immigrants and refugees by classifying them as smugglers for bringing their children with them over the border; passed Senate floor and heads to the House.
The Ugly
This week, the Senate Judiciary Committee heard two bills aiming to harm trans youth. These bills include SB1138 which bans gender affirming health care for trans youth and SB1165 which bans trans kids from playing youth sports.
Trans athlete, professional sports photographer and professor of sports photojournalism at Arizona State University, Danielle Cortez, defended their community in committee saying, “I have dedicated my entire life to sports, whether playing or working. Sports saved my life. Taking that away from anybody, regardless of gender identity, is wrong and it's cruel.”
These attacks will stop by electing Democrats who will advocate for all young people.