How I Voted on the Budget & Why
June 9, 2024
Hi Friend,
Welcome to Last Week at the Legislature, my weekly report to you on what happened last week in your State House and how I'm representing our community. A special welcome if you are new here!
Since Republicans hold a one-seat majority in the State House and State Senate, their leaders choose to determine everything without consulting the people who represent the other half of Arizonans. That means what the schedule looks like as well as what bills are heard - or not heard. They kept us at recess for three weeks until this past Tuesday, June 4, when we voted on ten bills, including the ones I've listed below together with how I voted and why. We are supposed to return next Wednesday, June 12. We shall see.
It's an honor to serve you in the Arizona legislature. Please feel free to contact me anytime.
Judy
Representative Judy Schwiebert, LD2
jschwiebert@azleg.gov, JudySchwiebert.com, 602-935-0468
How I Voted
Closing the Gallery
Before we get to the voting, let's talk about the gallery. Capitol buildings in our democracy are designed with this public viewing area. Since we are doing the people's business, galleries provide a space where the public can openly view the proceedings and discussion. That's why in the State House, we generally greet visitors to the gallery with the phrase, "Welcome to your house!"
However, in anticipation of discussion over the wildly unpopular HCR2060, thirty minutes before the floor session was set to begin, Republican leadership announced that the gallery would be closed to the public. The hundreds of citizens who came to watch their democracy in action would be turned away and led to a confined viewing room.
So our first order of business became to stand up for the rights of Arizonans to observe from the gallery, as has always been the practice. Despite several very respectful motions from Democrats, the gallery remained closed, providing yet one more clear example of the one-seat majority's lack of respect for those with whom they disagree.
HCR2060 border; benefits; fentanyl; illegal entry (Toma-R)
Here's my vote explanation from the House floor. (Or you can click on the screenshot above to watch it.)
First, I wholeheartedly agree that we MUST address our broken immigration system. Our top priority should be the safety and security of every Arizonan. Unfortunately, this bill does NOTHING to secure the border or make any of us one bit safer. In fact, this unconstitutional, unfunded mandate will put us all at greater risk!
I stand with our local police who are asking, “Where is the funding to pay for this mandate?” They are already understaffed, and now this bill requires them to do the job of federal law enforcement?! DPS has already cut highway patrols from dusk to dawn for lack of personnel. How many robberies and other crimes in our local communities will now go uninvestigated? How many crimes will go unreported by immigrants and Latinos who will be too scared to trust law enforcement to protect them? HCR2060 is an ANTI-public safety bill.
I stand with educators who warn about the increases in student absenteeism because of children's fears about deportation in their mixed-status families. Why should we care? Because it will harm student achievement at a time when Arizona needs a strong, educated workforce more than ever. Perhaps also because in one of the greatest nations in the world, government should not be the deliberate source of stoking fear in children.
I stand with our local business community. The Arizona Chamber of Commerce, the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, Greater Phoenix Leadership, the Arizona Technology Council, and Local First Arizona have rallied in strong opposition to this legislation, calling it anti-business and anti-immigrant. They point out that it will take us back to SB1070-era racial profiling, create another black eye for Arizona that is bad for business, and worsen our labor shortage. The US Chamber of Commerce estimates that there are just 71 Arizona workers for every 100 job openings. Many Arizona families depend on immigrants who have been here for years for healthcare and other vital jobs that are needed more than ever as our population is aging. Cutting into that supply is the wrong move and will only weaken our economy and drive up inflation.
In fact, an open letter from Arizona Business, Faith, and Community Leadership says, "We need real solutions to our broken immigration system, not election-year scapegoating. Rather than political gamesmanship, we urge our elected leaders to support legal work permits for long-term immigrant contributors and sensible border provisions advanced by our U.S. Senators Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly."
In fact, while I continue to urge Congress to take decades-long overdue action to fix our border policies, I appreciate that our Governor has deployed the Arizona National Guard to communities along the southern border. She's allocated over $50 million to DPS for border security, has seized almost 20,000 pounds of drugs and a thousand weapons, and provided nearly $100 million in assistance to border communities when we had the funds to be able to do so.
Sadly, though, this unfunded mandate seems to be just the latest in the majority party's fiscally irresponsible policies that have put our state $1.8 Billion in the hole and will cost AZ taxpayers untold millions in lawsuits alone while doing nothing to secure our border or make us safer. I vote NO.
Although I voted NO on HCR2060, it passed 31-29 along party lines. As an HCR, this bill goes around the Governor and directly to the November ballot. Watch for it as you prepare to vote.
