Request to Speak on Bad Voting Bills (still) being heard at the Arizona Legislature... ARGH!

Last week numerous ridiculous and harmful bills that would impede our ability to vote passed out of committee along party lines. Please, sign into the Request to Speak system to oppose the bad bills while they are still in committee. See the hearing times below.  

Also, oppose HB2498 COVID-19; vaccination requirements; prohibition that prohibits any government entity from requiring COVID vaccines. We are in the middle of a COVID surge! 

On the bright side...I included SB1270 state parks; lottery; heritage fund - the one good bill to support. 😀 It is being heard in two committees. 

Coming Up at the Arizona Legislature this Week.

Monday, January 31st

Senate Committee on Government at 2:00 PM 

• SB1055 election process; contractors and contracts (Townsend) makes contractors that provide election-related equipment or services and fail to perform under the terms of the contract liable for liquidated damages. OPPOSE.
• SB1056 misplaced ballots; invalidity; misdemeanor; damages (Townsend) says any misplaced ballots not included in the initial tally at a polling place to be invalid and makes misplacing a ballot a class 2 misdemeanor. This disenfranchises voters and will also make it impossible to get poll workers. OPPOSE
• SB1094 petition signatures; description; invalidity (Mesnard) requires the signer of the petition to read or listen to the initiative or referendum description printed on a petition. If they do not, their signature is void. This is outrageous and intended to merely disqualify signatures. What if I do not want to read it? What if I already read it at home or read the whole measure? OPPOSE 
• SCR1005 federal ballot voters; identification (Townsend) refers to the ballot a measure to require federal-only voters to show proof of citizenship at the polls, stricter than the voter ID requirements for all other voters. OPPOSE. 
• SCR1025 initiative; referendum; legislative districts; signatures (Leach) refers to the ballot a measure to require an initiative petition to be signed by 10 percent of the qualified electors for an initiative measure or 15 percent for a constitutional amendment in each Legislative District, rather than statewide. This would make it more cumbersome and expensive to do ballot measures. OPPOSE

Tuesday, February 1st

Senate Committee on Appropriations at 2:00 PM 

• SB1120 ballot fraud countermeasures; paper; ink (Borrelli: Barto, Fann, et al) is more holograms on ballots, among other requirements. OPPOSE.
• SB1270 state parks; lottery; heritage fund (Shope) appropriates $3 million annually from the State Lottery Fund to the Arizona State Parks Heritage Fund. We would like to see this bumped up to the $10 million that voters had approved originally. SUPPORT.

Wednesday, February 2nd

House Committee on Government &  Elections at 9:00 AM

• HB2236 voter registration; request required (Hoffman: Barton, Blackman, et al.) says no one can register someone to vote unless they have affirmatively said they want to register. This appears to be a preemptive strike against automatic voter registration. OPPOSE
• HB2241 early ballot drop off; identification (Hoffman: Barton, Blackman, et al.) requires additional ID for dropping off your early ballot. Apparently your signature is not enough for them  OPPOSE.
• HB2453 governmental entities; mask requirement; prohibition (Carter: Biasiucci, Blackman, et al.) prohibits government entities from requiring face masks for COVID. They require them for other purposes. I think they should say they are doing it for the flu or colds and do it anyway. Ridiculous!
• HB2498 COVID-19; vaccination requirements; prohibition (Hoffman: Barton, Blackman, et al.) prohibits any government entity from requiring COVID vaccines. Argh! OPPOSE 
• HCR2001 racial discrimination; public education (Kaiser: Bolick, Dunn, et al.) is a resolution that bans affirmative action and other programs to address the impacts of historic systemic racism. OPPOSE

Senate Committee on Appropriations at 2:00 PM 

• SB1120 ballot fraud countermeasures; paper; ink (Borrelli: Barto, Fann, et al) is more holograms on ballots, among other requirements. OPPOSE.
• SB1270 state parks; lottery; heritage fund (Shope) appropriates $3 million annually from the State Lottery Fund to the Arizona State Parks Heritage Fund. We would like to see this bumped up to the $10 million that voters had approved originally. SUPPORT

