by Daniel Stefanski | May 1, 2024 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
A legislative solution to crack down on organized retail theft crimes in Arizona was vetoed by the state’s Democrat governor.
Last week, Governor Katie Hobbs, vetoed SB 1414, which would have “require[d] a person who is convicted of a third or subsequent organized retail theft offense to be sentenced as a category two repetitive offender in certain circumstances” – according to the overview from the Arizona House of Representatives.
In her veto letter to Senate President Warren Petersen, Hobbs didn’t give a direct reason for why she took this action on this particular bill. Instead, she pointed to another proposal that she had signed into law, writing, “I have signed Sen. Gowan’s bill SB 1411 establishing an Organized Retail Theft Task Force in the Attorney General’s office that will be critical to adequately and appropriately combat this issue. Their first report is due July 1, 2025 and I look forward to reviewing their policy recommendations and working together to find balanced policies for this matter.”
The Arizona Senate Republicans Caucus’ “X” account respond to the Governor’s veto, saying, “Soft-on-crime Democrats with their relentless pursuit of treating criminals like victims will quickly change Arizona into the nightmare California has become. Law-abiding citizens should be outraged Katie Hobbs vetoed SB 1414, which would have established tougher punishments for retail thieves. Senate Republicans will continue to support policy that promotes safe communities and discourages criminals from victimizing our citizens and businesses.”
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell also weighed in, stating, “By vetoing a prosecutors and retailers-supported bill for harsher penalties for retail thieves who want to sell what they steal, Katie Hobbs has shown us she is cut of the same weak on crime cloth as Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, LA DA George Gascon, and Cook County State’s Atty Kim Foxx. Fortunately, she’s not in charge of a prosecution office. We will continue to hold thieves accountable.”
On the Arizona Legislature’s Request to Speak system, representatives from the Arizona Retailers Association, City of Phoenix, Arizona Food Marketing Alliance, Fraternal Order of Police, City of Glendale, City of Buckeye, City of Litchfield Park, Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, City of Chandler, and City of Surprise signed in to support the legislation. A representative from the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona opposed the bill.
The Arizona Senate had passed the bill in February with a bipartisan 18-10 vote (with two members not voting). Earlier this month, the Arizona House approved the legislation, after amending it, with a bipartisan 37-22 vote (with one member not voting). The Senate then concurred with the House’s changes, albeit with a partisan 16-14 split.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Apr 29, 2024 | Education, News
By Daniel Stefanski |
A bipartisan school tax bill has become law in the State of Arizona.
Earlier this month, Governor Katie Hobbs signed HB 2173, which “revises statutes relating to tax levy calculations for a common school district not within a high school district (Type 03 district), [and] details session law provisions that redirect monies collected by the additional tax in a Type 03 district in TY 2023 to the state General Fund” – according to the overview from the Arizona House of Representatives.
According to a press release from Arizona legislative Republicans, this bill “was introduced after mistakes identified in the current fiscal year caused dramatic tax increases in several rural school districts, most prominently in the Continent Elementary School district in Green Valley.” Due to this bill’s enactment, “elementary-only districts like Continental will no longer pay tuition for these high school students, but rather they will be ‘open enrolled’ in the school of their choice like any other student around the state.”
The three legislators in the district that was particularly targeted by the bill – Republican State Representatives Gail Griffin and Lupe Diaz and State Senator David Gowan – issued statements to cheer on the success of this emergency measure.
“Property tax increases significantly impacted Green Valley residents this year, prompting immediate actions to remedy this situation,” said Representative Gail Griffin. “Despite the complexities involved, collaboration with school finance experts has led to a sustainable solution.”
“We will resolve the issue of overpaid property taxes for these districts in the upcoming budget, Representative Lupe Diaz added. “We have proposed a reasonable resolution to the Governor’s office to provide targeted funding to those rural school districts, so taxpayers receive an equitable reduction in order to pay them back for last year’s overcharge.”
“As soon as we were made aware of these unintended consequences, we swiftly came together to find a solution,” said Senator Gowan. “My amendment on this bill ensures the dollars that should not have been collected will be returned to taxpayers in the form of a deduction on the following year’s property tax. I also made sure the school districts most disproportionally affected in LD-19 were taken care of.”
