by Daniel Stefanski | Mar 15, 2024 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
A measure to strengthen protections for Arizona children is one step closer to state voters.
On Monday, the Arizona State Senate passed SCR 1021, which “statutorily requires an adult who is convicted of a class 2 felony for any child sex trafficking offense to be sentenced to natural life imprisonment” – according to the purpose from the chamber. If approved by both the Arizona House and Senate, the proposal would be decided by state voters in the November General Election.
The ballot referral received bipartisan support with a 20-8 vote (with two members not voting).
Senator Shawnna Bolick, the sponsor of the referral, issued the following statement after her chamber’s positive action: “I am a mother, wife, and protector of our children. Today, my fellow Republican senators and I took a stand to stop child sex trafficking across Arizona. Human trafficking is not specific to any age, race, or gender, and it occurs throughout rural, suburban, and urban areas across our Grand Canyon State. With a wide-open southern border and derelict government agencies, cases of human trafficking are on the rise.”
The Senate Republican Caucus’ press release shared information from the Arizona Attorney General’s Office that “the average age of entry into sex trafficking in Arizona is 14 years old, but there have been numerous cases of children being victimized at a much younger age.”
Back in February, SCR 1021 was given a green light by the Senate Judiciary Committee with a 5-2 vote. Democrat Senator Mitzi Epstein joined all Republicans in sending the referral to the full chamber.
On the Arizona Legislature’s Request to Speak system, representatives from Common Sense Action for America and Center for Arizona Policy indicated their support for the legislation. Representatives from the Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence, Middle Ground Prison Reform, and Arizona National Organization for Women signed in to oppose the proposal.
Bolick added, “Republican state lawmakers stand united to send a message to those disgusting animals responsible for stealing our children’s innocence – Arizona’s children are our most valuable resource. We would like everyone to know, our children are not for sale. One Arizona child who is victimized is one too many.”
SCR 1021 will now be considered by the Arizona House of Representatives.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Mar 15, 2024 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
A ballot referral to help protect Arizona business owners from degrading landscapes outside their front doors will be considered by state voters thanks to the efforts of legislators.
The Arizona Senate President, Warren Petersen, and Speaker of the House Ben Toma introduced HCR 2023 / SCR 1006, which would “allow a property owner to apply for a primary property tax refund if the owner documents expenses caused by a city, town or county adopting a policy, pattern or practice which declines to enforce existing laws or the maintaining of a public nuisance” – according to the overview provided by the state House.
In a statement after the successful passage of the bill out of his chamber, Petersen said, “There are instances where local governments routinely and repeatedly fail their citizens by not enforcing laws. An example of this would be the City of Phoenix’s handling of the former homeless encampment known as ‘The Zone.’ This area was not only a public safety and public health disaster for those who camped there, but it was also a detriment to the livelihoods of small business owners who set up their shops in the area.”
President Petersen added, “Money talks, and as a way to encourage municipalities to enforce the law, Speaker Toma and I teamed up to sponsor HCR 2023/SCR 1006. This measure is a ballot referral that would protect law-abiding citizens. If approved by voters, property owners would be allowed to request a refund for expenses incurred to mitigate the problem, up to the amount of their property tax liability. The funds would be deducted from the local government’s state shared revenue.”
The chamber’s president also noted that “all Senate Democrats voted ‘no’” on the referral.
At the end of February, the Arizona House approved the referral with a 31-28 vote (with one vacant seat). The Arizona Senate then passed the measure with a 16-12 vote (with two members not voting). The referral was then transmitted to the Arizona Secretary of State to be placed on the November General Election ballot.
Representatives from Barry Goldwater Institute for Public Policy Research, QuikTrip, Arizona Free Enterprise Club, Arizona Chamber of Commerce, Arizona Food Marketing Alliance, and the National Federation of Independent Business, indicated their support for the proposal on the Arizona Legislature’s Request to Speak system. Representatives from the League of Arizona Cities & Towns, Living United for Change in Arizona, Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence, Professional Fire Fighters of Arizona, Arizona Association of Counties, County Supervisors Association of Arizona, Arizona Housing Coalition, and several state cities and towns, signed in to oppose the measure.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Mar 15, 2024 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Arizona legislators are teaming up to provide better protections for pets across the state.
Late last month, the Arizona Senate approved SB 1047, which would “broaden the conditions that must be met for a person to commit cruelty to animals” – according to the purpose from the chamber.
The bill passed out of the state Senate with a 22-7 vote (with one member not voting).