More Information:

Arizona Republicans Continue Voter Suppression and Election Subversion Efforts -January 25, 2022

Lawmakers in 47 states have introduced bills that would make it harder to vote -  CNN, April 3, 2021

DIRECTIONS FOR REQUEST TO SPEAK ACTIONS

Sign On to your Request to Speak account, click the blue Request to Speak button, click on New Request in the nav bar (left column), then simply cut and paste the bill number into Search Phrase (for example:SB1055). Push blue Add Request button, weigh in FOR or AGAINST, click No on Do you wish to speak? (in person), leave a short Comment, and click on SUBMIT. For another submission, click on the New Request link in the nav bar on the left and follow the directions above. 

If you had an account with RTS previously, it is still active. If you do not have an account, go ahead and set one up, but someone will have to help you activate it as it requires going to the Capitol. Reach out to Civic Engagement Beyond Voting.

Good News at the End of Legislative Session!

Congrats, Environmental Advocates!

First, I want to thank all of you who signed or shared Sustainable Tucson's letter to TEP asking the company to transition faster to clean energy and not install the 10 RICE gas-fired engines.  Barbara L. Sherry and Billy Kovacs US Democratic Congressional Candidates AZ 02 signed too! 

The Arizona state legislative session has ended and we have reason to celebrate! Our advocacy paid off with several of the bills that we opposed not passing! Yay!  

First, the good news then one last call to action* for this legislative session...

Partner in advocacy Sandy Bahr shared the Sierra Club's legislative report:

Activists! We saved a seat for you! 

On the good news front, the Arizona Legislature did not refer HCR2017 Now: renewable energy standards; corporation commission. This proposed legislative referral intended to confuse voters and compete with and block the citizen initiative, Clean Energy for a Healthy Arizona, which seeks to increase our renewable energy standard to 50 percent by 2030.

None of the remaining bad water bills advanced this session! Thanks to everyone who helped keep up the pressure and make it known that backsliding is not acceptable when it comes to water adequacy and protection of the San Pedro River. 

HB2512 water program amendments (Bowers) is a water omnibus bill that contains a number of provisions, but the most harmful aspect would weaken adequacy requirements for areas such as Cochise County and could cause further harm to the San Pedro River. This bill died in the Senate as it did not go to Committee of the Whole.

HB2553 adequate water supply; county review (Bowers) is a stand-alone bill for weakening the adequacy requirements for areas such as Cochise County and further threatening the San Pedro River. This also died due to lack of action in the Senate COW.

SB1515 adequate water supply; county review (Griffin) is the same as HB2553. This died in House Rules.

The San Pedro River! 

In other good news, the Arizona Senate rejected the measure to significantly change the Independent Redistricting Commission, 13-15-2. SCR1034 membership; independent redistricting commission - included some negative commentary on the Independent Redistricting Commission and would have also required that the smallest and largest districts have a two percent or less difference in population. There was great concern from the Navajo Nation and other tribal communities that the requirement for the two percent or less difference would result in a dilution of their vote. Its rejection by the Senate is good news to all of us.

SCR1005 NOW: state; municipal corporation; industrial pursuits had a second strike-everything amendment added to it regarding initiatives requiring expenditures; ten-year repeal. It would have referred to the ballot a measure that would repeal citizen initiatives with funding sources attached after 10 years. This was an attack on the citizen initiative process and would mean constant fights for important programs. It also died in the House Rules Committee.

There was some bad news too...

Unfortunately, the majority at the legislature decided to hit and run. The last bill they passed was a referral, HCR2007 clean elections; unlawful contributions; rulemaking (Coleman: Shope), to try and weaken the Clean Elections Commission's authority and limit clean elections candidates' ability to participate in coordinated campaigns or to access voter files for a reasonable rate. It passed along party lines in both the House and Senate, 17-12-1 and 33-24-3, respectively. The voters will make the ultimate decision on this, however, so please be sure to vote no and ask your friends and family to vote no.

*And one last call to action for this legislative session: 

Please ask Governor Ducey to veto HB2498!

Scroll down for more information...

