AZ Legislative Update - January 28, 2022
The third week of the Arizona legislative session was a busy one, filled with lengthy committee hearings and passionate conversations about policy. Some issues were controversial and grabbed headlines around the state, like a bill that requires public entities to try to provide enough room for in-person participation, an effort to decide what constitutes “explicit material” that should be kept away from schools, and a new standard for what school employees should be required to tell parents about their children.
In a loud and lengthy hearing, the Senate Government Committee voted on party lines to advance several changes to election laws – the first of many to come in the legislature this year – and to limit a Governor’s authority to declare a state of emergency.
The House Judiciary Committee approved a bill to hold employers liable in some situations for employees who claim significant injury from a mandated COVID-19 vaccine. Republicans on the panel supported the measure, disagreeing with representatives from business organizations that said the bill is a sharp reversal from the legislature’s actions last year to prevent liability for business owners trying to navigate a pandemic. The bill is one of many measures introduced so far this year to block or penalize COVID-19 vaccine and mask requirements.
The Senate Education Committee failed a bill that requires school district candidates to run as a member of a political party. In the House, committees failed to pass new requirements for parents’ visits to schools and stronger penalties for biting another person.
Despite the high-profile disagreements, legislators did find agreement on many bills this week. The Senate Finance Committee gave bipartisan support to a proposal that creates a state earned income tax credit for some low-income Arizonans – a policy change that was included in Governor Ducey’s budget proposal. Democrats and some Republicans in another Senate committee agreed on bills to enhance the use of electric vehicles and enhance infrastructure for zero-emission transportation. In the House, committees authorized the creation of a Mormon Migration Monument at the state Capitol and agreed to ban registered sex offenders from working as taxi drivers.
Even while lawmakers focus on other bills, there’s a big issue simmering under every action: A looming deadline for the legislature to raise a cap on schools’ spending. Every day, Democrats offer floor speeches about the need to lift the cap. Some Republicans use their floor speeches to highlight recent investments in school funding. Bills that would address the issue haven’t moved forward.
Behind the scenes, Republican leaders say it’s important to wait for a court ruling on whether Proposition 208 – Arizona’s voter-approved income surcharge for education programs – violates that school spending cap. In short, it’s a high-pressure, highly political issue that is fueling frustration on both sides of the aisle in the House and Senate.
What's Next?
There are more than 1,400 measures introduced so far this session, and the number keeps climbing. With just three more weeks for bills to go through their first committee assignments, there’s an urgency driving legislators’ decisions and priorities.
In the Elections
The Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission finalized the state’s new political maps. Some Arizona legislators are raising a lot of money for their re-election campaigns. Governor Ducey still isn’t running for the U.S. Senate. The federal government wants to know about Arizonans’ signatures on a fake Electoral College certificate in 2020. I
In the Courts
The U.S. Supreme Court chose not to weigh in on Don Shooter’s claims that he was inappropriately expelled from the Arizona House. The Arizona Senate appealed a court’s decision that the 2020 ballot recount documents are public records. The Cyber Ninjas CEO says he isn’t ready to release the records, some of which may be in a data center. Governor Ducey sued the federal government over its threats to take funds from state programs for schools that do not implement COVID-19 mitigation recommendations. A judge reprimanded former Representative David Stringer for actions during his 2020 campaign for Yavapai County Attorney.
In the News
Arizonans are spending a lot on sports betting and marijuana. The Arizona Corporation Commission voted down a renewable energy requirement. Representative John Kavanagh (R-Scottsdale) objects to Afghan refugees settling in Arizona. Some advocates want to change Arizona policies overseeing care for people with disabilities. The State Board of Education removed some limits on substitute teachers. This group wants to make it easier for mothers of young children to serve in state legislatures. The statue on top of the Arizona Capitol building has an interesting history.
On the Bright Side…