Last Week at the Legislature
March 10, 2024
Hi Friend,
Welcome to Last Week at the Legislature, my weekly report to you on what's happening in your State House and how I'm representing our community.
This week in the State House, activity was slowed because of a visit to Israel by Speaker Toma and about a dozen other legislators. Therefore, most committee meetings were on hold until next week and there was no voting on the House floor.
However, I was still busy catching up with emails - and meeting with constituents both at the Capitol and out in LD2 Here's a recap.
It's truly an honor to serve you. Please contact me anytime.
Judy
Representative Judy Schwiebert, LD2
jschwiebert@azleg.gov, JudySchwiebert.com, 602-935-0468
Women's History Day
Thanks to the Maricopa County Elections Department for the image and message celebrating women's right to vote. Happy #InternationalWomensDay! Fun fact: Women in Arizona gained the right to vote in 1914, a remarkable 6 years prior to the ratification of the 19th Amendment. Let's celebrate the trailblazing spirit of women's suffrage! #InternationalWomensDay
Education Committee Bills
The House Education Committee began hearing bills from the State Senate this week. Here are the three bills that were on the agenda and how I voted.
SB1454 (Bennett-R) was a technical bill to allow a member's designee to sit on the AZ529 Arizona Savings Plan Advisory Committee and specified that at least one public member must have financial planning experience. I voted YES, and it passed unanimously.
SB1477 (Kern-R) establishes a Grade Challenge Department within the AZ Board of Regents that oversees state universities. It would hear challenges from students regarding grades received due to alleged political bias and directs that the Department have a location at each public university. However, it circumvents and undermines a current appeals process already in place and is an unfunded mandate on the universities that the legislature already drastically underfunds. I voted NO, but it passed 4-3.
SB1558 (Bennett-R) requires prospective school employees to disclose if they have been involved in a variety of crimes and classifies any individual who knowingly violates this policy as guilty of a class six felony. This would apply to district, charter, AND private schools. While public district and charter schools already have background checks in place, private schools have no such safeguards, so I voted YES. Republican members of the committee objected to including this protection for students in private schools, but some reluctantly joined us in voting yes. Rep Diaz voted no, but it passed 6-1.
Recent Election Bill News
Just in case you missed it: "Last week on a party line vote of 31-28 the Arizona House of Representatives on Thursday backed a proposal that would.... force most voters to head to the polls on Election Day instead of dropping off or mailing an early ballot."
Read more about this Republican proposal to make voting not more secure, just harder, in this article from the AZMirror. I encourage you to keep this in mind when deciding this fall who you want to represent you at the Capitol. The Mirror is great source of news about what's happening in the Arizona legislature. I encourage you to get a free online subscription here.
YMCA Youth in Government
I was proud to meet with advocates from the YMCA Youth in Government group at the Capitol. This impressive group came to ask us to invest in several of their priorities including childcare and civics education.
I also met with some of the YMCA Youth in Government advocates in my office to hear more about their priorities. I love meeting with these passionate, articulate young people.
Young Dems Toured the Capitol
Ironwood High School senior Mikah Dyer (who is also a candidate for the Peoria Unified School District Governing Board) organized a tour of the Capitol for Young Dems from his school and others across the Valley. My colleague Rep Laura Terech and I really enjoyed showing them around the hearing rooms and taking them onto the House Floor to explain how the legislature works.
Standing with Carpenters Against Construction Tax Fraud
I was proud to stand with the Carpenters this week against construction industry tax fraud and corrupt contractors that cheat workers and our communities. Over $2.6 Billion in tax revenue a year is lost due to construction industry tax fraud. When contractors misclassify workers, workers miss out on benefits and protections they rightfully deserve, and the community is robbed of the much needed tax revenue needed to keep our public services afloat.
Imagine how much our communities could improve if we had $2.6 Billion to put toward our schools, roads, and public safety. For more information on tax fraud and how to stop it go to www.stoptaxfraud.net.
Heroes in Our Community
I got a tour of the wonderful UCP of Central Arizona on Thursday where they provide speech, language, physical therapy and education for children and adults with Cerebral Palsy and other disabilities.
Such impressive heart-filled people and beautiful space, right here in our own LD2. The best part of my job is getting to meet the many people who are doing so much to make our community a better place.
Donate Life
The Donate Life organ donor team visited Bolin Plaza at the Capitol this past Thursday to share moving stories of the lives saved by the sacrifice of organ donors.
I'm proud to be signed up as an organ donor. More than 100,000 people are waiting for a lifesaving transplant. Learn more about becoming a donor here. It's easy.
Make your Voice Heard Next Week!
This is just one of many important bits of information in this week's news. If you don't already subscribe to The Weekly from Civic Engagement Beyond Voting, please do!! This non-partisan publication is an invaluable tool for learning more about how you can make your voice heard about water, healthcare, and other policies. You can read it and subscribe here.
The ABCs of Vouchers
In addition to the news about ESA Vouchers for "Ghost Students" in the AZ Fraud Scandal, this newsletter provides important news for everyone concerned about accountability in the schools we fund as taxpayers. Read this week's Save Our School Arizona's weekly newsletter here.
Celebrating Arizona List's 20th Anniversary
Stephanie Simacek (below, far right) and I travelled to Tucson last Saturday to help celebrate the 20th anniversary of Arizona List, a powerhouse group founded by women in Tucson, to help elect pro-choice women across our state, They've helped elect Mayor Kate Gallego of Phoenix, Governor Katie Hobbs, many state legislators and others as well. We're proud to also receive support from this incredible group.
Together with my colleague Rep Nancy Gutierrez, we were so pleased to help welcome keynote speakers First Lady Jill Biden and nationally renowned activist Maya Harris.
Nominate a Community Builder!
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.
We need YOU to make this happen, though! Check out our website at LD2NPCB.com to learn more about past recipients and nominate your favorite locally owned businesses or nonprofits in LD2 to thank them for the vital role they play in making our community the safe, thriving, unique place it is.
Be Part of the Team To Win for Everyday Arizonans
Volunteer For Our Campaign
We're already hard at work contacting voters in our community about what's at stake in the race for our Legislative District 2 House and Senate seats: a new majority that's listening and working for everyday Arizonans. But no one can do it alone.
The two most important things to do right now are
Join a Community Canvass. We're knocking doors and getting petition signatures to qualify for the ballot as we listen to fellow voters who want a legislature committed to addressing our shared priorities. 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 to our campaign. We need everyone's help to pay for the staff, literature, and other advertising that are essential to winning this competitive race.