by Corinne Murdock | Mar 20, 2023 | News
By Corinne Murdock |
The “transracial” woman who stirred national controversy about eight years ago for falsely claiming to be Black attended Gov. Katie Hobbs’ signing of a ban on hair discrimination last Friday.
Rachel Dolezal, who now goes by Nkechi Amare Diallo, formerly served as the president of an NAACP chapter in Washington, as well as an Africana studies professor at Eastern Washington University. The truth of Dolezal’s race came to light after her parents came forward to disavow her claimed identity, following her Black rights activism and claims to police and media that she was the victim of racially-motivated hate crimes.
Hobbs signed the executive order — titled the “Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair” Act, or “CROWN” Act — on Friday. The California-originating model legislation prohibits public schools and state employers or contractors from discriminating against employees’ hair texture and protective styles, such as braids, locs, twists, knots, and headwraps.
“Black women, men, and children should be able to wear their natural hair with pride and without the fear of discrimination,” tweeted Hobbs, echoing a line from the executive order.
Dolezal wasn’t included in the published version of the photo posted by the governor.
California lawmakers passed their version of the CROWN Act in 2019. New York, New Jersey, Washington, Maryland, Nevada, Virginia, Colorado, Massachusetts, and Illinois all followed suit in passage of their version of the model legislation.
The Arizona legislature last considered a version of the CROWN Act in 2021 under HB2593 from former Democratic State Rep. Aaron Lieberman. The legislation didn’t make it to committee.
Reactions to Hobbs’ executive order were mixed, mainly along party lines.
The Arizona Free Enterprise Club (AFEC) questioned Hobbs’ priorities: making time for an executive order declaring the professionalism of certain hairstyles while other issues such as the border crisis continue unsolved.
“We don’t have a budget or a secure border, inflation is raging, our elections are a laughingstock and our schools are a parent’s worst nightmare. But at least there’s this,” tweeted AFEC.
However, some criticism came from within Hobbs’ own party. Talonya Adams — the woman impacted by racial discrimination under Hobbs when the governor was Senate Minority Leader in the legislature — indicated that Hobbs’ executive order was an attempt to placate the Black community.
In a since-deleted tweet, Adams questioned Hobbs’ decision to prioritize a social issue like hair discrimination over other, more pressing issues like the homeless crisis or offering an explanation of the Oman trip.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
by Corinne Murdock | Mar 15, 2023 | News
By Corinne Murdock |
This week, Gov. Katie Hobbs departed for Oman to officiate a pact made under the former administration with the Middle Eastern country.
In a press release, Hobbs said that the partnership provided greater readiness for Arizonan forces. Oman has a population of nearly four million people, bordering Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. The partnership formed under former Gov. Doug Ducey last October.
“This partnership is grounded in our Arizona National Guard military relationship but expands to other sectors of the government bringing valuable interoperability opportunities for both countries,” said Hobbs.
Kerry Muehlenbeck, Arizona National Guard adjutant general and Department of Emergency and Military Affairs director, added that the partnership would strengthen both country’s forces.
The Arizona National Guard established the partnership last October through the Department of Defense National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program. The program partners states with nations in order to bridge international civil-military affairs; over 90 nations have a match in the states. This year marks the program’s 30th anniversary.
Arizona partners with one other country through the program, the Republic of Kazakhstan, a relationship it has held since 1993.
Daniel Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau, said that the program also allows soldiers to visit other countries and understand problem-solving skills from foreign soldiers.
“To look at the environment that they operate in, and to really see, in many cases, the same problems — just approached from a different angle,” said Hokanson. “We learn a lot in those countries and in those interactions that we bring back to make our organizations better, and I like to think vice versa.”
Several days after announcing the partnership, the University of Arizona (UArizona) Eller Executive Education announced a partnership with the Royal Academy of Management in Oman for a program, “Developing Leaders and Future Foresight.” Although the press release was issued several days after the state announced the National Guard partnership, UArizona’s initial press release was dated for the same day as the state’s announcement.
UArizona’s partner program with Oman is designed to develop and equip national leaders to fulfill Oman’s “Vision 2040,” a plan to become a developed country by 2040.
Oman is one of the top oil exporters. They also export liquified natural gas.
