By Daniel Stefanski |

A citizen-safety bill has cleared its first chamber of the Arizona Legislature.

On Monday, the Arizona House of Representatives approved HB 2684, which “prohibits pedestrians from congregating or soliciting in dangerous areas such as painted or raised medians, highway entrance and exit ramps, and other locations without safe pedestrian access.”

In a statement that accompanied the announcement of the bill’s passage, State Representative Joseph Chaplik, the sponsor of the legislation, said, “Arizona ranks among the highest in the nation for pedestrian fatalities, and too often, people are standing or sitting in traffic medians, freeway ramps, and other places where no pedestrian should ever be. This law will prevent senseless tragedies by ensuring that pedestrians stay out of harm’s way, while also protecting drivers from the devastation of hitting someone in traffic. Public safety is not partisan – it’s common sense.”

According to the release from the Arizona House of Representatives, the bill stipulates that “law enforcement officers will issue a warning for a first violation, a civil traffic citation for a second offense, and a class 1 misdemeanor for repeat violations.”

Chaplik added, “With the passage of this bill, House Republicans continue delivering on our promise to make Arizona a safer place. The governor vetoed this bill last year, but we’ve addressed her concerns by adjusting penalties while keeping the focus where it belons – on safety. I hope she reconsiders and signs it into law this time.”

On the Arizona Legislature’s Request to Speak system, representatives from Rural Arizona Action, American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona, AZ National Organization for Women (NOW), AZ Attorneys for Criminal Justice, and Arizona Coalition for Working Families, signed in to oppose the proposal from the House Republican.

Earlier this month, HB 2684 was approved by the House Committee on Regulatory Oversight with a 3-2 vote. All three Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while both Democrats joined together in opposition.

HB 2684 will now head over to the Arizona Senate for consideration.

Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.