Gov. Katie Hobbs continues to strike down Republican-sponsored bills, announcing Monday that she vetoed four House bills (HB), bringing her total to 24 this session.
“Issuing vetoes is easy. Actual leadership requires hard work, and Republicans in the legislature will continue to pass good public policies that make the state better for working Arizonans and families,” said Arizona House Speaker Ben Toma (R-Peoria) in a statement emailed to The Arizona Sun Times.
HB 2427 – Assault Against a Pregnant Woman
One of the bills that did not survive was HB 2427, sponsored by State Representative Matt Gress (R-Phoenix), which aimed to increase charges against anyone who assaulted a pregnant woman. Assault against a pregnant woman would land someone a class 3 felony, and the maximum sentence for domestic violence involving a pregnant victim would have been raised to five years.
However, Hobbs stated that, based on expert opinion, the bill would not deter anyone from committing an assault. Hobbs previously served as a social worker and said she has “seen first-hand the needs of victims seeking safety and stability.” It appears increased punishments for some abusers are not one of those needs.
“So do any decent people exist on the Dem side anymore? This bill is literally saying that if you are charged with domestic violence of a pregnant woman, you should have a stiffer sentence since a baby is involved,” said House Majority Leader Leo Biasiucci after the veto was announced.
So do any decent people exist on the Dem side anymore?
This bill is literally saying that if you are charged with domestic violence of a pregnant woman, you should have a stiffer sentence since a baby is involved.
What 🤡 world are we living in that makes this Veto acceptable? https://t.co/28FEmwcUQ8
— Rep. Leo Biasiucci (@Leo4AzHouse) April 4, 2023
While Hobbs did not mention this, Planned Parenthood also opposed this bill because it could have been a sleeper anti-abortion bill to ascribe personhood to a fetus in the womb.
Gress said he would “never apologize for toughening penalties on abusers who assault pregnant women.”
HB 2056 – Dry Wash Exemptions
Next on the chopping block was HB 2056 from State Representative Lupe Diaz (R-Benson), exempting dry washes, arroyos, gullies, or other low-volume erosions from Dredge and Fill Permit Program (DFPP). As part of the federal Clean Water Act, the program requires a permit before anyone can discharge dredged or filled materials into the waters of the United States (WOTUS). The bill also sought to change the definitions in WOTUS to exclude these erosions.
Hobbs said she vetoed this bill could present “regulatory confusion” between state and federal law, opening Arizona up to challenges in enforcing laws.
HB 2472 – Social Credit Scores
HB 2472 from State Representative Steve Montenegro (R-Goodyear) stated that Arizona could not require banks or financial institutions to use a “social credit score” (SCS) when determining if they will lend money to a consumer. SCSs are seen in Communist China, which assigns a numerical value to an individual or business based on their trustworthiness.
However, Montenegro’s bill does not define what a SCS is in Arizona, and Hobbs used this to veto it, calling HB 2472 “overly vague.” She also said the Equal Credit Opportunity Act already prohibits discrimination in credit decisions on a federal level, so the bill is not necessary.
HB 2440 – Electric Energy Priorities
The final bill Hobbs stamped away was HB 2440 from State Representative Gail Griffin (R-Hereford). If a public power entity is making any infrastructure decisions, the bill would have required them to prioritize energy reliability and keeping affordable prices for consumers using its services.
However, Hobbs stated that the Arizona Corporation Commission must already consider reliability and affordability in its decision-making, so the bill is redundant. She also wrote the bill could create conflict when affordability and reliability are at odds.
HB 2550 – Eyelash Technician Registration
Although Hobbs vetoed four of the five bills announced Monday, State Representative Justin Wilmeth’s (R-Phoenix) HB 2550 relating to cosmetics did pass. Now, the Arizona Board of Barbering and Cosmetology is allowed to require anyone aiming to become an eyelash technician to apply for a license first.
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Neil Jones is a reporter for The Arizona Sun Times and The Star News Network. Follow Neil on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Katie Hobbs” by Katie Hobbs. Background Photo “Arizona State Capitol” by Wars. CC BY-SA 3.0.
