Neutral headline goes here

Posted on by Arizona Legislative Report Staff

Attorney Kory Langhofer said lawmakers plan to appeal Friday’s ruling that “unborn human being” be removed from Prop 139’s voter pamphlet summary and replaced with a neutral term. Langhofer said they’ll file a special action with the Arizona Supreme Court. Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Christopher Whitten, an appointee of former Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano, said the term is “packed with emotional and partisan meaning.” Langhofer said they will appeal as soon as the final judgment in the case is made, which could happen as soon as Monday. Whitten rejected the Legislative Council’s argument that the term is neutral because it is written in statute. “The court is not persuaded that every word chosen by the legislature in every statute it enacts is intended to be neutral in character,” Whitten said in the written ruling. “There is no requirement that the legislature chose its words in such a way, and plenty of evidence that they sometimes do not.” Whitten said that the Legislative Council should strike the phrase from the pamphlet summary for the pro-abortion measure and instead choose a “neutral term.” Toma wasn’t happy. “The ruling is just plain wrong and clearly partisan if the language of the actual law is not acceptable,” Toma said. “The judge should run for the legislature if he wants to write the law.” Petersen also called the ruling “partisan” and said he is confident it will be overturned on appeal. Cindy Dahlgren, spokeswoman for It Goes Too Far, an advocacy group that opposes the ballot measure, said in a written statement that the description should “just give voters the truth in common language.” “It’s rich to hear proponents of Prop 139 squabbling over the term ‘fetus’ when they completely left out of their amendment the words ‘doctor,’ ‘physician’ and ‘woman,’” Dahlgren said. Arizona for Abortion Access, the group behind the measure, was expecting the appeal. “We are pleased to be one step closer to making sure Arizona voters get accurate and impartial information about our citizen-led effort to restore abortion access before they vote this fall,” Arizona for Abortion Access Communications Director Dawn Penich said in a written statement.

We don’t want no stinkin’ Canadians on our voter rolls!

Posted on by Arizona Legislative Report Staff

Republicans on House MOE sent a letter Wednesday to all county recorders calling on them to update voter rolls and enforce state law that requires proof of citizenship for voting registration. They cited a recent ruling under the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that stayed an injunction barring the enforcement of a state law passed in 2022 that requires applications for voting registration to have evidence of citizenship in order to be approved. “(The law) should ease your respective offices’ administrative burdens because you are no longer required to search the Arizona Department of Transportation database to search for evidence of citizenship on behalf of an applicant who does not supply citizenship documentation,” the representatives wrote in their letter. They also called on recorders to remove foreign citizens from voter rolls and said it is “imperative” for them to do so due to the “flow of illegal immigration across the southern border under the Biden Administration since January 2021.” Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer said Friday the county has taken several steps to update voter rolls and he’s seen the total number of registered voters decrease from 2.6 million to 2.4 million since he’s taken office. “Everything that is lawfully at our disposal, we’ve been using and this has been a real priority,” Richer said. “I’m really proud of the voter registration team and all they’ve done to ensure that our voter rolls are in as good shape as possible.” He said he expects the county to be above 2.5 million registered voters by the time general election ballots go out.

Education officials wary of Braun’s property tax plan

Posted on by Jarred Meeks

Education officials immediately shunned a property tax plan that Republican gubernatorial nominee Mike Braun proposed Friday.

Aiming to provide property tax relief, Braun called for Hoosiers whose homes are valued at more than $125,000 to receive a 60% homestead deduction. He also wants Indiana homeowners whose homes are valued below that amount to get a 60% supplemental deduction and a $48,000 standard deduction.

In addition, Braun would cap the increase in property tax bills for seniors, “low-income” Hoosiers and families with children under the age of 18 at 2%; all other Hoosiers’ property tax bill increases would be capped at 3%. Any proposed property taxes above the caps would go to referendum.

Schools, which receive the lion’s share of property tax revenues, could be the biggest losers under the plan, education officials said.

“We don’t see a way forward with the plan that Braun has put out where it doesn’t have a negative impact on school corporations,” Indiana Association of School Business Officials Executive Director Scott Bowling said.

