Civic Engagement Beyond Voting (CEBV.org) is back on the legislative beat with the launch of the 56th session of the AZ Legislature last week. I strongly recommend a free subscription (paid subs are simply a donation, which I also urge…) to their weekly newsletter update (part of which is copied here) at their new Substack address:
Last week saw a frenzy of activity in the Chief Clerk’s Office, where bills are put in the “hopper” to be introduced. The total number of bills grew exponentially, to 601. Extremist Republican lawmakers are still focusing their attention primarily on culture-war bills. Actual issues, such as the 15 separate bills that address the school spending cap, remain unscheduled.
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SB1001, sponsored by John Kavanagh (R-3), would ban teachers from using a student’s chosen pronouns without written parental permission. Trans youth are twice as likely to consider suicide as their peers; gender-affirming care, which may include using a person’s chosen pronouns, lowers suicide risk. The bill continues the recent Republican theme of pushing manufactured, divisive culture-war issues for political profit (often literally, with constant fundraising). Education advocates say the bill further politicizes teachers, which will deepen Arizona’s ongoing teacher retention crisis. We expect Hobbs to veto this if it gets to her desk. Scheduled for Senate Education Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
SB1011, sponsored by John Kavanagh (R-3), would make municipal elections, like mayors and city councils, partisan beginning in 2024. Local government officials are not fixing Republican or Democratic potholes. They should spend their time on local issues, not partisanship. Scheduled for Senate Government Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
I think this bill would be a self-inflicted wound to the AZGOP. There is a reason why Democrats dominate most municipal governments in the United States: we are competent and care about making government work. I think most urban voters would be even less inclined to vote for Republican candidates if they had to clearly label themselves.
SB1013, sponsored by John Kavanagh (R-3), would do away with “free speech zones” on college campuses, instead allowing anyone who is “lawfully present” on a university campus to protest anywhere on campus the law permits them to be. This could give rise to protests in classrooms and other protected areas, creating serious safety issues. Apparently influenced by the Goldwater Institute, a wealthy right-wing lobbying firm. Scheduled for Senate Education Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
Our Blog Jester and insult comedy legislator, John Kavanagh is behind this one, hoping to further inflame and radicalize colleges and universities, where the focus should be learning.
SB1021, sponsored by John Kavanagh (R-3), would require the Attorney General to defend all laws passed by the legislature against all legal challenges, unless 2/3 of the members of both the House and Senate Judiciary Committees vote otherwise. Likely motivated by Mayes’ statements on defending the state in recent abortion and ongoing capital funding matters. Scheduled for Senate Government Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
Probably a violation of our State Constitution’s separation of powers, but it will certainly be vetoed by Governor Hobbs if it makes it out of the AZLege.
SB1022, sponsored by John Kavanagh (R-3), would ban pedestrians from selling goods, soliciting donations, or begging on a painted or raised traffic island or median. The penalties escalate, with a third offense carrying a penalty of up to six months in jail. Panhandling bans may purport to be about safety, but in actuality, lead to the criminalization of homelessness, aiming to simply make the problem less visible rather than tackle the underlying social issues. It would be more productive to fund social housing or shelter beds instead. Scheduled for Senate Military Affairs Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
Because “fuck poor people,” right? Let’s make poverty and desperation and self-help a criminal act. Great one, John.
SB1024, sponsored by John Kavanagh (R-3), would ban sleeping or sitting on sidewalks and other public rights of way unless there’s a medical emergency or a parade. In 2019, the Supreme Court refused to hear a case challenging homeless people’s right to sleep on the sidewalk if no other shelter is available. SB1024 is a clear attempt at revisiting this issue; the bill is so broadly written that children who sit to play marbles on the sidewalks in front of their houses could be subject to six months in jail. Scheduled for Senate Military Affairs Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
See above.
SB1040, sponsored by John Kavanagh (R-3), would ban trans kids from using the school bathrooms, changing facilities and “sleeping quarters” that align with their gender identities. It would create a situation where trans kids couldn’t use any facilities at all without undue scrutiny of their bodies, calling that a “reasonable accommodation.” Anyone who “encounters” a trans person in a bathroom could file suit against public schools. A copy of a bill introduced in South Dakota. A federal court found that these policies violate the US Constitution and Title IX, so in addition to being monstrously cruel, this would open Arizona to a host of lawsuits at taxpayer expense. Kavanagh also introduced the bill last year, but it did not receive a hearing. Scheduled for Senate Education Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
A further cruel assault on our children in pursuit of a bigoted and hateful campaign against non-binary citizens.
