[az-leader] AZ Legislative Update #11
- From: Janice Miano <jmiano@xxxxxxxx>
- To: az-leader@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 29 Mar 2002 15:19:59 -0700
To: Conservation Friends
From: Sandy Bahr, Conservation Outreach Director, Sierra Club
Date: March 29, 2002
Re: Legislative Update #11
Hi all! This week the Legislature began in earnest to pass along some of
the worst legislation from both an environmental and public interest
perspective. Several of the anti-initiative bills moved forward,
measures
to give developers more power (as if they needed it) passed, and of
course
measures to protect welfare ranching rolled through. I continue to be
amazed by the influence of the cattlemen at the Capitol (perhaps they
have a
collection of "photos" of key leaders in this state.) SB1274 state land;
leases and improvements (Martin, Brown, Arzberger, Guenther) passed on
reconsideration in the Senate (19-11). It is now headed to the House
where
it will be a difficult task indeed to defeat it. Please call and thank
the
following senators for voting no on the bill: Cummiskey, Gerard, Hartley,
Lopez, Mitchell, Richardson, Rios, Solomon, Valadez, Verkamp and Yrun.
And regarding another bill, brought to us by our friends the cowboys,
please
call House members and ask them to oppose HB2638. The bill was amended
to
say that if any county adopts a conservation regulation that causes a
reduction in use or value of property of ten percent or more then that is
considered a taking and the property owner is entitled to compensation.
If
HB2638 passes, it will result in a lot more litigation and will be costly
to
counties (county taxpayers) that are trying to plan and zone for
conservation and protect the quality of life in their communities. The
bill
is now clearly aimed at undercutting conservation efforts as well as Pima
County's Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan. It is also probably
unconstitutional.
Please ask House members to vote no on HB2162 state land; planning and
administration (Flake, Gleason, Guenther, et al). It will promote more
sprawl on state trust lands. And how is that in the best interest of the
trust? The bill makes numerous changes to the urban lands act. It says
leapfrog development and sprawl are fine with the land department as long
as
it is in the cities' or counties' plans. This will probably go to the
House
Floor this week.
Bill Updates:
HB2048 game and fish commission; continuation (O'Halleran, Burton Cahill,
Clark, et al) continues the game and fish commission and director until
2012. It has been stuck in the Senate for several weeks -- makes me
wonder
if shenanigans are afoot. Perhaps they are planning to just fold the
agency
into the Department of Agriculture.
HB2105 county infill incentives (Huffman, Hershberger, Valadez, et al)
allows counties to establish infill areas where they can provide for
infill
incentives. This can help limit sprawl and encourage development in
areas
where the infrastructure already exists. Despite a somewhat inane
amendment
by Salt River Project, the bill is still positive and it is moving
forward
to the Senate Floor.
HB2501 emissions testing; motorcycles (Cooley, Giffords, Chase, et al)
has a
strike everything amendment that says ADEQ must ask EPA to exempt
motorcycles and collectable vehicles from the emissions testing
requirements. That means the agency must request this exemption
irrespective of its findings. We think there should be some language
that
indicates that the Department make this request only if it determines
that
continuing the emissions testing of these vehicles does not provide a
significant air quality benefit. The bill will probably go to the Floor
this week.
SB1329 referendum; required signatures (Mitchell: Arzberger, Brown et al)
authorizes the use of an alternative basis for computing the number of
necessary signatures required to file a referendum petition in a
municipal
election. It would effectively allow cities and towns to change the
basis
for calculating the number of signatures from 10% of the people who voted
at
the last election to 10% of ALL registered voters in the city or town.
These numbers would be overwhelming. It takes away one more tool that
citizens' have to stop measures at the local level. It passed out of the
Senate 18-9-3.
SB1354 protected development rights; procedures (Guenther, Brown, Weiers,
et
al) allows cities and towns to establish an ordinance to give a protected
development right without indicating it is a protected development right
up
front. This will give developers additional leverage in a process where
they already have enormous power and will not serve the interests of the
public and the public's need for information. This sailed out of the
Senate
this week.
SB1368 navigable stream adjudication commission; continuation (Guenther,
Arzberger, Brown, et al) continues this commission until 2006. The state
has
been irresponsible with our streambeds and its public trust
responsibility -- it has had 17 years to establish navigability and
determine ownership of the streambeds. Instead of really addressing the
issue, the legislature and this commission have tried repeatedly to give
away these streambeds. We think they should get on with it and fear that
this bill will just mean more delays. This goes to the House now.
HCR2029 tax increase by initiative; vote (Farnsworth, Pearce, Pierce, et
al)
refers to the ballot a measure that requires that any initiative or
referendum that provides for a net increase in state revenues is
effective
only with a two thirds vote. Basically, it would prevent anything like
the
Heritage Fund, which is widely supported by the public, from ever
happening
again. This failed in the House Ways and Means Committee 4-6, but we
need
to watch for reconsideration of this as well. Please thank
Representatives
Camarot, Cheuvront, Giffords, Huffman, Landrum Taylor, and Leff for
opposing
it.
HCR2036 initiative; appropriations; return to ballot (Marsh, Johnson;
Blendu) says that any measure that allocates money from the general fund
has
to be submitted again to the voters every ten years. This was
reconsidered
in the House Committee on Military, Veteran Affairs and Aviation and
passed
6-4. Please thank Representatives Chase, Lopez, Lugo, and Sedillo for
opposing this bill.
Coming up in the legislature this week:
Several committees are not meeting including Senate Natural Resources,
Agriculture and Environment Committee, House Environment, and House
Natural
Resources and Agriculture.
MONDAY
House Committee on Appropriations at 9:00 a.m. in HHR1
HB2560 air quality fund; control measures (Gullett, Huffman, Loredo, et
al)
continues the new vehicle emissions in lieu fee for an air quality fund.
The funds can be used for air quality research for improving or
maintaining
attainment status and specifically reducing emissions of particulate
matter,
carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, volatile organic compounds, and
hazardous air pollutants. WE SUPPORT IT.
TUESDAY
Senate Committee on Judiciary at 1:30 p.m. in SHR1
HCR2012 State lottery; continuation (Allen, O'Halleran, Huffman et al)
refers to the ballot a continuation of the lottery. As this is the only
state based funding for many wildlife and parks programs via the Heritage
Fund, we strongly support its continuation.
WEDNESDAY
House Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology at 9:00 a.m. in HHR5
SB1117 school buses; alternative fuels (Smith: Bennett) is a measure
which
exempts schools from meeting alternative fuel goals for school buses. WE
OPPOSE IT.
Thanks for all your help! For more information on legislation go to the
web
page at www.azleg.state.az.us . To email legislators go to
http://www.arizonasenate.org/members.html for the senate and to
http://www.azleg.state.az.us/members/45leg/house.htm for the house. If
you
are not sure who your legislators are, please go to www.vote-smart.org
or
call the House or Senate information desks. If you're outside the Phoenix
area, you can call your legislator's office toll free at 1-800-352-8404.
In
the Phoenix area call (602) 542-3559 (Senate) or (602) 542-4221 (House).
Correspondence goes to 1700 W. Washington, Phoenix, AZ 85007-2890.
Sandy Bahr
Conservation Outreach Director
Sierra Club - Grand Canyon Chapter
202 E. McDowell Rd, Suite 277
Phoenix, AZ 85004
Phone (602) 253-8633 Fax (602) 258-6533
grand.canyon.chapter@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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