It was not immediately clear what the bottom-line impact of Braun’s plan would be on schools. Josh Kelley, Braun’s senior campaign adviser, told State Affairs the campaign instead focused on the impact to Hoosier homeowners. According to a news release, the plan would result in “an immediate 21% reduction in the average homeowner tax bill.”

“We have not calculated the impact on local government revenue,” Kelley said in an email.

The Indiana State Teachers Association also criticized Braun’s plan. Keith Gambill, the association’s president, said in a statement that the state needs “a proper balance between resident- and business-friendly property taxes and adequate school funding.”

“While Mike Braun’s proposal to cap property tax increases may seem beneficial, it risks undermining the financial stability of public schools,” Gambill said in the statement. (The Indiana State Teachers Association, through its political arm, has endorsed Jennifer McCormick, the Democratic gubernatorial nominee.)

In June, Bowling told the State and Local Tax Review Task Force that school corporations are already being financially squeezed.

According to an independent analysis of school property tax funding by Policy Analytics LLC, Indiana school corporations’ operations property tax revenues since 2010 haven’t kept up with inflation, creating a decrease in purchasing power for transportation, utilities, capital projects and maintenance. Debt service revenues have also lagged inflation, Bowling told the task force while presenting the analysis’s findings.

“The fundamental problem is this: Local government is under pressure on the property tax side because they have limited revenue sources,” Rep. Ed DeLaney, D-Indianapolis, told State Affairs. “They have an incentive, obviously, to raise property taxes.”

School corporations’ primary way for raising property taxes — through referendums — could also be changed under Braun’s plan.

The plan calls for all property tax-related referendums to take place only during “high-turnout” elections — likely during general elections. A bill proposing a similar idea died during the second half of the 2024 legislative session. 

School officials, whose school corporations might rely on referendum dollars, are against the proposed restriction. Many school corporations have dedicated referendum revenues to increasing teacher salaries. And if a school corporation would have to wait more than a year to renew a referendum, “that makes it very difficult to keep those promises that you made with those dollars,” Bowling said.

“Under the current system, schools are able to plan for that and hold referendums so that that funding stream doesn’t have a major interruption,” Bowling said.

However, one aspect of Braun’s plan received support from Bowling’s association.

In 2021, lawmakers required new ballot language for referendums. Many have criticized the new language, arguing that it’s confusing for voters because it expresses average property tax increases for homesteads and business property as percentages.

Braun’s plan would require the ballot language to include the total levy as a dollar amount and would include “data regarding the referendum’s impact on median home property tax bills.”

Bowling said the Indiana Association of School Business Officials supports a ballot question “that better reflects what is actually happening” when Hoosiers vote on a referendum.

Contact Jarred Meeks on X @jarredsmeeks or email him at [email protected].

PDEQ issues ozone air pollution action day

Posted on by Arizona Legislative Report Staff
PIMA COUNTY, July 26, 2024 – The Pima County Department of Environmental Quality (PDEQ) is issuing a ground-level Ozone Action Day for the Tucson metropolitan area today. Individuals who are especially sensitive to ozone air pollution may experience shortness of breath, coughing, throat irritation, wheezing, and breathing discomfort. 

 

If you are especially sensitive to ozone, you may want to limit your level of exertion outside between noon and sunset when elevated levels of ozone pollution are more likely to occur. Intense physical outdoor activity causes heavier breathing, which allows ozone to penetrate deeper in the lungs.

 

Those who are most likely to be sensitive to ozone include children, adults who are active outdoors, people with respiratory diseases, and certain individuals who have an unusual sensitivity to this particular pollutant. Those people who are feeling symptoms should seek medical attention, if necessary.

 

There are many types of emissions that generate ground-level ozone. Motor vehicle exhaust, industrial and power plant emissions, gasoline vapors, chemical solvents, as well as natural sources, emit oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) that form ozone in the presence of intense sunlight and heat. 

 

Actions to reduce the production of ground level ozone:

 

Reduce driving – combine errands into one trip. Ride the bus, walk, bike, or share a ride with friends and family. Avoid idling your vehicle’s engine. Re-fuel your car after dark or during cooler evening hours when vapors are less likely to form ozone. While re-fueling, always stop at the click. Make sure your gas cap is tightly sealed after re-fueling. Avoid using gas-powered lawn and gardening equipment. Check your tire pressure monthly and keep tires properly inflated for peak performance. Conserve electricity to reduce emissions from power plants. Use low-VOC or water-based paints, stains, finishes, and paint strippers and ensure that they are sealed properly. PDEQ’s Clean Air Program educates Pima County residents about the potential health effects associated with elevated levels of air pollution and promotes actions to reduce air pollution.

