The Arizona Catholic Conference is the public policy agency for the Diocese of Gallup, the Diocese of Phoenix, the Diocese of Tucson and the Holy Protection of Mary Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix.
The legislative session is in high gear with more than 1,600 pieces of legislation having been filed this year. These issues cover many important topics including life issues, immigration, school choice, affordable housing, and more. The Arizona Catholic Conference (ACC), for its part, remains vigilant in monitoring all legislative activity and advocating on matters of importance to the Catholic Church until the end of the session.
In recent weeks, both chambers have been busy sending bills from one chamber to the other. If a bill has not made it out of its own chamber by now it is generally considered to be dead.
Thankfully, bills to eliminate the Empowerment Scholarship Account program (HB 2562) and tuition tax credits (HB 2809) have not moved. Similarly, legislation to legalize assisted suicide (HB 2878) and numerous other bills to remove Arizona’s strong pro-life and religious liberty laws have also failed to move and can be considered dead.
The ACC is glad that a bill (SB 1232) to expand the death penalty for certain horrific crimes has now been amended to instead have a sentence of life in prison. Similarly, we are pleased that Governor Hobbs recently vetoed a likely unconstitutional bill (SB 1231) to have the state enforce federal immigration laws.
With regard to good legislation, a proposal (HB 2815) to help churches with excess land use it to build affordable housing for low- and moderate-income people has passed the House. Additionally, legislation (SB 1037) to include basic dental care in the AHCCCS program for low-income people has been passed by the Senate and awaits further action in the House.
Finally, it should be noted that the Arizona Supreme Court has still not decided on the status of Arizona’s abortion laws and the 15-week limit on abortions remains in place. In the meantime, the ACC remains very much concerned about the Abortion Access Act initiative that may be placed on the ballot this fall and encourages people to decline to sign these petitions.
If you have not done so already, please visit www.azcatholicconference.org to sign up for these updates and receive statements from the ACC Bishops.