Senator T.J. Shope, the bill’s sponsor said, “It’s always an honor to team up with the Arizona Humane Society, whether to create legislation to protect our precious animals, or to discuss that legislation on Pets on Parade. This week, my wife Melissa and I joined the show to highlight SB 1047, which passed out of the Senate with strong bipartisan support. I proudly partnered with AHS to create this bill, which will strengthen Arizona’s animal laws and narrow the definition of animal cruelty. A more specific outline will help prosecutors be more successful in cases involving animal cruelty.
Shope, the chamber’s President Pro Tempore, expressed hopefulness that the state’s Democrat governor would be favorable to his proposal, adding, “I look forward to seeing this legislation make its way to the governor’s desk and am hopeful she’ll sign it into law. This legislation provides much-needed clarification to our laws and will create a safer environment for pets in Arizona. I will always be an advocate for these innocent animals who cannot speak up or defend themselves. This is also the perfect time to remind you there are hundreds of pets – dogs, cats, bunnies and more, available for adoption at AHS!”
Last month, the Senate Committee on Natural Resources, Energy and Water gave a green light to the bill with a 6-1 vote.
Earlier this month, Shope and his wife, Melissa, co-hosted the Arizona Pet Project Hero Awards.
On the Arizona Legislature’s Request to Speak system, representatives from Humane Voters of Arizona, the Arizona Humane Society, Animal Defense League of Arizona, the City of Chandler, Arizona Partnership for People and Pets, and the Human Society of the United States signed in to support the bill. A representative from the Arizona Farm Bureau Federation indicated his organization’s neutrality on the legislation.
SB 1047 will now be considered by the Arizona House of Representatives.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Corinne Murdock | Mar 14, 2024 | News
By Corinne Murdock |
State Rep. Alma Hernandez (D-LD03) says she won’t relent in her support of Israel following criticisms of her arranging a bipartisan trip to Israel last week.
Hernandez, who is a Zionist, also debunked claims by certain outlets that the trip was taxpayer-funded, a vacation of sorts, and an impetus to the regular procession of the legislature. Hernandez said that the trip was a means to understanding the ongoing conflict sparked by the Hamas terrorist attack last October: meeting with the families of Israeli and Arabic hostage victims as well as fallen soldiers, and consulting with Palestinians living in Israel.
“It is absurd to suggest we have somehow paused our state government or blew up a budget when committees continued,” said Hernandez. “Some of you forget that you can’t negotiate a budget that is NOT on the table or has never started.”
Hernandez said that the trip gave her greater determination to fight antisemitism and “the one-sided media view.” The lawmaker speculated that the focus on her trip was rooted in “the antisemitism that is plaguing [Arizona].”
As Arizona Agenda reported, no senators attended the trip, paid for by itrek (Israel Trek), a New York-based nonprofit bringing graduate business, law, policy, and STEM students to Israel.
Seven Democrats and 10 Republicans joined the delegation: Reps. Conseulo Hernandez (D-LD21), Lydia Hernandez (D-LD24), Christopher Mathis (D-LD18), Keith Seaman (D-LD16), Seth Blattman (D-LD09), Michael Carbone (R-LD25), Neal Carter (R-LD15), Alex Kolodin (R-LD03), Justin Wilmeth (R-LD02), Quang Nguyen (R-LD01), Michele Pena (R-LD23), David Cook (R-LD07), David Livingston (R-LD28), Majority Leader Leo Biasucci (R-LD30), Minority Whip Nancy Gutierrez (D-LD18), and House Speaker Ben Toma (R-LD27).
Toma told the outlet in a statement that the Israel trip benefitted Arizonans, as the state has economic interests in the nation’s welfare.
“We have a trade office in Israel. We have clear economic reasons to be interested in what happens there,” said Toma. “This is not my first trip. As a matter of fact, that’s gonna be my third trip to Israel, for different reasons. So again, we have our interests.”
Arizona and Israel are considered top trading partners. Three of Arizona’s exported goods account for 73 percent of all exports to Israel according to the Arizona Commerce Authority: $135 million in semiconductors and other electronic components, $125 million in aerospace products and parts, and $26 million in navigational, measuring, electromedical and control instruments.
Arizona opened its first trade and investment office in Israel in 2019.
The bipartisan Arizona delegation visited the Knesset and Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a briefing on the ongoing conflict.
Rep. David Livingston (R-LD28) also voiced his support for Israel and Hernandez’s trip.
State Sen. Anthony Kern (R-LD27) attempted to prevent the trip from occurring, citing concerns that the lawmakers were improperly wasting valuable legislative session time. He helped defeat a House motion to adjourn so that the 17 lawmakers could make their Israel trip.
Kern claimed a lobbyist paid for the trip, an accusation which Hernandez denied.
Last December, pro-Hamas activists passed out flyers with Hernandez’s home address near and around her neighborhood. The retaliation occurred after Hernandez refused to support a ceasefire, asserting that she and others who signed onto the anti-ceasefire statement wouldn’t be “negotiating with terrorists” at any point in time.