HB 2173 was sponsored by House Education Committee Chairwoman Beverly Pingerelli.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Apr 26, 2024 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Arizona government officials are taking action against organized retail theft in their state.
Earlier this month, Governor Katie Hobbs signed SB 1411, which “creates the Organized Retail Theft Task Force to combat organized retail theft by collaborating with law enforcement agencies, investigating cases of organized retail theft and making recommendation for legislative action to combat retail theft” – according to the overview from the Arizona House of Representatives.
The bill’s sponsor, Senator David Gowan, cheered on the signing of his proposal, writing, “Just last week, three people were arrested for a retail theft spree across Phoenix and Tucson that totaled around $500,000 in stolen merchandise. This type of criminal activity is on the rise, especially in Democrat-controlled states with soft on crime attitudes, and we must create laws to help law enforcement crack down on it. Thankfully, my bill SB 1411, which establishes 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, was signed into law. 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. It will also create a system for law enforcement to work together to fight this criminal activity.
Gowan added, “I’m happy to support our small and large business owners with this measure. Republicans are committed to preventing this nasty trend we’re watching explode in California from exploding in Arizona too.”
SB 1411 “instructs the Attorney General to establish the Organized Retail Theft Task Force to combat crimes related to stealing, embezzling or obtaining retail merchandise by fraud, false pretenses or other illegal means for the purpose of reselling the items.” It also “requires the Attorney General to invite federal, state and local law enforcement personnel to participate in the Task Force to enhance the efficiency of law enforcement agencies.”
In March, the State Senate overwhelmingly passed the legislation with a bipartisan 22-4 vote (with four members not voting). After being transmitted across the courtyard at the Arizona Capitol, the bill was approved by the State House with a 43-16 tally (with one vacant seat) earlier this month. Hobbs signed the proposal on April 16.
State Senator Janae Shamp and State Representative Justin Wilmeth, both Republicans, were cosponsors of the bill.
On the Arizona Legislature’s Request to Speak system, representatives from the Arizona Retailers Association, Arizona Attorney General’s Office, Arizona Food Marketing Alliance, National Federation of Independent Business, Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, CVS Health, and Quiktrip endorsed the legislation.
SB 1411 will go into effect 90 days after the Arizona Legislature adjourns for 2024.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Jan 28, 2024 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Arizona Senate Republicans have a plan to mitigate the effects of the crisis at the southern border.
On Wednesday, Senate Republicans held a press conference to announce their proposals to “provide law enforcement the support they need to defend our citizens against these threats.”
One of the bills Republicans will seek to pass through the legislature, the Arizona Border Invasion Act, is sponsored by Senator Janae Shamp. According to the Senate Republicans’ news release, this legislation would grant local, county, or state law enforcement officers the statutory authority to make arrests of three categories of individuals:
- any non-US citizens who enter [Arizona] from anywhere but a lawful entrance point
- any non-US citizens who have been denied entry, or have already been removed from [the United States]
- any non-US citizens who have been ordered to leave because of one of the above crimes but are refusing to comply with the order.
The other bill highlighted by Republicans was Senator David Gowan’s Aggravated Unlawful Flight Act, which would “create tougher penalties for drivers who endanger the life of another person while attempting to flee law enforcement, prompting a high-speed chase.” Additionally, Senator Gowan’s bill would “create greater penalties against drivers who cause harm to another person during a high-speed chase, or those who are transporting a child under the age of 15.”
“Joe Biden and his administration have made it unequivocally clear that they have abandoned their duties to enforce immigration policy at the federal level,” said Senator Shamp. “As a result, our communities and our citizens are suffering the dire consequences of the lawlessness associated with tens of thousands of people, many of whom are criminals, illegally entering our state each month with no repercussions. It is our duty as state legislators to ensure the safety of our citizens and our law enforcement, which is why I’m calling on my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this commonsense legislation.”
“This is the worst border crisis in U.S. history. Our local sheriffs are overwhelmed, outnumbered, and their lives are in danger,” said Senator Gowan. “Our communities are suffering from the deadly fentanyl, rapes, murders, high-speed chases, kidnappings, human smuggling, child sex trafficking, and other heinous crimes carried out by those who are entering our state illegally. We can’t just sit idly by and watch Biden’s border invasion destroy Arizona. I’m urging members of the Legislature to pass our bills and for the Governor to sign them. Lives are on the line, and the hands of our local law enforcement are currently tied.”
