by Elizabeth Troutman | Feb 10, 2024 | News
By Elizabeth Troutman |
Arizona State Senator Janae Shamp is sponsoring a bill that would require insurers and providers of gender-altering drugs and surgeries to also provide and cover detransition procedures.
Shamp, a Republican, is inspired by 19-year-old Chloe Cole, a de-transitioner who was diagnosed with gender dysphoria and put on puberty blockers and testosterone therapy starting at age 13.
At age 15, Cole underwent a double mastectomy. Now, she says her “childhood was ruined” by the medical interventions. She regrets the permanent changes transitioning made to her body and the unknown harm to her fertility.
Cole said in a video with Shamp that she was “butchered by the institutions that we all thought we could trust.”
“The drugs and surgeries changed my body, but did not and could not change the undeniable reality that I am, and forever will be, a female,” Cole said.
Introduced Feb. 2, Senate Bill 1511 had its second Senate reading on Tuesday.
“My heart goes out to the growing number of people, especially children, like Chloe was, struggling with their identity, who were pushed toward physically altering their bodies as a solution, rather than receiving the mental health care they deserve,” Shamp said.
The state senator worked as an operating room nurse before running for office. She earned a B.S. in molecular biosciences and biotechnology from Arizona State University in 2002 and a B.S. in nursing from Grand Canyon University in 2012.
Shamp has fought for medical freedom and the right to informed healthcare decisions throughout her term as a state senator. Last year, she introduced a bill that would have required employers to allow employees that complete a religious exemption form to opt out of vaccination requirements.
The bill, which Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed, would have allowed those fired over vaccine mandates to file complaints with the attorney general if their employer didn’t offer or denied a religious exemption.
“I spent my entire career as a nurse, being an advocate for my patients and ensuring that their beliefs are respected and protected,” Shamp said in a news release after the veto. “The reason I’m here at the Senate is because I was fired from my job as a nurse after refusing to get the experimental COVID-19 vaccine.”
Shamp said her top priority as a senator was the vaccine bill because “Americans’ medical freedoms were taken from them, myself included,” during the pandemic.
After the veto, which Shamp said was “personal,” she pledged to continue to fight for Arizonans’ medical freedom.
The registered nurse turned politician also pledged to protect residents of the Grand Canyon state from mask mandates. She said wearing a mask should be a personal choice.
“As a registered nurse who has been detrimentally impacted by government infringement not based on scientific evidence, I want you to rest assured that I will fight tooth and nail to make sure you’re protected from this gross overreach,” Shamp said in a news release. “If you want to wear a mask, wear a mask. If you don’t want to wear a mask, don’t wear one.”
Elizabeth Troutman is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send her 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.
by Daniel Stefanski | Aug 26, 2023 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
A freshman Arizona Senator is alerting her constituents of the laws protecting their freedoms in the event that another round of politicized COVID-19 cases sweeps the nation.
Senator Janae Shamp sent out a press release on Thursday, “reminding Arizonans of the safeguards put in place by Republicans at the Legislature to protect against future outrageous overreach and scientifically baseless restrictions.”
Shamp’s motivation was seeing “fear over mask mandates and the politicization of COVID-19 from the Left once again become a focal point heading into the upcoming 2024 election cycle.”
The Republican Senator issued the following statement: “With election season upon us, we’re once again witnessing COVID-19 fearmongering from the Left as liberal entities in Georgia, New York and California are now once again overstepping their authority in dictating mask mandates. As a registered nurse who has been detrimentally impacted by government infringement not based on scientific evidence, I want you to rest assured that I will fight tooth and nail to make sure you’re protected from this gross overreach. If you want to wear a mask, wear a mask. If you don’t want to wear a mask, don’t wear one. This is a personal choice that our citizens are allowed to make. If a business wants to force you to wear a mask and you don’t wish to, you have the right to take your business elsewhere. I will work to provide more guidance for you and your family as needed, and I vow to craft more legislation next session that further protects your God-given freedoms.”
Senator Shamp shared four laws:
- In 2021, A.R.S. 44-7951 was enacted to protect businesses in Arizona from being required to enforce a mask mandate established by state, city, county and town governments, or any other jurisdiction within Arizona.
