Majority Leader Rep. Warren Petersen’s (R-Gilbert) build your own border wall bill (HB2084) moved quickly through the process in the Arizona House. It was assigned to the Federal Relations and Rules Committees on the first day of the 2020 session. It passed out of Rep. Mark Finchem’s (R- Oro Valley) federalism committee last week, out of House Rules on Monday, heard in Caucus on Tuesday, and debated and voted on on January 30, 2020. This highly ideological bill was the second bill we voted on this session. [This story has been updated from the previous story regarding HB2084.]
In an unexpected point of high drama on the House Floor, Rep. Tony Rivero voted “no” on HB2084 with all 29 Democrats. Bills need 31 votes to pass. If one Republican has the nerve to buck their party and stand with the Democrats, a bill doesn’t pass. HB2084 got 30. Unfortunately, minutes after the 30-30 vote was called, Petersen was at Rivero’s desk asking him to read the reconsideration within two weeks language. (This is how bad bills rise again as zombie bills.)
HB2084 waives building permits and other regulations to allow landowners on the border to build sections of the Border Wall to help President Trump fulfill his campaign promise. There are no standards in the bill. People can build whatever they want. Is it irony, poetic justice, Mother Nature, or the “Hand of God” that knocked down a section of Trump’s border wall during the same week that Petersen’s no permits bill? Let’s see, didn’t Jesus say something about welcoming the stranger?
Continue reading Build Your Own Border Wall Bill Dead for Now in #AZLeg (video)