Hobbs attended the formal signing ceremony on Monday, and is scheduled to depart from Oman on Wednesday. Oman leadership is scheduled to visit Arizona in May.
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 10, 2023 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs is giving her veto stamp a workout in the first two-plus months of the Arizona Legislative session, and Republicans are not pleased with her disdain for their policy proposals.
On Thursday, Governor Hobbs vetoed SB 1305, which was sponsored by Senator J.D. Mesnard. According to the purpose of the legislation provided by the State Senate, SB 1305 “prohibits a public school, school district or state agency that is involved with students or teachers of preschool or kindergarten programs of any of grades 1 through 12 (state agency), or an employee of a public school, school district or state agency, from providing instruction to students or employees that promotes or advocates for specified concepts relating to race and ethnicity.”
Senator Mesnard was not happy in the least about Hobbs’ veto of his legislation, issuing the following statement once her decision was official: “I’m deeply disheartened by Governor Hobbs’ choice to condone these discriminatory teachings our kids are being exposed to, by vetoing my bill. As lawmakers, we are called to protect the vulnerable, including impressionable and innocent kids. Her action today is a slap in the face to parents who came forward with serious concerns about the racism being taught in their children’s classrooms.”
The governor released a short explanation of her veto of SB 1305, writing, “It’s time to stop pushing students and teachers into culture wars rooted in fear mongering and evidence-free accusation. Bills like SB1305 serve only to divide and antagonize. I urge the Legislature to work with me on the real issues affecting Arizona schools: underfunded classrooms, a growing educator retention crisis, and school buildings in need of repair and replacement.”
The ACLU of Arizona agreed with Hobbs’ veto, tweeting, “Young people have a right to learn an inclusive and complete history in schools, free from partisan restrictions. We applaud @GovernorHobbs for vetoing #SB1305, the legislature’s latest attempt to censor Arizona classrooms and distract from real issues.”
Mesnard addressed Hobbs’ condemnation of Republican tactics and policies: “Contrary to Governor Hobbs’ accusation in her veto letter that we are not working on ‘real issues,’ Senate Republicans have so far passed a budget that would have provided assurance that schools, public safety, health services, child welfare services, transportation, and other government functions would not shutdown come July 1. We’ve passed a rental tax cut that would have provided much needed relief to our citizens struggling with housing affordability and crippling inflation. In fact, within the first two months of session, the Senate has passed more than 200 bills addressing a variety of issues important to the people of Arizona. We certainly have proven we know how to multitask, but unfortunately, we’re working with a Governor who is playing political games with lives and livelihoods.”
Hobbs’ veto of this bill risks the increased ire of a growing number of parents who are extremely concerned about what their children are being taught in district and charter schools. Over the past few years especially, educational curriculum and reading material has been under a massive amount of scrutiny and research, leading to heightened election contests and fiery confrontations at school board meetings around the country.
The veto of SB 1305 was Hobbs’ 16th of the legislative session. Many additional vetoes are expected as Republicans continue to pass bills out of the Arizona Legislature and transmit to the Ninth Floor of the Executive Tower.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Mar 7, 2023 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
The Arizona Legislature finished its work on an important piece of legislation to protect children from a leftist agenda in schools, but the bill faces a near-certain dismissal from Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs.
Last month, both the Arizona House and Senate voted to approve SB 1305, sponsored by Senator J.D. Mesnard, which deals with prohibited instruction in schools. According to the purpose of the legislation provided by the State Senate, SB 1305 “prohibits a public school, school district or state agency that is involved with students or teachers of preschool or kindergarten programs of any of grades 1 through 12 (state agency), or an employee of a public school, school district or state agency, from providing instruction to students or employees that promotes or advocates for specified concepts relating to race and ethnicity.”
Like many bills in the Arizona Legislature this session, SB 1305 attracted partisan votes throughout the committee process and on the floors of both chambers. The vote in the Senate was 16-12 in support, with two members (Senators Gabaldon and Miranda) not voting. The vote in the House was 31-29 in favor.
After voting in favor of the bill in February, Representative Austin Smith wrote, “We shouldn’t teach kids in Arizona to hate their fellow man or America.”