 

PDEQ monitors air pollution in our region at 16 air quality monitoring sites. Real-time air pollution levels are available online at the PDEQ website.

 

To receive Air Pollution Action Day advisories, sign up here.

PDEQ issues ozone air pollution action day

Posted on by Yellow Sheet Report Staff
PIMA COUNTY, July 26, 2024 – The Pima County Department of Environmental Quality (PDEQ) is issuing a ground-level Ozone Action Day for the Tucson metropolitan area today. Individuals who are especially sensitive to ozone air pollution may experience shortness of breath, coughing, throat irritation, wheezing, and breathing discomfort. 

 

If you are especially sensitive to ozone, you may want to limit your level of exertion outside between noon and sunset when elevated levels of ozone pollution are more likely to occur. Intense physical outdoor activity causes heavier breathing, which allows ozone to penetrate deeper in the lungs.

 

Those who are most likely to be sensitive to ozone include children, adults who are active outdoors, people with respiratory diseases, and certain individuals who have an unusual sensitivity to this particular pollutant. Those people who are feeling symptoms should seek medical attention, if necessary.

 

There are many types of emissions that generate ground-level ozone. Motor vehicle exhaust, industrial and power plant emissions, gasoline vapors, chemical solvents, as well as natural sources, emit oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) that form ozone in the presence of intense sunlight and heat. 

 

Actions to reduce the production of ground level ozone:

 

Reduce driving – combine errands into one trip. Ride the bus, walk, bike, or share a ride with friends and family. Avoid idling your vehicle’s engine. Re-fuel your car after dark or during cooler evening hours when vapors are less likely to form ozone. While re-fueling, always stop at the click. Make sure your gas cap is tightly sealed after re-fueling. Avoid using gas-powered lawn and gardening equipment. Check your tire pressure monthly and keep tires properly inflated for peak performance. Conserve electricity to reduce emissions from power plants. Use low-VOC or water-based paints, stains, finishes, and paint strippers and ensure that they are sealed properly. PDEQ’s Clean Air Program educates Pima County residents about the potential health effects associated with elevated levels of air pollution and promotes actions to reduce air pollution.

 

PDEQ monitors air pollution in our region at 16 air quality monitoring sites. Real-time air pollution levels are available online at the PDEQ website.

 

To receive Air Pollution Action Day advisories, sign up here.

Arizona Sec. of State Must Address Long Lines, Heat Before Tuesday Primary

Posted on by Yellow Sheet Report Staff
Phoenix — Ahead of Tuesday’s primary, democracy advocates are urging the Secretary of State to address barriers to polling place access as Arizonans prepare to face already-long wait times during the current heat wave. The Arizona Secretary of State has also begun implementing excessive security measures for election processes that could lead to even longer lines for Arizonans outside of polling places. This escalating trend includes the recent fencing of designated election locations and employing bomb-sniffing dogs for citizens returning signatures for their ballot initiatives.  

 

Arizona is experiencing record-breaking heat and has already seen a rise in heat-related deaths. Implementing such extreme and untested security measures to election infrastructure adds fuel to election conspiracism while creating additional barriers to the ballot box. 

 

Long lines are already a massive obstacle Arizona voters face when casting their vote — if “security measures” like bomb-sniffing dogs were to be employed on Election Day, it would only slow down the voting process and subject voters to even longer wait times in deadly heat. Instead of investing in costly and vote-suppressing alternatives, the state can invest in cost-effective measures that will improve the voting experience, like shade-oriented polling locations, shade umbrellas, and misters at polling places. 

 

Common Cause Arizona and Living United for Change in Arizona (LUCHA) are urging the Secretary of State to address heat mitigation efforts and the long lines that will subject voters to dangerous climate conditions. The Secretary of State’s Office also has a duty to ensure that election security measures do not negatively impact voters or their access to the ballot.  

