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WEEKLY RTS UPDATE  •  AZ LEGISLATURE  •  WEEK OF FEB. 6, 2017

Compiled by Melinda Merkel Iyer. E-mail RTSArizona2017@gmail.com with comments, corrections or clarifications. 

We've got no time to be tired! There's lots going on at the Arizona Legislature this week.

Top action: the three Urgent Alerts just below. Use Request To Speak, call and email by Monday morning on a pair of bad bills, and by Thursday morning for a third. If you can, attend one or both committee meetings for the Urgent Alerts.

If you have a little more time, RTS against all the listed bills. There are some real horror shows in committee this week.

Bonus points if you complete all three sections of this doc: the three Urgent Alerts, the RTS lists for Senate and House bills, and the section to advance important bills not yet assigned to committee. Well done! You are a rock star!

URGENT ALERT #1 — OPPOSE SB1174 — Monday

SB1174 would require schools with desegregation funding to hold special override elections instead of rolling funding automatically into local tax collection. Would result in catastrophic $207 million loss to schools; Phoenix Union alone would lose $53 million. Schools would have to fire teachers and staff, cut services, and increase class sizes dramatically. Doesn’t save the state any money since funding comes from a court order, not the state general fund. Bill passed 6-4 in Appropriations Committee last week. Scheduled for Rules Committee Monday at 1 PM. Could come up for a floor vote later this week.

Members of the Senate Rules Committee:

Steve Yarbrough (R-17)         Chair         602-926-5863         syarbrough@azleg.gov 

Kimberly Yee (R-20)         Vice Chair         602-926-3024         kyee@azleg.gov 

Debbie Lesko (R-21)         Member         602-926-5413         dlesko@azleg.gov 

Gail Griffin (R-14)         Member         602-926-5895         ggriffin@azleg.gov 

Martin Quezada (D-29)         Member         602-926-5911         mquezada@azleg.gov 

Olivia Cajero Bedford (D-3)        Member         602-926-5835        ocajerobedford@azleg.gov 

Katie Hobbs (D-24)         Member         602-926-5325         khobbs@azleg.gov 

Pull out all the stops! Use RTS and email the above people (especially Republicans) by Monday at 11 AM and call the above people (especially Republicans) by Monday at 1 PM. For emails, put "NO ON SB1174" in the subject line. Attend the committee meeting if you can. Contact your own senator also, as this could be called up any time for a floor vote.

URGENT ALERT #2 — OPPOSE SB1281 — up for vote Tuesday

THIS BILL IS HEADED TO THE FLOOR Tuesday at 1:30 PM. SB1281 phases in Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESAs) to the general public over the next 4 years. ESAs redirect public school funds to parents or charter schools with very little oversight or regulation. Last year $100,000+ in AZ taxpayer funds was misused under this program. The bill is scheduled to be heard Monday at 1 PM in the Senate Rules Committee. Email and call your senator! Put "NO ON SB1281" in the subject line. Find your legislative district here and your senator’s contact information here.

URGENT ALERT #3 — OPPOSE SB1431 — Thursday 

SB1431 is a companion bill to SB1281. It would also phase in ESAs to all children in Arizona and redirect public school funds to private pockets. This would end our public school system as it currently exists. Scheduled for the Senate Education Committee on Thursday 2/9 at 9 AM.

Members of the Senate Education Committee:

Sylvia Allen (R-6) Chair         602-926-5409         sallen@azleg.gov          co-sponsor

Steve Montenegro (R-13)         602-926-4893         smontenegro@azleg.gov          co-sponsor

Steve Smith (R-11)         602-926-5685         stsmith@azleg.gov          co-sponsor

Kimberly Yee (R-20)        602-926-3024         kyee@azleg.gov 

Kate Brophy McGee (R-28)         602-926-4486         kbrophymcgee@azleg.gov 

Catherine Miranda (D-27)         602-926-4893         cmiranda@azleg.gov 

David Bradley (D-10)        602-926-5262         dbradley@azleg.gov 

Use RTS and email the above people (especially Republicans) by Wednesday at 5 PM, and make calls (especially to Republicans) by Thursday at 9 AM. For emails, put "NO ON SB1431" in the subject line. Attend the committee meeting if you can.