- Sustainable Tucson and the Sierra Club

Protect Cultural Resources - Ask Governor to Veto HB2498

According to the Grand Canyon Chapter of the Sierra Club's legislative update:

 HB2498 historic preservation; rangeland improvements; requirements (Cook: Barton, Bowers, et al.) passed out of the Arizona House 31-28-1. It weakens protections for cultural resources by allowing those with minimal training to provide the required review. Representative Cook's comments to muscle this through at the end were pretty offensive. He basically said Arizona was focusing too much on the tribal history. Now that is some revisionist history, for sure. This bill should be on the Governor's veto list! Take action now!

I personalized the Sierra Club's message to Governor Ducey by adding a paragraph of my own.  You can submit your own message to the contact form on the Governor's website:

https://azgovernor.gov/engage/form/contact-governor-ducey 

or email: engage@az.gov

Please veto HB2498 (historic preservation; rangeland improvements; requirements). 

Dear Governor Ducey,

One of the biggest booms to Tucson's economy has been the increased tourism created by its designation as a City of Gastronomy. Tucson is the first place in the United States to be honored with the City of Gastronomy designation. One of the reasons is because Tucson is the longest continually cultivated location in the United States (4,100 confirmed years of agriculture here in the Tucson basin.) How do we know that? Because of the archaeological finds near the Santa Cruz. Tucson has profited greatly from those and other archaeological finds. We can't leave future discoveries in the hands of amateurs. 

HB2498 is opposed by many tribal nations and archaeologists throughout Arizona. The bill requires a so-called streamlined cultural resource protection report relative to ”rangeland improvement projects,” which could include roads, fences, and more. This bill allows people with little experience or training to provide these reports, putting at risk cultural resources.

HB2498 limits the State Historic Preservation Office's (SHPO) ability to protect cultural resources relative to activities that are defined as rangeland improvements and could mean Arizona is not in compliance with §106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.

It is not always easy to recognize important historic and cultural sites, which is why there should be someone who is well-trained to do so performing the work and issuing the reports.

Thank you for considering my comments

(Your name and location here)

More Contact information:  

Phone‎: ‎602.542.4331
Fax‎: ‎602-542-1381

For fun and inspiration, read more:

6 Things Archaeologists Discovered In Arizona That May Surprise You

Arizonan Archaeologists request: Protect cultural resources - Oppose HB2498

HB2498 historic preservation; rangeland improvements; requirements (Cook: Barton, Bowers, et al.) weakens protections for cultural resources by allowing those with minimal training to provide the required review. This bill passed out of the Senate and awaits final action in the House.

HB2498 is opposed by many tribal nations and archaeologists throughout Arizona. The bill requires a so-called streamlined cultural resource protection report relative to ”rangeland improvement projects,” which could include roads, fences, and more. This bill allows people with little experience or training to provide these reports, putting at risk cultural resources.

HB2498 limits the State Historic Preservation Office's (SHPO) ability to protect cultural resources relative to activities that are defined as rangeland improvements and could mean Arizona is not in compliance with §106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.

Could you identify this? 

It is not always easy to recognize important historic and cultural sites, which is why there should be someone who is well-trained to do so performing the work and issuing the reports. It should also be someone who understands the need for tribal consultation and with which tribes.

Click this link to send a message to your representatives asking them to oppose HB2498.

- The Sierra Club 

The Arizona Archaeological Council (AAC), a non-profit organization of more than 200 cultural resources professionals, is deeply concerned about House Bill (HB) 2498. 

 Arizona Archaeological Council letter to Members of the Arizona State Legislature:

http://arizonaarchaeologicalcouncil.org/resources/Documents/HB_2498_AAC-response.pdf

More information: 

Arizona Bill Would Change Rules Around Archaeological Studies — And May Violate State, Federal Law

Urgent Request to Speak action: Oppose undercutting the Clean Energy for a Healthy Arizona initiative

Some serious issues have surfaced that need immediate action, including the strike-everything amendment on HB2005 that is designed to undercut the Clean Energy for a Healthy Arizona initiative (50% renewable energy by 2030) by preempting its enforcement. The strike-everything amendment would not only undermine enforcement of the proposed initiative, but would also interfere with enforcement of the current Renewable Energy Standard by the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC). The measure is also likely unconstitutional as it would infringe on the ACC's constitutional rate-making authority.