Hernandez is on the board of directors for Democratic Majority for Israel.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
by Daniel Stefanski | Mar 14, 2024 | Economy, News
By Daniel Stefanski |
The Arizona Legislature continues to work on solutions to crack down on organized retail theft across the state.
Last week, the Arizona Senate overwhelmingly passed SB 1411 with a 22-4 vote (with four members not voting). The bill would “require the Attorney General to establish the Organized Retail Theft Task Force to combat crimes that relate to stealing, embezzling or obtaining retail merchandise by fraud, false pretenses or other illegal means for the purposes of reselling the items” – according to the purpose from the chamber.
After the vote, Senator David Gowan, the bill’s sponsor, issued the following statement: “California has been forced to invest hundreds of millions of dollars to fight an enormous rise in organized retail crime because of their liberal policies that oppose holding people accountable for breaking the law. Businesses have been forced to shut down and pull out of the state. We don’t want to turn into California, but unfortunately Arizona is also experiencing a rise in these crimes. We need to get ahead of the issue to prevent going down the same path, which is why I sponsored SB 1411 to establish a task force to combat crimes that relate to stealing, embezzling, or obtaining retail merchandise by fraud, false pretenses, or other illegal means for the purposes of reselling the items.”
Gowan added, “The task force will be comprised of federal, state, and local law enforcement, in order to use their combined skills, expertise, and resources more effectively. This bill passed out of the Senate with strong bipartisan support. We all want to protect our businesses and keep our communities safe from theft.”
Last month, the bill passed the Senate Committee on Military Affairs, Public Safety and Border Security with a 7-0 tally.
Senator Janae Shamp and Representative Justin Wilmeth joined as co-sponsors for the legislation.
On the Arizona Legislature’s Request to Speak system, representatives from the Arizona Retailers Association, Arizona Attorney General’s Office, Arizona Food Marketing Alliance, Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, and CVS Health signed in in support of the proposal.
SB 1411 now heads to the Arizona House of Representatives for consideration.
The efforts to shut down organized retail theft crimes continue the state’s already strong reputation on this front. Arizona already has another Organized Retail Crime Task Force, which commenced under former Attorney General Mark Brnovich’s administration and is also housed in the State Attorney General’s Office.
In December 2021, Brnovich wrote an opinion piece for the Wall Street Journal, warning would-be criminals of his office’s efforts to investigate and prosecute these offenses – especially in the wake of the lawlessness in Arizona’s neighboring state to the west. He wrote, “As Arizona’s attorney general, I have refused to capitulate to the lawless mob…We expect our efforts will deter such theft and hope our task force becomes a model for California and other states.”
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell also has a strong presence against organized retail theft. In 2023, her office announced that it had made 354 bookings over these crimes, which was the most in the county since 2020. Additionally, in November 2023, Mitchell started a ‘Safe Shopping’ Campaign “to stop this fast-growing category of lawlessness.” Mitchell said, “Here’s what I say to the thieves who commit these crimes: we will find you, you will be arrested, and we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Elizabeth Troutman | Mar 14, 2024 | News
By Elizabeth Troutman |
The House Committee on Natural Resources held a legislative hearing on March 7 for a bill introduced by Republican Rep. Eli Crane that would transfer federal land currently under the purview of the U.S. Forest Service to Navajo and Apache Counties.
The Pinedale and Alpine communities have struggled to find cemetery space for deceased loved ones for more than a decade, according to Crane’s news release.
“These communities of Pinedale have long and rich pioneer histories, and the residents are proud of that heritage. This bill will allow families to lay their loved ones to rest in the place that their family member loved so much,” Crane said. “This piece of legislation is one of the first bills I introduced in Congress and is a testament to the strength of the Latter-Day Saints Community in Northern Arizona.”
The legislation would expand the land adjacent to Alpine Community Center to prevent the need for deceased members of the community to be buried in a distant cemetery.
“The community of Pinedale has a long and rich pioneer history and the residents are proud of that heritage,” said Daryl Seymore, Navajo County Board of Supervisors, District I. “Pinedale is a community where generations of families live, grow, and raise their families. This bill will allow families to lay their loved ones to rest in the place that their family member loved so much.”
Seymour thanked Crane and his staff for their work on this bill and support of the Pinedale community.
Nelson Davis, Apache County Supervisor for District III, and vice-chairman of the Board of Apache County, said he has seen the “very real needs” of the communities firsthand.
“Recently, the effort put forth by you and your staff in securing the conveyance of USFS land immediately adjacent to the Alpine Community Cemetery is representative of meeting that ‘very real need,’” Davis said in a letter to Crane.
Elizabeth Troutman is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send her news tips using this link.