Update, Saturday 2/4: Kate Brophy McGee has gone on record as opposing SB1431 and other voucher bills.

Update, Monday 2/6: Catherine Miranda has gone on record as opposing SB1431. No word on the other bills.

Continue to call Yee. We may be able to sway her.

Weekly Roundup: Senate Bills in Committee

SB1108: Expands eligibility for the children’s cash assistance program to those living with an unrelated adult who are in DCS care or in custody of tribal courts. A small change, but helps. Bill to support passed committee 7-0. Rules committee is next. SUPPORT.

SB1122: Prohibit local government from requiring anyone to search a national database in order to transfer personal property. Scheduled for Senate Government committee Wednesday, 2/8. OPPOSE.

SB1144: Adds an 8-year sunset clause for retail taxes, which predominantly affect the working poor. Supported by progressive groups Social Workers Assoc & Protecting Arizona's Family Coalition. Cross-party co-sponsors Farley D-9, & Farnsworth R-19). Scheduled for Senate Rules Committee 2/6. SUPPORT.

SB1159: Prohibits civil liability in the event of a gun violence incident for a business who does not post a gun-free zone sign. Scheduled for Sen. Gov. committee 2/8 Wednesday. OPPOSE.

SB1253: Allows police to review video of a use-of-force incident before making a statement, in violation of recommended best practices of many civil rights groups. Scheduled for Senate Commerce and Public Safety Committee, Monday 2/6. OPPOSE.

SB1254: added Monday 2/6. Removes court protections regarding charter school admissions for students in desegregated districts. Scheduled for Rules committee Monday 2/6 at 1 PM. OPPOSE.

SB1355: Establishes rights for survivors of sexual assault, including the right to medical exams and the preservation of medical collection kits. Scheduled for Judiciary Committee Thursday 2/9. SUPPORT.

SCR1024: Calls for extreme, constitutionally questionable limits on the federal government. Like the others, demands a convention of states to impose fiscal restraints, limit government and impose term limits for officials and reps in Congress. This one also demonstrates particular fiscal restraint by appropriating $30,000 from the state budget to pay for a constitutional convention. Scheduled for House Rules Committee Monday 2/6. OPPOSE.

Weekly Roundup: House Bills in Committee

HCR2002: added Sunday 2/5. Gives the Legislature the power to repeal a citizen initative. Scheduled for House Government Committee, Thursday 2/9. OPPOSE.

HCR2004: Gutting the Clean Elections Commission. It's baaaack! Previously reported as dead, now rescheduled for Wednesday in the House Appropriations Committee. This would remove all funding from the Clean Elections program and allocate it to education. The funding is a drop in the bucket compared to what education actually needs, plus no Clean Elections. OPPOSE.

HCR2006: Calls for extreme, constitutionally questionable limits on the federal government. Demands a convention to rewrite the Constitution. Scheduled for House Federalism, Property Rights and Public Policy Committee Tuesday 2/7. OPPOSE.

HCR2007: added Sunday 2/5. Gives the Legislature power to amend citizen referendums. Scheduled for House Government Committee, Thursday 2/9. OPPOSE.

HCR2010: Calls for extreme, constitutionally questionable limits on the federal government. Demands a convention of states to impose fiscal restraints, limit government and impose term limits for officials and reps in Congress. Scheduled for House Rules Committee Monday 2/6. OPPOSE.

HCR2013: Calls for extreme, constitutionally questionable limits on the federal government. Demands a balanced federal budget amendment to the Constitution. Assigned to House Rules for Monday 2/6. OPPOSE.

