Additional Legislative Activites

English-only backed in teacher hires
By Howard Fischer
Arizona Daily Star
March 14, 2006

PHOENIX — State representatives voted Monday to bar schools from requiring teachers to speak anything other than English.

They also agreed to ask Arizonans to once again declare English the official language of the state.

Proponents of both measures say they're designed to recognize English already is the language of Arizona and make that fact part of public policy.

Rep. Chuck Gray, R-Mesa, said his plan to restrict school hiring practices goes a step further. It ensures applicants for teaching jobs who don't speak a foreign language are not blocked from employment.

"We're in an English-speaking country, we're in an English-speaking state," he said. "The (teaching) materials are in English."

The preliminary vote on Gray's proposal came over the objections of several legislators.

"If it's going to be dealt with, it should be dealt with on the local level," said Rep. Steve Gallardo, D-Phoenix, who also serves on the board of the Cartwright Elementary School District. "There's a reason we elect school board members throughout the state."

But Gray said the state is responsible for ensuring that students get educated. He said lawmakers are entitled to have uniform hiring requirements "so a teacher can move from district to district without worrying" about being denied a job because he or she doesn't speak a foreign language."

School districts could still say they prefer someone who speaks another language. But it would spell out that, except when hiring foreign-language teachers, schools cannot refuse to hire those whose only language is English.

Rep. Gary Pierce, R-Mesa, said that is in the best interests of students. "Do we want the best teacher in science or math or economics?" he asked. "Or do we want to sacrifice that, sacrifice competency, by requiring they be bilingual when, in fact, they don't really have to teach in a second or other language?"

The second bill, to amend the state constitution to declare English the official language, is similar to one approved by voters in 1988. But the state Supreme Court blocked its enforcement, saying it violated federal constitutional rights.

The new version allows government employees, including legislators, to communicate "unofficially" with people in any language, including writing a letter, even on official stationery.

Rep. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, said, "Official English promotes unity, official English empowers immigrants, official English is common-sense government. We speak English; we ought to promote it."

But Rep. Pete Rios, D-Dudleyville, called the latest incarnation unnecessary, as everyone knows that state business is conducted in English.

Rios, who filed the suit blocking the 1988 law, said legal problems remain with the revised version.

Both measures require a final roll-call vote before going to the Senate. Official English would also have to be ratified by voters in November.



Legislative Briefing
Capitol Media Services
Arizona Daily Star
March 14, 2006

Phone records

The House voted unanimously Monday to make it illegal for companies or individuals to use deceptive means to obtain the phone records of any Arizona resident.

The proposed law comes as some firms advertising on the Internet have offered to sell anyone's phone bills. But the information usually is obtained from the phone company through illegal means, often by someone posing as a police officer or investigator.

Rep. Jonathan Paton, R-Tucson, want to make the sale of such records illegal and also directs phone companies to establish procedures to protect against unauthorized disclosure. The measure now goes to the Senate.

Human egg sales

A Senate panel voted 5-2 Monday to ban the sale of human eggs — but not before narrowing the scope of the ban.

The bill approved by the House made it a crime for women to sell and for doctors, researchers and others to buy human eggs for any purpose, punishable by up to a year in prison, regardless of whether it was for cloning research or for in vitro fertilization to help women get pregnant.

The measure was amended to allow fertility-related sales to continue without state regulation.

The measure now goes to the full Senate.

Classroom flags

On a voice vote, the House of Representatives gave preliminary approval Monday to requiring that an American-made U.S. flag be in every public school, community college and state university classroom.

Current law says only that every school must have a flag, presumably displayed on a pole in front of the building.

Rep. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, said the measure, which still requires a final vote, recognizes "our heritage."

Pearce agreed to amend the measure to require schools to first try to get donated flags from businesses. Then the state would fund any gaps.

Undocumented workers

The House voted 31-29 Monday to make it a violation of state law for companies to knowingly hire people not in this country legally.

The resolution seeks to ask voters to enact new sanctions against employers, including fines and possible loss of their state or local licenses. It also requires state agencies to audit up to 5 percent of companies they license to verify all their workers are legal.