The GOP-friendly media villagers in Arizona will occasionally demonstrate their bias by asserting that Democrats “are irrelevant” in the state legislature because they are in the minority, and frequently need a Republican sponsor in order to move one of their bills. This media bias demonstrates contempt for the large number of Arizona citizens who are represented by Democrats in the Arizona legislature — are they also “irrelevant?” Should they be disenfranchised of any voice in how they are governed in the state legislature?
This is a variation on Karl Rove’s “fifty percent plus one” strategy of responding only to those people who elected you. This is an election strategy, not a way to govern.
Democrats do have a number of bills moving through the Arizona legislature. The Arizona Democratic Party put together a list:
Democratic Bills Still Alive
While much of the press coverage is on Republican bills, Democrats in the House and Senate still have thirty bills alive in the legislative process. Below is a listing as of today of those bills by number, short title, sponsor and status. For more detailed information on bills including the language itself and staff summary, go to the Legislature’s website, www.azleg.gov.
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Democratic Bills that are Moving – 2015 Session
• HB 2157 – Native Americans; delayed birth certificates (Hale); passed GHE and awaiting Rules Committee
• HB 2217 – job training fund; vocational rehabilitation (Mach); passed CFA, awaiting Approp and Rules Committee
• HB 2240 – national guard members; tuition waivers (Cardenas); passed MAPS and was withdrawn from Approp, awaiting Rules Committee
• HB 2501 – women veteran special plates (Larkin); passed MAPS, awaiting TI and Rules Committee
• HB 2534 – ballots; defects; notice; cure (Clark); passed ELECT, awaiting Rules Committee
• HB 2553 – human trafficking victim; vacating conviction (Steele); passed JUD, awaiting Rules Committee
• HB 2579 – tobacco retailer; location restriction. (Otondo); passed CMA, awaiting Rules Committee
• HB 2584 – veteran-owned businesses; procurement preference (Cardenas); passed GHE, awaiting Rules Committee
• HB 2668 – results based school-readiness contracts (Bolding); passed ED, awaiting Approps and Rules Committee
• HCM 2003 – urging Congress; increase customs personnel (Steele); passed COM, awaiting Rules Committee
• HCR 2028 – civilian conservation corps; recognition (Saldate); passed GHE, awaiting Rules Committee
• HM 2001 – urging parks board; historic place (Saldate); passed GHE, awaiting Rules Committee
• SB 1080 – tribal social services agencies; information. (Begay); passed HHS, awaiting Rules Committee
• SB 1102 – text messaging while driving; prohibition (Farley); passed GOV, awaiting PMST, TRANS and Rules Committees
• SB 1103 – charitable tax credit; foster children (Bradley); passed FIN, awaiting Rules Committee
• SB 1106 – special license plates; standard design (Farley); passed TRANS, awaiting Rules Committee
• SB 1125 – county school superintendent; qualifications; administrators (Bradley); passed out of the Senate, awaiting House action
• SB 1126 – schools; daily organized physical activity (Bradley); passed out of ED and APPROP, awaiting Rules Committee
• SB 1225 – industrial hemp; study committee (Pancrazi); awaiting Senate Committee of the Whole
• SB 1226 – parent-child relationship; termination; petition (Pancrazi); passed out of JUD and HHS, awaiting Rules Committee
• SB 1308 – return to work program (Cajero-Bedford); passed out of CWD and APPROP, awaiting Rules Committee
• SB 1332 – empowerment scholarship accounts; reservation residences (Begay); passed out of the Senate, awaiting House action
• SB 1392 – TPT; Indian tribal post secondary education (Begay); passed FIN and APPROP, awaiting Rules Committee
• SB 1393 – delayed birth certificates; Native Americans (Begay); passed HHS, awaiting Rules Committee
• SB 1395 – state-owned bank task force; appropriation (Dalessandro); passed FI, awaiting Rules Committee
• SB 1417 – conservation districts; legal representation (McGuire); passed RAE, awaiting APPROP and Rules Committees
• SB 1422 – G&F; veterans; bonus point (McGuire); passed PSMT and NR, awaiting Rules Committee
• SB 1423 – incorporation; urbanized areas (McGuire); passed GOV, awaiting Rules Committee
• SB 1425 – sexual assault victim advocate; privilege (Hobbs); passed JUD and GOV, awaiting Rules Committee
• SB 1429 – reporting; untested sexual assault kits (Hobbs); passed PMST, awaiting Rules Committee
• SB 1432 – hotel employees; room access; backgrounds (Hobbs); passed CWD, awaiting Rules Committee
• SCM 1011 – mortgage standards; urging federal government (Farley); passed the Senate, awaiting House action
• SCM 1015 – urging Congress; increase customs personnel. (Dalessandro); passed CWD, awaiting Rules Committee
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Don’t forget that for every Democrat bill advancing there was a Republican committee chair who agreed to hear it and Republicans on the committee who voted for it. That too was not reported.
Good point.
So the democratic party is going to do what? Ask its voters at least half of arizona to demand their voices be heard in legislation or else. I would say what or else could consist of tactics ;but blue meenie would just call me a troll again.
“This media bias demonstrates contempt for the large number of Arizona citizens who are represented by Democrats in the Arizona legislature — are they also “irrelevant?” Should they be disenfranchised of any voice in how they are governed in the state legislature?”
Yes. That’s the point.
It’s an election strategy AND a governing strategy. Call it the “Glengarry Glen Ross ” paradigm: “Coffee is for closers.”