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Legislative Updates 2003"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about
things that matter." To: Conservation Friends We could use a Teddy Roosevelt at this point to remind the legislature about this whole checks and balances system, the hazards of letting big business control everything, and that a little democracy here and there is a good thing. Please call House members again this week and ask them to oppose the following bills: HCR2018 ballot measure; resubmittal (Johnson, Chase, Jayne, et al) is another attempt to limit citizens' rights to the initiative process. It says that any initiative (that means only measures initiated by the people) will automatically be submitted to the voters every eight years. This process is very difficult and expensive and would be another hardship for those with limited resources. It also includes a double standard -- there is not automatic referral for legislative measures. If the legislature wants to change any of our laws or our constitution all it has to do is come up with a majority vote and refer it to the voters. We oppose this. HCR2023 initiative and referendum; signature distribution (Farnsworth, Pearce, Johnson, et al) requires citizens working on an initiative or referendum to gather a certain percentage of signatures from five different counties. This will create additional hardships for grassroots organizations, citizen groups, and others without enormous resources, as it adds to the expense and time it takes to gather not only the required number of signatures, but also the correct percentages from the separate counties. HCR2017 initiatives filing date (Quelland, Allen J, Johnson, et al) moves the date when signatures must be filed from four months before the election to seven months before the election. It gives folks a more limited amount of time to gather the signatures and it also gives the legislature more time to muck around with your initiative. Also, please call senators once more and ask them to oppose SCR1012. Even if you think land exchanges are a good idea, you should object to this attempt to hoodwink the public. It contains not one word related to military base preservation. It refers to the ballot a measure that is identical to Proposition 101 (except the title), which was defeated by the voters last fall. Here's what's up at the legislature this week: Monday, February 24th Senate Committee on Finance at 1:30 p.m. in SHR1 SB1347 recreational corridor channelization districts (Blendu, Burns, Brotherton, et al) provides for establishing these districts that can then construct and operate recreational facilities in a floodway during and after mining activities and mining reclamation. I guess this is a way to clean up the mess that the sand and gravel operators leave -- not sure about the compatibility of recreation and mining. House Committee on the Environment at 2:00 p.m. in HHR4 HB2264 WQARF; technical correction (Hart, Allen, Jarrett) will have a strike everything. HB2324 state building; energy conservation standards (Graf: Downing, Jayne, et al) requires the state to reduce energy consumption in state buildings by 10% by 2008 and 15% by 2011. It also requires the purchase of EnergyStar products unless it is shown that they are not cost effective over their lifetime. It also updates the energy conservation standards reference for state buildings. We support this bill. HB2392 statewide solid waste management plans (Hart) requires six month rather than three months notice for changes to this plan. HB2423 underground storage tanks; amendments (Hart) makes several changes relative to the underground storage tank program. They are removing the attorney general and Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) representatives from the policy commission. That looks a bit curious to me. This program has been a mess for a long time. HB2265 water quality; TMDL; ephemeral streams (Hart, Flake: Jarrett) puts limits on the ADEQ's ability to list ephemeral waters as impaired and requires that they prioritize the perennial streams. Ephemeral waters are important for sustaining life in our arid region and very often are feeding into perennials. That being said, if they are going to do this, they should attach a deadline for ADEQ to develop the standards and keep these ephemeral streams from sitting in purgatory forever. (A Striker may be offered.) Tuesday, February 25th House Committee on Public Institutions and Counties at 8:30 a.m. in HHR5 HB2411 governmental takings; remedies (McClure, Hart, Mason et al) seeks to expand the constitutional definition of a taking. It defines a taking as something that affects all or part of private property and that causes a reduction of at least 25 percent in the market value of the property. This measure applies to all ordinances, rules, guidance, etc. This is the latest attempt weaken local governments' ability to engage in planning and zoning that is protective of natural resources, neighborhoods, etc. It is unnecessary, could be quite costly, and will definitely result in limiting key plans like Pima County's Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan. We oppose it. House Committee on Ways and Means at 8:30 a.m. in HHR4 HB2476 agricultural water rights; protected farmland (O'Halleran, Mason) has a strike everything amendment which establishes a class of protected farmland under the groundwater management code and limits the water duty if the Department of Water Resources determines that a conservation easement is in place and that the easement limits development. It prohibits conversion of irrigation grandfathered rights to nonirrigation uses and also the sale of credits. This may be limited enough that it does not open large loopholes. Senate Committee on Government at 1:30 p.m. in SHR3 SB1122 Phoenix civic plaza; revenue sharing (Burns, Blendu, Pearce, et al) will have a strike everything on incorporation; cities; national parks. It has not been posted yet. SB1218 public lighting; light standards (Giffords, Brotherton, Downing, et al) requires efficient lighting for public outdoor lighting. Senate Natural Resources and Transportation at 1:30 p.m. in SHR1 SB1073 pesticide control; technical correction (Jarrett) will have a strike everything on this issue. SB1243 environment; remediation; engineering controls (Allen: Binder, Giffords) relates to restrictive covenants on property that is not cleaned up, but instead has some kind of control -- a cap over the contamination would be an example. These properties are supposed to have a restrictive covenant relative to use. This will have a strike everything. SB1248 Yuma basin groundwater (Binder, Cannell) allows groundwater to be withdrawn from the Yuma basin and transported outside the basin. Apparently, this is to provide for putting the water in the Colorado to meet our obligations to Mexico. SB1269 antilitter advisory council (Miranda; Aguirre L, Alvarez, et al) establishes this council for looking at litter problems. Wednesday, February 26h House Committee on Natural Resources, Ag, Water & Native American at 8:30 a.m. in HHR4 HB2265 water quality; TMDL; ephemeral streams (Hart, Flake: Jarrett) See above. HB2381 safe drinking water act (Hart) requires that the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality rules regarding public drinking water systems comply with the federal safe drinking water act and takes out some notification requirements that could be used by water systems to avoid sanctions for violations. We support this. House Committee on Utilities and Municipalities at 9:00 a.m. in HHR5 HB2436 municipal ballot measures; required signatures (Arnold; Chase, Flake, 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. We oppose it. Senate Committee on Appropriations at 1:30 p.m. in SHR109 SB1130 Grand Canyon airport; cease operations (Burns) would facilitate the sale of this airport to a private entity. We oppose it. Thursday, February 27th House Committee on Judiciary at 8:00 a.m. in HHR3 HCR2018 ballot measure; resubmittal (Johnson, Chase, Jayne, et al) See above. Thanks! To email senators go to http://www.azleg.state.az.us/MemberRoster.asp and for house members to http://www.azleg.state.az.us/MemberRoster.asp#house. If you are not sure who your legislators are, please go to http://www.vote-smart.org/index.phtml 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. For more information on legislation go to the web page at http://www.azleg.state.az.us/. Page updated: 02/21/03 Back to 2003 Legislative Updates page Sierra Club, Grand Canyon Chapter, 202 E. McDowell Rd, Suite 277, Phoenix, AZ 85004, (602) 253-8633 |