Wednesday, March 14th

Senate Committee on Government at 2:00 P.M. 

• HB2005 municipal economic development; sale; lease (Leach) has a strike-everything amendment on corporation commission; penalty that hinders enforcement of a renewable energy standard, as noted above. Oppose. 

Please, sign in on the Request to Speak system before the 2:00 P.M. hearing today (Wednesday March 14th) in the Arizona Senate Government Committee and express your opposition to HB2005. You might add a note in your comments that you are opposing the strike-everything amendment.

While signed onto Request to Speak, you can register your opposition to HB2498 also being heard today at 2 p.m. in the Arizona Senate Government Committee:

• HB2498 historic preservation; rangeland improvements; requirements (Cook: Barton, Bowers, et al.) requires the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) to develop a streamlined survey report process for range improvements -- fences, corrals, stock ponds, etc. -- and requires the process to allow an individual who has completed a national culture resources training program to perform the survey. It provides for some minimal buffer zones. This is still a bad bill as it allows people with minimal training to sign off on activities that could do great harm to cultural resources. If livestock interests are doing work on state trust lands, they should have to do the proper clearance. Oppose. 

Wanna do more? You can call members of Senate Government Committee and ask them to oppose HB2005 with the striker and also HB2498, the bill that undermines protection of cultural resources.

Senate Government Committee

Sen Borrelli, Chair, (602) 926-5051
Sen. Kavanagh Vice-chair (602) 926-5170
Sen Contreras (602) 926-5284
Sen D Farnsworth (602) 926-3020
Sen Griffin (602) 926-5895
Sen Mendez (602) 926-4124
Sen Meza (602) 926-3425

While signed in you might want to go ahead and register your opposition to SCR1034 that will be heard Thursday morning: 

Thursday, March 15th

SCR1034 independent redistricting commission; membership (Yarbrough, Griffin, Kavanagh, et al.) is on the House Government Committee Agenda on Thursday at 9:30 A.M.. Please sign in on the Request to Speak system in opposition to this bill, as well. The bill refers to the ballot a measure to add four members to the Independent Redistricting Commission and also require that a certain number be from the two largest counties. Only the chair of the commission would come from a pool of candidates provided by the Appellate Court Commission. This is unnecessary tinkering with the commission and will result in more partisanship as more partisan appointments are made. OPPOSE

Heads up: Griffin is a real estate agent who profits from development.

In summary, please, sign in against HB2005, HB2498, and SCR1034 on the Request to Speak system. - Sierra Club Ready to Request to Speak?  If you're signed up for Request to Speak sign in here: https://apps.azleg.gov/account/signon If you've signed up for Request to Speak, this is your opportunity to put it to good use. You can register your position Request to Speak anytime that a bill is on the agenda to be heard in committee. Signing up for Request to Speak doesn't mean that you speak in person at the committee meeting. It means that you register your position "For, Neutral or Against" the bill on the system. Your position will become a part of the public record.  Directions for navigating Request to Speak: When you get to Request to Speak page- On the menu in the left column, click on New Request. At the Request to Speak Topic Search, type HB2498 into the Search Phrasebox and click the search button. In the Search Results, is a list of all the committees the bill is being heard in. In the Request to Speak column on the right-hand side, click ADD REQUEST. Register your position on the bill by clicking on: For, Neutral or Against. Click "no" on: Do you wish to speak (because you have to be in Phoenix to speak in person.) You can leave a short, one sentence comment if you wish. Then click on Submit.  You can then go back and do it again for the next bill.  ---- If you don't haven't, please, sign up for Request to Speak. If you don't get it in time for today's hearing, you will be prepared for the next Request to Speak action. To request a Request to Speak account: http://www.cebv.us/ It's actually pretty easy to use Request to Speak once you've done it - much easier than it is to explain. Next time it should be a snap! Or a few clicks anyways!  :)