State Legislature Wrap-Up

State Legislature Wrap-Up

* With the way the legislature is dealing with illegal immigration, you’d think there was an emergency or something. Oh wait, there is. This week, Republicans demonstrated their continued commitment to action over lip-service on border security.

The House passed House Bill 2701, which forces the governor to deploy the National Guard to help defend the border. Despite declaring an emergency in August, Governor Napolitano has taken no steps to stop the flow of thousands of illegal aliens coming across our border. The legislation now heads to the Senate.

The Senate and House also now each have bills heading to floor votes that would deploy radar technology to help secure the border.

Another action highlighting the effort by legislative Republicans was the passage through committee of Senate Bill 1157. This would make the illegal crossing of Arizona’s international border a state crime of “trespass,” giving local authorities greater opportunities to engage in the defense of the border. Only two members of the Senate Judiciary committee voted against the bill – both Democrats.

* Republicans promised broad-based tax relief and they are delivering. Senate Bill 1545 provides more than $250 million in income and property tax relief to Arizona residents. This measure to help spur the economy and give Arizonans the opportunity to decide how to spend more of their own money instead of a further bloating of government bureaucracy passed the Finance committee 7-1.

* Legislative leaders are engaged in a series of meetings with the governor on English Language Learners. This is an effort by Republican leadership to try and reach some compromise with an executive who has already vetoed three attempts to send an ELL funding plan to a federal judge – vetoes that continue to cost Arizona’s taxpayers $500,000 per day.

The leaders continue to hold firm on the principles of funding the effort to teach English to ELL students on the basis of actual costs. There also must be real accountability so that these children are made proficient in English thoroughly and quickly. Republicans also feel that federal dollars must be used to help meet funding requirements for this federal mandate and that the voters’ desire for English immersion expressed through the passage of Proposition 203 must be served.

Did you know: Senate Bill 1110 protecting private property rights against over reaching local government eminent domain efforts passed the Senate with only four “no” votes. All those voting against the protections for private property rights were Democrats, including the “two-hatted” Senator Harry Mitchell. Confusingly, Mitchell serves as both Senator from District 17 and state Democrat Party Chairman.