Request to Speak Actions for the Week of March 16th

Due to the Corona Virus, the Sierra Club is ramping down in-person activities, but they will continue to do what they can to keep us informed and will be monitoring activities at the Capitol. Unfortunately, the Arizona Legislature is closing off access to the House and Senate galleries and limiting public testimony at committee hearings. Sadly, they are continuing to meet and will advance some bad bills. Our one recourse is the Request to Speak App. If you are signed up for the Request to Speak system, please sign in and weigh into the following bills before they go to a vote at the hearing scheduled below. If you are signed up for the Request to Speak, login in here. If not, find the directions for signing up and navigating the system here. Coming up this week at the Legislature Monday, March 16th Senate Committee on Government at 2:00 P.M.  HB2589 land divisions; county regulation; surveys (Griffin: Dunn, Nutt, et al.) This bill appears to be nothing more than a giveaway to land speculators. It would allow someone to buy a parcel of land, subdivide it, sell the plots, and get building permits without ever putting in any infrastructure (including roads to the plots), without even having to do a survey of the land, and without paying any property taxes on the land. The only people this bill would help would be speculators (many of whom are probably not even in Arizona...or the US) and it would encourage wholesale development of open spaces. OPPOSE.  Tuesday, March 17th House Committee on Natural Resources, Energy & Water at 2:00 P.M.  SB1350 state parks; lottery; heritage fund (Brophy McGee: Bowie) appropriates $1 million annually from the state lottery for the Arizona State Parks Heritage Fund. The lottery was the original funding source for the State Parks Heritage Fund, so it is appropriate to have the funds come from here. This differs from HB2551 in that HB2551 has a $10 million one-time appropriation from the General Fund. SUPPORT Wednesday, March 18th Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy at 2:00 P.M. HCR2014 hardrock mining industry; recognition (Griffin) Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Arizona, the Senate concurring: That the Members of the Legislature recognize the importance of the hardrock mining industry to Arizona's economy and support the involvement of Arizona's government and the hardrock mining industry in any future regulatory changes to ensure that operations continue to be safe and productive for the State of Arizona. OPPOSE  Senate Committee on Federal Relations at 2:00 P.M.  SCR1044 supporting border security (Mesnard) is a fear mongering measure supporting federal border efforts full of lies and xenophobic rhertoric. Read it for yourself and then OPPOSE. Senate Committee on Water and Agriculture at 10:00 A.M.  HCM2009 floodwater harvesting; study; urging Congress asks that the United States Congress fund a technological and feasibility study of the development of a diversion dam and pipeline to harvest floodwater from the Mississippi River to replenish the Colorado River and prevent flood damage along the Mississippi River. That, if shown to be feasible, the United States Congress implement the diversion dam and pipeline as a partial solution to the water supply shortage in Lake Powell and Lake Mead and the flood damage that occurs along the Mississippi River. OPPOSE.