Both Republicans and Democrats realize the importance of dealing with the historic crisis at the border, though members of both parties generally have vastly different opinions about the solutions. At the start of this new legislative session, the border was a central theme in Governor Katie Hobbs’ State of the State address. Hobbs asserted that she “delivered on multiple fronts to help mitigate the crisis, including the launch of Operation SECURE and the creation of a Border Coordination Office within the Arizona Department of Homeland Security.
Senate President Warren Petersen and House Speaker Ben Toma immediately released a video in the aftermath of the governor’s address, responding to the issues she raised to onlooking legislators. Toma argued that despite Hobbs’ attempt to make Arizonans “believe she’s all about securing our border and ending the lawlessness caused by Joe Biden’s immigration system…her record is one of open borders…and she’s continued that approach as governor.” Petersen talked about “major mistakes” from Hobbs by vetoing three bills in particular “that would have kept families safe from drugs and crime.”
During 2023, the first year of a rare, divided government in the Grand Canyon State, legislative Republicans consistently pointed out that the reality with the border crisis could have been more daunting for Arizonans if not for their check on Democrats. When Hobbs signed the state budget compromise in May, Petersen noted his members “prevented the Governor and Democrat Legislators from advancing their extremist agenda,” and promised “we’re not getting rid of state-funded border security resources to keep our communities safe.” Despite Hobbs’ efforts to be perceived as taking the border crisis seriously in the new year, she is unlikely to work with legislative Republicans on much – if any – fixes to help mitigate the lawlessness and consequences for affected communities, likely spelling doom for the two recently introduced border bills should the legislature send the proposals to the Governor’s Office.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Jan 4, 2024 | News
By Daniel Stefanksi |
Arizona Republicans continue to lay out their agenda as the legislative session fast approaches.
Over the past weekend, two Arizona Republican state senators, David Gowan and Janae Shamp, revealed snapshots of their plans for the upcoming legislative session.
Senator Gowan, who represents a southern Arizona district, shared his thoughts on the border crisis affecting the state, saying, “President Biden’s border crisis continues to set records in Arizona. New data released from U.S. Customs and Border Protection shows the Tucson sector continues to have the dubious distinction as the busiest area in the nation with encounters of illegal aliens for a fifth month in a row! 64,638 immigrants were recorded in November alone. This is horrendous! These aren’t just innocent people looking for a better life. They include dangerous criminals, child sex traffickers, human smugglers, rapists, and terrorists invading our state and country.”
Gowan revealed that he had designated an earmark of $10 million “towards this year and last year’s budget for anti-human trafficking laws to help fight against these heinous crimes.” He again blamed the president for the border crisis, stating that Biden “continues to turn a blind eye to what’s really happening at our border, and in particular, in my district.” The southern-Arizona Senator promised to look into “creating legislation to help law enforcement fight this crisis in the upcoming session.”
Senator Shamp, who represents a district in the southwest Valley, expounded on her plans to “address Arizona’s doctor shortage.” The inspiration behind this idea, according to the legislator, came from a projection “that Arizona has a shortage of nearly 600 primary care physicians right now and around 2,000 more physicians will be needed to meet healthcare demands in the state by 2030 due to increases in retirements, higher rates of chronic diseases, and an aging population.” Shamp pointed to a “lack of residency slots” as a major reason for the existing shortages. She noted that “all medical school graduates must complete a period of GME, or residency training, to be licensed to practice medicine in the United States,” adding that only “around 20% of medical school graduates find themselves unable to attain the residency slot necessary for them to complete their training.”
The Valley-based lawmaker championed her state as having “taken steps to help address this issue,” with “an additional 200 residency position (going) into effect July 1, 2024.” She cautioned, however, against becoming complacent with these additions, leading to her pledge to “identify and establish more ways to help” in the 2024 legislative session.
The Second Regular Session of the 56th Arizona Legislature begins on Monday, January 8, with opening ceremonies for both chambers and the Governor’s anticipated State of the State address.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