- In 2022, A.R.S. 1-611 was enacted to protect students under the age of 18 at public district or charter schools from being required to wear a mask without the express consent of the child’s parent or guardian.
- Additionally in 2022, A.R.S 36-681 was enacted to protect the public from forced masking at any government building or premises, except where long-standing workplace safety and infection control measures that are unrelated to COVID-19 may be required.
- Furthermore, should the Governor implement a state of emergency for “public health” reasons, last year’s enacted A.R.S 26-303 would require the Governor to first get permission from the Legislature in order to extend the emergency past 120 days.
Reports have surged about an increase in COVID-19 cases with the spread of the EG.5 (“Eris”), FL.1.5.1 (“Fornax”), and BA.2.86 (“Pirola”). These developments have led to the return of some masking requirements around the nation. In Atlanta, Morris Brown College sent an email to its faculty, staff, and students, announcing the reinstatement of its COVID-19 mask mandate because of “reports of positive cases among students in the Atlanta University Center.” The college also reimposed physical distancing and gathering restrictions on campus.
The movie studio Lionsgate in Los Angeles also brought back its mask mandate for the office, as did Kaiser Permanente for its Santa Rosa (California) hospital and medical offices.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently warned, “This week’s national ensemble predicts that the number of daily COVID-19 hospital admissions will increase, with 1,100 to 7,500 daily COVID-19 hospital admissions likely reported on September 18.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Apr 11, 2023 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
A bill to protect children on the internet is nearing the finish line in the Arizona Legislature, though some partisan opposition puts its fate in jeopardy with Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs should it reach her desk.
SB 1503, sponsored by Senator Wendy Rogers, “directs a commercial entity to verify that any person attempting to access an internet website containing a substantial portion of material harmful to minors is at least 18 years old.” The bill “authorizes the age verification to be made through a commercially available database that is regularly used by businesses or governmental entities for the purposes of age and identity verification; or any other commercially reasonable method of age and identity verification.” It “subjects a commercial entity that violates the verification requirement to civil liability for damages, including attorney fees and costs, resulting from the minor’s access to the material.”
Rogers was joined on her bill by co-sponsors (and fellow Senators) Ken Bennett, Sonny Borrelli, Frank Carroll, David Farnsworth, Jake Hoffman, Steve Kaiser, John Kavanagh, Janae Shamp, T.J. Shope, and Justine Wadsack.
The bill first cleared the Arizona Senate Transportation and Technology Committee in February with a bipartisan vote of 5-2. Democrat Senator Christine Marsh joined four other Republicans to advance the legislation out of committee. After a Rogers’ amendment was adopted on the floor, the full chamber approved the bill with a bipartisan 19-11 vote, though Marsh did not vote in favor.
Senator Rogers cheered the passage of her proposal after the Senate vote, tweeting, “Need to be age 18 to view ‘content harmful to minors’ (pornography) on the internet. My SB 1503 passed the Arizona Senate. #ProtectChildInnocence”
SB 1503 was then transmitted to the Arizona House of Representatives where it was assigned to the Regulatory Committee. In March, the Committee took up and considered this bill, passing it with a party-line 4-3 vote. It awaits the green light from the House before it travels to the Governor’s Office for her final decision.
During the House Regulatory Committee hearing, Representative Nancy Gutierrez explained that she thought this legislation was “an infringement on our First Amendment rights,” and she found it “ridiculous” that anyone would suggest that a company would be at fault for a child looking at inappropriate websites. Gutierrez was baffled that anyone would also suggest that “there is a mechanism that would even be able to verify age.”
Her Democrat colleague, Representative Alma Hernandez, agreed with these sentiments. Before Hernandez voted against SB 1503, she first stated that she didn’t want children looking at pornography on the internet, but that this was “almost impossible to actually enforce.” She argued that the United States is “not North Korea, China, or Iran, where those countries have internet censorship,” and she challenged her Republican colleagues to return to their freedom-loving roots when coming up for solutions of problems that are perpetrated on the internet. Hernandez stated that she believes “it should be up to the parents to decide if they want to put screening mechanisms on their children’s phones.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