HCR2016: A resolution in support of anti-bullying awareness and prevention. Scheduled for House Federalism, Property Rights and Public Policy Committee Tuesday 2/7. SUPPORT.

HCM2001: Calls for extreme, constitutionally questionable limits on the federal government. Demands that Congress break up the 9th circuit court. Scheduled for House Rules Committee 2/6. OPPOSE.

HB2038: Adds 8-year sunset repeal language to the income tax statutes. Appears to be a companion bill to SB1144. Democratic sponsor (Cardenas, D-19). SUPPORT.

HB2091: Repeal required fingerprinting for TANF/SNAP. Supported by social workers association. Has passed out of 2 committees. Email/call your House representatives and SUPPORT.

HB2226: Enacting a compact for a balanced budget. This one looks like it is co-sponsored by every Republican in the legislature. Assigned to House Rules Committee, 2/6. OPPOSE.

HB2287: Reduces the legal discharge range for a firearm from 1 mile to 1/4 mile from any occupied structure. Has lots of "for" support in RTS from individuals. Against votes include prosecuting attorneys, chiefs of police, cities of Maricopa and Surprise. Scheduled for the House Committee of the Whole on 2/7. OPPOSE. (Update 2/5/17: RTS commentary seems to be closed, but you should still try; it might be a glitch.)

HB2290: Allows provisional licenses for persons with felony records. Will help offenders obtain jobs and reintegrate. Scheduled for Military Veterans Regulatory Affairs hearing on Monday 2/6. SUPPORT.

HB2320: added Sunday 2/5. Amends the Arizona Constitution to give the Legislature the ability to repeal a referendum. Assigned to Government Committee Thursday 2/9. OPPOSE.

HB2372: Help for SNAP recipients. Would enable recipients of this food stamp program to receive assistance for an additional 12 months. Scheduled Wednesday 2/8 in House Health Committee. SUPPORT.

Non-RTS: Not yet scheduled for committee. Call and email your legislators.

HB2348: Automatic Voter Registration. A good thing! Call/email Doug Coleman (chair of the House Governance committee, 602-926-3160 / dcoleman@azleg.gov) and urge him to give this bill a hearing. SUPPORT.

HB2364: Ban discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Sponsor is Rios, D-27. Assigned to two committees, House Rules and Judiciary & Public Safety. Not on agendas yet. Call or email to express support.

Rules Committee:

Rep. Phil Lovas (R-22)         Chair         602-926-3297         plovas@azleg.gov

Rep. Paul Boyer (R-20)         Vice Chair         602-926-4173         pboyer@azleg.gov

Judiciary & Public Safety Committee:

Eddie Farnsworth (R-12)         Chair         602-926-5735         efarnsworth@azleg.gov

Anthony Kern (R-20)         Vice Chair         602-926-3102         akern@azleg.gov

SB1320: Ban discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or veteran status. Sponsor is Hobbs, D-24. Assigned to two committees, Senate Rules and Commerce & Public Safety. Not on agendas yet. Call or email to express support.

Rules Committee:

Steve Yarbrough (R-17)        Chair         602-926-5863         syarbrough@azleg.gov

Kimberly Yee (R-20)        Vice Chair         602-926-3024         kyee@azleg.gov

Commerce & Public Safety Committee:

Steve Smith (R-11)        Chair         602-926-5685         stsmith@azleg.gov

Warren Petersen (R-12)        Vice Chair         602-926-4136         wpetersen@azleg.gov

You made it to the end of this doc. Well done! Keep using Arizona's RTS system and calling/emailing your legislators. Reps say they listen more to individual citizens than lobbyists, so we must work to keep up the pressure till the legislative session ends.

This week's Sources: LD28 Democrats, Inez Casiano / Central Phoenix chapter of National Organization for Women, Equality Arizona, VUU / UUJAZ Legislative Alert, AZ Elections Reform / National Popular Vote AZ.