Scottsdale-based legal nonprofit Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) released a statement Thursday putting Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) on blast for vetoing Senate Bill (SB) 1600, aimed at protecting a child born alive.
“Every human life is valuable, and every baby deserves to be protected. By rejecting critical legal protections for babies who survive abortions, Gov. Hobbs has made it clear: She would rather cater to the abortion industry than affirm the basic human rights of vulnerable children. Her failure to protect the lives of children once they are outside of the womb is unthinkable and inexcusable,” said ADF Senior Council Denise Burke. “We’re grateful to the Arizona lawmakers who took a strong stand for life by passing this vital legislation.”
As reported by The Arizona Sun Times, ADF was not the only nonprofit pushing for SB 1600, as the Center for Arizona Policy urged Hobbs to pass the bill after it left the House. The bill would have ensured that all medical professionals perform any appropriate and reasonable actions to keep a child alive if they are born alive, even during an abortion procedure.
A partisan veto puts newborns at risk of infanticide. @GovernorHobbs vetoed SB1600 falsely claiming the medical community opposes it. But healthcare professionals are on record in support of this life-saving bill. pic.twitter.com/TQz5d5y7jx
— Center for AZ Policy (@azpolicy) April 6, 2023
However, Hobbs ultimately said she believes the bill interferes with the business of doctors and reproductive rights and puts the state’s nose where it does not belong.
State Senator Janae Shamp (R-Suprise), the bill’s sponsor, argued that Hobbs’s veto of HB 1600 shows that she is willing to protect the life of a death row inmate, such as Aaron Gunches, but not live children outside of the womb.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Governor Believes in Preserving the Life of a Convicted Murderer, but Not the Lives of Innocent Babies ⬇️ @AZSenatorShamp pic.twitter.com/lQegDZBYdH
— AZSenateRepublicans (@AZSenateGOP) April 6, 2023
Moreover, SB 1600 was just one of eight bills vetoed by Hobbs on Thursday. Another was HB 2322, sponsored by State Representative Alexander Kolodin (R-Scottsdale), which would have codified the 2020 Signature Verification Guide, created by Hobbs, into law.
Next on the chopping block was SB 1253, also sponsored by Shamp. The bill would have ensured that any sex offender and legal guardian of a child attending school must give that school an annual written notice of their registration status. However, Hobbs said the bill was unnecessary because the Arizona Department of Public Safety is already in charge of notifying school districts where a sex offender lives.
Nonetheless, Kayleigh Kozak, the Arizonan behind Kayleigh’s law, was an advocate for the bill and shared harsh words following the veto.
“Governor Katie Hobbs prioritizes protecting pedophiles over protecting children in schools,” Kozak tweeted.
https://twitter.com/Kayleigh_Kozak/status/1644103559234072578
Next up was SB 1009, sponsored by State Senator John Kavanaugh (R-Fountain Hills), which would have classified defacing a public or private monument or statue as aggravated criminal damage (ACD). ACD currently occurs when someone damages a place of worship or cemetery. Defacing a monument was previously categorized as an abuse of venerated objects, which would land someone with a class 2 min; however, committing ACD is punishable by at least a class 6 felony. Hobbs said the laws already in place provide adequate punishment.
Furthermore, Hobbs’s stamp also hit SB 1428, sponsored by State Senator Justine Wadsack (R-Tucson), which would have ensured that no political subdivision of Arizona could prohibit a gun show from occurring within its boundaries. However, Hobbs said it usurped too much authority from municipalities and urged the legislators to “work in partnership” with local governments.
All eight Hobbs vetoed Thursday were sponsored by Republicans. With these vetoes under her belt, Hobbs’s total in this session is now over 30. AZ Family reported that Hobbs might break the Arizona record for the most legislation vetoed in a year, previously held by Gov. Janet Napolitano (D), who vetoed 58 bills. While the legislature can override a veto, both chambers require a two-thirds vote.
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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 Capitol” by Gage Skidmore. CC BY-SA 2.0.