On Monday, SB 1305 was transmitted to the Governor’s Office on the Ninth Floor of the Arizona Executive Tower. The bill sponsor, Senator Mesnard, released the following statement to accompany his bill’s recent clearance from the state legislature: “Teaching about historical movements, ideologies or instances of racial hatred and discrimination, including slavery and Jim Crow, are absolutely legitimate and sensible topics of study in the classroom. However, pushing a destructive and racist ideology has no place in our schools. More and more parents are expressing concern over this issue, and we must ensure we nip this in the bud now before the damage is done on our impressionable youth. My colleagues and I in the Senate are calling on Governor Hobbs to sign this commonsense legislation.”
Mesnard’s bill also “outlines procedures for complaints, enforcement and the imposition of civil penalties up to $5,000.”
Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Horne, provided the following quote to AZ Free News on his support of the bill: “All of my life I have believed that we are all individuals, brothers and sisters under the skin, and that what matters is what we know and can do, and not what race we were born into.”
Representatives from Stand for Children, Arizona School Administrators Association, Arizona Education Association, American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona, Save Our Schools Arizona, Arizona School Boards Association, and the Children’s Action Alliance opposed this legislation during the legislative process.
Last month, Save Our Schools Arizona tweeted, “Today, the #AZLeg passed #SB1305, an anti-public school culture-war bill to ban teaching ‘controversial topics,’ drive further distrust of educators & impose $5,000 fines.”
After the bill was approved by the legislative bodies, Stand for Children Arizona tweeted, “If you support teachers and want AZ students to learn accurate history, SIGN OUR LETTER requesting a veto on this bill, and similar bills moving forward.”
The legislation now awaits its fate from Governor Hobbs, who is expected to veto the bill in the coming days.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Corinne Murdock | Mar 7, 2023 | News
By Corinne Murdock |
Last week, Gov. Katie Hobbs’ veto streak killed a bill with strong bipartisan support. It was one of the 15 bills vetoed by the governor so far: SB1184, SB1248, SB1523, SB1524, SB1525, SB1526, SB1527, SB1528, SB1529, SB1530, SB1531, SB1532, SB1533, SB1534, and SB1535.
The bill that earned strong bipartisan support was SB1248, which originated from HB2529 by State Rep. T.J. Shope (R-LD08). SB1248 would’ve repealed the mandate for regulated health professions seeking an expanded scope of practice to undergo a statutory sunrise review. It passed 21-9 in the Senate, with five Democrats and all Republicans voting for it; in the House, it passed 42-18, with 12 Democrats joining all Republicans in voting for it. Hobbs vetoed the bill last week.
Talonya Adams, the woman twice vindicated in court for racial discrimination faced under Hobbs, said the legislature’s override of Hobbs’ veto “jeopardized her relevancy.”
“A principled [government] comprised of co-equal branches will eventually check a branch that exploits its power, with a [two-thirds] veto override,” said Adams.
So far, the legislature hasn’t overridden any of Hobbs’ vetoes.
In a letter explaining her decision to veto SB1248, Hobbs argued that fixing part of the problem with scope of practice expansion wasn’t sufficient for her since the government couldn’t ensure that these expansions would result in “equitable access to care.” She argued that the legislature needed to ensure equity in health care.
“Without the sunrise application process, provider groups could fast-track their priorities through the legislative process without adequate attention to why the change is necessary, or if it will impact communities with the greatest needs,” wrote Hobbs.
The same day that she vetoed the heavily-bipartisan legislation, Hobbs pledged to work with Democratic leadership to “find real solutions” to current state issues.
It wasn’t until last week that Hobbs allowed bills to pass unscathed by her veto stamp: SB1103 and SB1171. Hobbs said she signed these two bills because they were “good,” indicating that all other past legislation wasn’t.
SB1103 from Senate President Warren Petersen (R-LD14) allows the legislative body of a municipality or county to authorize administrative personnel to approve construction plans without public hearing. The intent of the legislation was to expedite home construction approvals in an effort to counter the ongoing housing shortage.
SB1103 passed 59-0 in the House and 25-3 in the Senate. Only Minority Leader Raquel Terán (D-LD26), Minority Caucus Chair Leah Alston (D-LD05), and State Sen. Anna Hernandez (D-LD24) voted against it.
SB1171 from State Sen. J.D. Mesnard (R-LD13) aligned Arizona tax law with changes made to the federal tax law by Congress. The legislation passed without any opposition in either the House or Senate.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