 

Statement of Common Cause Arizona Program Director Jenny Guzman: 

 

“All Arizona voters deserve to cast their ballots equally, equitably, and free of harm — that includes being able to make their voices heard, even in extreme conditions. We know that our summers are only getting hotter, making heat relief an overdue investment for our elections. Fans, hydration stations, and shaded waiting areas would help encourage more folks to cast their ballot during these hot summer months.

 

We also know that excessive use of force and increased security measures cause voter disenfranchisement — it does not make voters feel safer or increase turnout. In our tumultuous political landscape, we must protect election workers and voters from threats of political violence through tested and trusted protocols that do not impact the election process or accessibility of the ballot.

 

Arizonans can trust that their votes will be securely and accurately counted. It is now up to the Secretary of State to ensure that the voting process will be a safe and seamless experience for all Arizonans, no matter where they live in the state.”

 

Statement of LUCHA Political Director Chris Gilfillan:

 

“We support empowering voters throughout the state. But, what we know is that militarizing something like “bomb-sniffing dogs” at our polling locations won’t make voters feel safer. Voters feel safest when they’re in a welcoming and comfortable environment. Investing in our election infrastructure is important, and it’s equally important to ensure this is accomplished by meeting voters where they are and with what they need without encumbrance.”

Arizona Sec. of State Must Address Long Lines, Heat Before Tuesday Primary

Posted on by Arizona Legislative Report Staff
Phoenix — Ahead of Tuesday’s primary, democracy advocates are urging the Secretary of State to address barriers to polling place access as Arizonans prepare to face already-long wait times during the current heat wave. The Arizona Secretary of State has also begun implementing excessive security measures for election processes that could lead to even longer lines for Arizonans outside of polling places. This escalating trend includes the recent fencing of designated election locations and employing bomb-sniffing dogs for citizens returning signatures for their ballot initiatives.  

 

Arizona is experiencing record-breaking heat and has already seen a rise in heat-related deaths. Implementing such extreme and untested security measures to election infrastructure adds fuel to election conspiracism while creating additional barriers to the ballot box. 

 

Long lines are already a massive obstacle Arizona voters face when casting their vote — if “security measures” like bomb-sniffing dogs were to be employed on Election Day, it would only slow down the voting process and subject voters to even longer wait times in deadly heat. Instead of investing in costly and vote-suppressing alternatives, the state can invest in cost-effective measures that will improve the voting experience, like shade-oriented polling locations, shade umbrellas, and misters at polling places. 

 

Common Cause Arizona and Living United for Change in Arizona (LUCHA) are urging the Secretary of State to address heat mitigation efforts and the long lines that will subject voters to dangerous climate conditions. The Secretary of State’s Office also has a duty to ensure that election security measures do not negatively impact voters or their access to the ballot.  

 

Statement of Common Cause Arizona Program Director Jenny Guzman: 

 

“All Arizona voters deserve to cast their ballots equally, equitably, and free of harm — that includes being able to make their voices heard, even in extreme conditions. We know that our summers are only getting hotter, making heat relief an overdue investment for our elections. Fans, hydration stations, and shaded waiting areas would help encourage more folks to cast their ballot during these hot summer months.

 

We also know that excessive use of force and increased security measures cause voter disenfranchisement — it does not make voters feel safer or increase turnout. In our tumultuous political landscape, we must protect election workers and voters from threats of political violence through tested and trusted protocols that do not impact the election process or accessibility of the ballot.

 

Arizonans can trust that their votes will be securely and accurately counted. It is now up to the Secretary of State to ensure that the voting process will be a safe and seamless experience for all Arizonans, no matter where they live in the state.”

 

Statement of LUCHA Political Director Chris Gilfillan:

 

“We support empowering voters throughout the state. But, what we know is that militarizing something like “bomb-sniffing dogs” at our polling locations won’t make voters feel safer. Voters feel safest when they’re in a welcoming and comfortable environment. Investing in our election infrastructure is important, and it’s equally important to ensure this is accomplished by meeting voters where they are and with what they need without encumbrance.”