SB1081 exemption area; assured water supply (Kerr-R)
I voted NO on this bill that would allow the AZ Department of Water Resources to designate the City of Buckeye as having an assured water supply. To do so, it adds yet another loophole or exemption in our groundwater laws to benefit developers in one town. I believe this bill takes us in the wrong direction. We should be looking for better, stronger conservation and considering what is sustainable, not just allowing more entities to put more and bigger straws into the groundwater. It passed 38-20, and now goes to the Governor.
SB1567 off-highway vehicles; education requirement (Kerr-R)
This establishes a driver's license and education requirement for the operation of an off-highway vehicle (OHV) and prohibits operating an OHV while consuming an open container of spirituous liquor. Rural communities have been loudly complaining about off-road vehicle abuses. I voted YES and it passed 35-25. It now goes to the Governor.
SB1410 marijuana; licensing; delivery (Gowan-R)
I voted YES on this bill that levels the playing field for small marijuana companies in a market dominated by two large corporations. It directs the Arizona Department of Health to develop its rules for adult use marijuana delivery in a manner that is commercially fair for smaller and rural dispensaries. It passed 47-13 and now goes to the Governor.
SB1447 fentanyl; manufacturing drugs; machines (Kavanagh-R)
I voted YES on this law-enforcement-supported bill to add reporting requirements to DPS if someone sells or uses a pill capsule machine. These machines can be used to make vitamins or drugs, but can also be used to add fentanyl into pill form. However, It failed 24-36 and appears to be dead for this session.
SB1458 congregate care; dependent children; procedures (Bennett-R)
This bill presented a difficult choice since it split two trusted children's advocacy organizations into opposite camps. A longtime champion for children and families, and now DCS director David Lujan urged lawmakers to vote NO because it would add bureaucratic requirements that threaten the timely placement of children into safe, appropriate environments that meet their needs.
On the other side, the Children's Action Alliance, the group he led for many years, strongly urged a YES vote. It was also supported by Foster Alliance, a group of people who spent time in foster care, Their experience as well as research shows that children under age 12 especially experience detrimental effects when placed in group homes. However, 11% of Arizona foster kids under age 12 are currently in congregate care (group homes) when the next closest state has just 3%. So, this bill would require special director approval before any child under 12 could be placed in a group home. I voted YES, but the bill failed 43-17 and appears to be dead for this session.
Whatever the outcome though, the bottom line is that as DCS Director Lujan wrote, "...we need more support for kinship caregivers, more Arizonans recruited and retained as foster parents, and more robust prevention programs so families can avoid DCS involvement altogether."
I feel it's worthwhile to share some of the DCS initiatives to increase the share of children in family like-settings that he also enumerated.
More Supports for Kinship Providers: The Department just launched a new program for “kinship navigators” to assist kinship caregivers (extended family members) in navigating the child welfare system. Arizona leads the nation in kinship placement and strengthening this practice will further reduce the need for congregate care beds.
More Foster Parents: The Department has just awarded a contract to recruit more foster parents, and we expect to see quantitative results in the coming year. Being a foster parent is a large commitment, with many becoming overwhelmed, and over half quitting after one year, according to national data. We continue to work to provide helpful support to retain Arizona’s foster parents.
More Robust Prevention Programs: Arizona has some of the fewest economic well-being programs in the country, including a two year maximum stint on cash assistance for a value of less than $300 a family. Additionally, Arizona lacks ongoing investment in affordable housing, behavioral health, and other concrete support for families relative to other states. As a part of this year’s Executive Budget, we collaborated with the Department of Economic Security (DES) to propose shifting more resources to upstream prevention to improve family stability and avoid involvement with DCS.
As Director Lujan says, Arizona has some of the fewest economic well-being programs in the country; and frankly, it enrages me that because the Republican majority continues to prioritize tax breaks for the wealthiest Arizonans, our state doesn't have the funds to address the needs of our most vulnerable children.
June is Gun Violence Awareness Month
In an average year, 1,290 people die by guns in Arizona.
Find more information about gun deaths, injuries, and the economic cost here.
Budget Update
A few weeks ago, House and Senate Democrats met in small groups to share our priorities for the budget with the Governor. This is an especially difficult year. As a result of a) Gov Ducey's tax cuts that primarily benefit the wealthiest Arizonans that have just taken full effect this year, b) the almost $1 Billion in unbudgeted ESA vouchers, and c) pork like $15 Million for the Prescott Rodeo in last year’s budget, our state now faces a $1.8 Billion deficit that’s putting many Arizonans at risk. So, our shared budget priorities include:
1) caring for homebound people who need help with meals and basic care
2) helping to keep seniors on fixed incomes in their homes (Senior citizens are the fastest-growing segment of those experiencing homelessness)
3) ensuring people with disabilities have a place to live and job opportunities
4) providing behavioral health services to address the increasing number of people living on the street
5) maintaining funding for the arts that are so essential to jobs, tourism, and the economy- as well as our quality of life.