HB2059, sponsored by Lupe Diaz (R-19), would create the crimes of “mob intimidation” and “aggravated riot” in an attempt to stifle public protest. The bill is patterned loosely after a controversial 2021 attemptto create a new felony offense, “violent or disorderly assembly,” with tougher penalties. This year’s attempt also creates new penalties for cities and their employees that do not “respond appropriately to protect persons and property,” and makes it a felony to desecrate a monument or even a park bench. Scheduled for House Judiciary Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
The MAGA fascists are always complaining about Democrats attempting to criminalize or stifle their political speech, and then they attempt to pass legislation like this that absolutely seeks to do just that. The naked hypocrisy and repression of democratic participation is just sickening.
HB2061, sponsored by Leo Biasiucci (R-30), would ban cities from charging sales taxes on food items. This change would cost the 65 Arizona cities who currently tax food over $150 million a year; lawmakers should not force such a drastic blanket change to cities’ budgets without consulting them. Preemption (legislation that blocks cities’ right to govern themselves) is, sadly, a cherished tradition at the Arizona Capitol — and cutting taxes (and therefore revenue) is a poor solution to Arizona’s problems. Scheduled for House Ways & Means Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
I wholly agree with CEBV’s assessment here: it’s not that cutting sales taxes on essential items is itself bad policy, but their pattern and practice of the AZLege is far too pernicious to be ignored. Done differently – especially with off-setting revenue enhancements from higher income sources – this would actually be a great thing that Democrats would wholly support.
SB1009, sponsored by John Kavanagh (R-3), would make it a felony to damage or destroy any public or private monument or statue. The movement to remove Confederate monuments has grown since a white supremacist killed nine black people at a South Carolina church in 2015 and since a now-convicted and imprisoned police officer murdered George Floyd in 2020. This is the third straight yearKavanagh has introduced this bill. Damaging a statue simply does not rise to felony magnitude. Scheduled for Senate Judiciary Committee, Thursday. OPPOSE.
I think the new rule of thumb for this session is that if you see John Kavanagh’s name on a bill, your default should be to oppose it on the grounds that it is unconstitutional, bigoted, or just plain mean and motivated by political animus – or all of the above…
New this year, we’re leveraging My Bill Positions (which we’ve fondly nicknamed “RTS 2.0”) to try to unstick a few good bills. Please go into that system now and give them a quick thumbs-up.
HB2071, sponsored by Laura Terech (D-4), would finally ban corporal punishment in schools. How is this still a law? The subject is even more relevant in light of new Supt. Tom Horne’s recent eyebrow-raising comments regarding “discipline.” SUPPORT.
HB2137, sponsored by Athena Salman (D-8), would expand eligibility for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (KidsCare) to low-income working families who earn under 250 percent of the federal poverty level (about $69,000/yr for a family of 4). KidsCare is a critical need. Right now, Arizona has one of the lowest eligibility thresholds, and accordingly, also the 4th highest rate of uninsured children in the country. 30,000 Arizona kids don’t have health care. The federal government will match Arizona’s investment 5-to-1. SUPPORT.
HB2141, sponsored by Athena Salman (D-8), would require Arizona’s Medicaid program to provide comprehensive dental care for pregnant women ages 21+. Dental care for pregnant women is essential for the health of women and babies, and the state’s investment would be met with federal dollars. This is at least the sixth consecutive year this proposal has been introduced. Time to pass it already! SUPPORT.
HB2154, sponsored by Keith Seaman (D-16), would cap School Tuition Organization (STO) administration costs at 5%. STOs are a type of private school voucher funded by dollar-for-dollar tax credits, and are currently allowed to keep 10% of donations for administration. This means these lucrative businesses are allowed to pocket $25 million (and growing) in Arizona taxpayer funds each year. Other states cap administration fees at 3-5% maximum. Former state senator Steve Yarbrough helped design Arizona’s STO program for his own personal profit. SUPPORT.
HB2256, sponsored by Andrés Cano (D-20), would increase Arizona’s investment in the Housing Trust Fund to $150 million. The fund provided $10 to $20 million a year for housing for people experiencing homelessness. The money was diverted to the state’s general fund during the Great Recession; lawmakers reinstituted it last year. Arizona desperately needs more affordable housing. Metro Phoenix led the nation in rent increases in 2021, and now ranks in the top 10 nationwide for the most severe shortages. Housing analysts have been asking for more investment in the fund for years. SUPPORT.
HB2351, sponsored by Patricia Contreras (D-12), would ban health care professionals from using the abusive, widely discredited practice of LGBT “conversion therapy” on minors. These methods can include electric shocks, induced vomiting, or elastic bands snapped against the skin to create negative associations with same-sex attraction; hypnosis; masculinity workshops; and spiritual counseling. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychological Association, and other national organizations oppose this “therapy” as destructive and unprofessional. SUPPORT.
I hope that this session we can lay down some benchmarks and legislative goals to show Arizona’s citizens who are really on their side and trying to improve people’s lives. If we can break off some Republicans who actually want to get things done for Arizona families, we can make a lot of progress, and there is no shortage of good ideas in our caucuses.