House Elections Committee Demands Immediate Action by County Recorders to Uphold Voter Integrity and Enforce Registration Requirements

Posted on by Arizona Legislative Report Staff
STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX – Republican members of the House Municipal Oversight and Elections Committee have written to county recorders statewide calling on them to promptly update voter rolls and enforce state law that mandates proof of citizenship for voter registration using state forms. The recent ruling by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on the ‘Mi Familia’ case has highlighted the importance of adhering to A.R.S. § 16-121.01(C). This critical law requires county recorders to reject any state-specific voter registration applications lacking satisfactory proof of citizenship. Non-compliance with this requirement is classified as a class 6 felony. In a letter sent Wednesday, the Representatives also reiterate the obligation of county officials to remove foreign citizens from voter rolls in accordance with state and federal laws. Given the unprecedented levels of illegal immigration under the Biden-Harris administration, the Committee members stress the urgency of maintaining accurate voter records. “This law, which the Legislature passed in 2022, is critical to the integrity of Arizona’s elections. It also prevails over the 2018 Consent Decree entered into by the Arizona Secretary of State and Maricopa County Recorder in League of United Latin American Citizens of Arizona v. Reagan, No. 2: l 7-cv-04102-DGC (D. Ariz. June 18, 2018). Consequently, enforcement of A.R.S. § 16-121.0l(C) should ease your respective offices’ administrative burdens because you are no longer required to search the Arizona Department of Transportation database to search for evidence of citizenship on behalf of an applicant who does not supply citizenship documentation,” the letter stated.  “We also wish to remind you of your responsibility to remove foreign citizens from your voter rolls. See 8 U.S.C. § 1373 and 8 U.S.C. § 1644 (authorizing requests for information to the Department of Homeland Security about an individual’s citizenship or immigration status for any lawful purpose). State and federal laws require removal of ineligible voters from your voter rolls. In light of the unprecedented flow of illegal immigration across the southern border under the Biden Administration since January 2021, it is imperative that you prioritize maintenance of your voter rolls and removal of foreign nationals.”   The letter is co-signed by Representatives Jacqueline Parker (Chair), Alex Kolodin (Vice-Chair), Justin Heap, Rachel Jones, and Austin Smith. A copy of the full letter is attached and posted here: https://bit.ly/4cXbFZB .

House Elections Committee Demands Immediate Action by County Recorders to Uphold Voter Integrity and Enforce Registration Requirements

Posted on by Yellow Sheet Report Staff
STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX – Republican members of the House Municipal Oversight and Elections Committee have written to county recorders statewide calling on them to promptly update voter rolls and enforce state law that mandates proof of citizenship for voter registration using state forms. The recent ruling by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on the ‘Mi Familia’ case has highlighted the importance of adhering to A.R.S. § 16-121.01(C). This critical law requires county recorders to reject any state-specific voter registration applications lacking satisfactory proof of citizenship. Non-compliance with this requirement is classified as a class 6 felony. In a letter sent Wednesday, the Representatives also reiterate the obligation of county officials to remove foreign citizens from voter rolls in accordance with state and federal laws. Given the unprecedented levels of illegal immigration under the Biden-Harris administration, the Committee members stress the urgency of maintaining accurate voter records. “This law, which the Legislature passed in 2022, is critical to the integrity of Arizona’s elections. It also prevails over the 2018 Consent Decree entered into by the Arizona Secretary of State and Maricopa County Recorder in League of United Latin American Citizens of Arizona v. Reagan, No. 2: l 7-cv-04102-DGC (D. Ariz. June 18, 2018). Consequently, enforcement of A.R.S. § 16-121.0l(C) should ease your respective offices’ administrative burdens because you are no longer required to search the Arizona Department of Transportation database to search for evidence of citizenship on behalf of an applicant who does not supply citizenship documentation,” the letter stated.  “We also wish to remind you of your responsibility to remove foreign citizens from your voter rolls. See 8 U.S.C. § 1373 and 8 U.S.C. § 1644 (authorizing requests for information to the Department of Homeland Security about an individual’s citizenship or immigration status for any lawful purpose). State and federal laws require removal of ineligible voters from your voter rolls. In light of the unprecedented flow of illegal immigration across the southern border under the Biden Administration since January 2021, it is imperative that you prioritize maintenance of your voter rolls and removal of foreign nationals.”   The letter is co-signed by Representatives Jacqueline Parker (Chair), Alex Kolodin (Vice-Chair), Justin Heap, Rachel Jones, and Austin Smith. A copy of the full letter is attached and posted here: https://bit.ly/4cXbFZB .

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