With the 52nd legislative session looking toward wrapping up this month, Governor Doug Ducey has signed 75 since February. The topics of these bills range from immigration to who can have potlucks, reflecting the vast range of issues being dealt with on the state level.
Ducey signed his first immigration bill, House Bill 2451, requiring that undocumented immigrants convicted of crimes complete 85 percent of their sentences before the Arizona Department of Corrections can release them to federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation. Currently, they can be released after serving half of their sentences if certain requirements are met.
Firearms transactions by private parties get a break with HB 2224, which allows for firearms transactions between private parties without assessments or penalties imposed by state and local government.
The governor signed three major pro-life bills, Senate Bill 1474, which protects human fetuses from being used in experimentation, study or transplantation, SB 1324, which outlines specifics regarding medication abortion, and SB 1485, which prohibits payroll salary deductions for state officers or employees for entities that perform non-federally qualified abortions.
With the signing of SB 1516, candidates and political action committees must continue filing with the state regarding campaign contributions, but non-profits such as 501(c)3s and 501(c)4s would no longer have to. This leaves the determination of whether a committee has been involved in influencing elections to the Internal Revenue Service.
Joint Technical Education (JTED) funding was restored with the signing of SB1525, bringing a huge sigh of relief to public school officials throughout the state.
A controversial law pertaining to the unlawful distribution of private images was revised to state that there would have to be evidence the person in the picture assumed it would not be shared, even if he or she took the picture and then emailed it to someone else. It also requires proof that the image was disclosed “with the intent to harm, harass, intimidate, threaten or coerce the depicted person.”
With the signing of HB2544 schools will now be able to select from a menu of seven statewide achievement assessments to measure pupil achievement of the state academic standards.
Although likely known by very few, it was against the law to have a potluck at your home or church until the governor signed a recent revision to the law. Prior to that, the revision food safety regulations and health department inspections only allowed for potlucks at a workplace.
For travelers who cringe when they drive through Star Valley and see the photo radar camera flash, SB1241 has put a stop to that. The bill prohibits local communities from putting photo enforcement on state-maintained roads. This law affects only two areas in the state, Grand Avenue, also known as U.S. 60, in El Mirage, and State Route 260 in Star Valley.
The governor vetoed SB 1197, which would have required cursive writing instruction in public schools. In a statement on the matter Ducey explained that the bill was unnecessary, since he has already communicated to the State Board of Education that the new academic standards must include instruction in cursive reading and writing.