6) fulfilling our responsibility to the 90% of families who choose public schools that we currently fund at 49th in the nation. Our families, employers, and all of us who want a strong economy depend on ensuring that every student receives a quality education.
7) including an updated aggregate expenditure limit (AEL) for public schools in the budget so that schools can stay open next year. Without that update to the 1980-era formula, it doesn't matter what we allocate to schools because they won't be able to spend it - or stay open.
8) funding community colleges programs to increase the number of badly needed healthcare and technology workers.
9) increasing childcare funding to make up for the over $100 Million in federal funds expiring this year to ensure quality childcare and maintain our workforce.
What I'm Hearing from Leadership
Word is that with their one-vote majority, Republicans are content to make deep cuts to everything. They also continue to refuse any guardrails for the almost $1 Billion unbudgeted ESA Voucher program, or even to consider including the AEL in the budget. We persist. But....need YOUR help!
I urge you to email your priorities to Republican senators and representatives, as well as Speaker Ben Tomaand Senate President Warren Petersen.
Last Week in in the Community
All Arizona School Retirees Association (AASRA) Annual Meeting
Tuesday, June 4
I was deeply honored to be named the AASRA's Legislator of the Year at their Annual Meeting this past week. Thank you so much to their leaders Joe Carter and Mary Henderson for presenting me with the recognition - and for the opportunity to update them on education bills and answer questions.
LD2 North Phoenix Community Builders
Nominate Your Favorite Local Business!
As a lifelong member of our community, I'm so grateful to the many people and local businesses who make it such a great place to live. That's why I'm excited to be partnering with the Bell Road Business Alliance and Stoke Interactive to recognize many of the local Community Builders in our neighborhood.
Check out our website at LD2NPCB.com to learn more about past recipients and nominate your favorite locally owned businesses or nonprofits in LD2. I'm honored to a part of recognizing them in this way for the vital role they play in making our community the safe, thriving, unique place it is.
Gecko Climbing Gym is Awesome!
Thank you to Deer Valley Governing Board member Stephanie Simacekand her family for nominating Gecko Climbing Gym as this week's LD2 North Phoenix Community Builder. Former youth pastor Chris Tansey opened the gym in March of 2021 which was perfect timing for a community ready to get back out into the world after Covid confinement. What a great place for families as well as adults to come and get a workout any time of the year, but especially in the summer. It's too hot to be outside, but the kid in all of us can channel our energy, strengthen our family bonds, and build confidence at Gecko's climbing walls, bouldering walls, ninja climbing - or by practicing traditional or aerial yoga. Their summer camps feature a mix of climbing and crafts led by a great staff. Thank you to Chris and the team for helping to make our community a great place for all of us! Check it out!
Join Our Campaign!
Our Legislative District Will Determine the Direction of our State & Nation
We need YOU to help elect an Arizona legislature focused on the real issues we face like the teacher, affordable housing, and water shortage crises; keeping our families safe from gun violence; and reducing healthcare and other costs. Turning out voters for LD2 will help elect Democrats all the way up the ballot
Be a part of history by volunteering for our campaign today!
Join a Community Canvass. We're knocking on doors so we can listen to fellow voters about what's important to them. We want to elect listeners like Stephanie Simacek to the State House and me to the Senate who will truly represent our community Use this link to find a day and time that works for you. We'll buddy you up with someone experienced. We need door knockers and drivers.
Donate! We need everyone's help to pay for the staff, literature, and other advertising that are essential to winning these very competitive races.
Visit OUR NEW LD 2 Campaign office at 1524 W. Bell Road (behind the Discount Tire, next to the Liberty Tax office). You can still sign school board candidates and the access to abortion petitions there - or make phone calls - or write postcards.
Host a House Party
Introduce Us to Your Neighbors
Be like Libby and Ed Goff who hosted a House Party to tell their neighbors about what's at stake in this election, and then encourage them to be like you and donate or volunteer. Thank you so much to the Goffs for the wonderful party they hosted on Sunday, June 2!
Invite your neighbors to subscribe to this newsletter by sending them this link.
Paid for by Judy for AZ. Authorized by Judy Schwiebert