PHOENIX, ARIZONA— Protecting Arizona's children from criminals who seek to inflict harm upon them is a top priority for Senator Janae Shamp. This legislative session, she successfully championed several bills imposing harsher punishments and accountability for sex offenders targeting one our state's most vulnerable populations, including the passage of one of the toughest laws in America against these predators. 

PHOENIX, ARIZONA— This week, Governor Katie Hobbs despicably vetoed SB 1435, which would have helped protect minors while they're at school, or any other public entity.   

PHOENIX, ARIZONA— Governor Katie Hobbs is aiding doctors and insurance companies taking advantage of a vulnerable population by vetoing SB 1511 today, which would have ensured equal healthcare treatment for children and adults suffering from the lifelong consequences of gender-altering drugs.

PHOENIX, ARIZONA— A major win for the Grand Canyon State today after the Republican-led Arizona State Legislature passed a balanced and conservative 2024-2025 state budget that eliminates a $1.4 billion shortfall, reduces ongoing spending and shrinks government, while increasing border security investments, fully funding public safety, protecting school choice, and safeguarding investments in the roads, freeways and highways our citizens rely on.

PHOENIX, ARIZONA— In response to today's court ruling on Arizona State Senate v. Katie Hobbs, where Judge Scott Blaney determined Katie Hobbs violated state law by failing to nominate directors for Senate confirmation, Senator Jake Hoffman, Chairman for the Senate Committee on Director Nominations, issues the following statement:

PHOENIX, ARIZONA— After months of throwing Arizona's critical state agencies into chaos and subjecting these entities to a host of potential legal challenges, while also creating confusion for the citizens of Arizona, a Maricopa County Superior Court judge ruled today Katie Hobbs' scheme to circumvent the Senate confirmation process for director nominations is unlawful and must be immediately reversed.

PHOENIX, ARIZONA— After Joe Biden, Katie Hobbs, and Arizona Democrat lawmakers intentionally and irresponsibly blocked all efforts to safeguard our citizens against the rampant crime associated with the border crisis currently threatening our national security, Senate Republicans are relieved to announce the Secure the Border Act officially passed the Arizona Legislature today and will head to the ballot for voters to approve this November.

PHOENIX, ARIZONA— In the wake of Katie Hobbs negligently blocking numerous attempts by state Republican lawmakers to protect Arizona communities from a dramatic rise in border-related crimes, Senate Republicans today proudly announce the passage of the Secure the Border Act from the Senate. This measure now heads to the House for a final vote before appearing on the November ballot for Arizona voters to approve.

PHOENIX, ARIZONA— Senate President Warren Petersen is taking legal action to block the massive federal government overreach by the Biden Administration's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), after it overstepped its authority in issuing several radical and costly electric-vehicle mandates that promise to dramatically hurt the wallets of hardworking Arizonans and threaten our state's power supply. 

http://www.azfamily.com/clip/12113307/senate-president-andy-biggs-jan-3-2016

Sylvia Allen: If this is how education issues will be covered in the upcoming legislative session, readers will be seriously shortchanged.

The day after Senate President Andy Biggs announced my appointment as chair of the Education Committee, The Arizona Republic covered the story not by focusing on my background on education issues, but instead with a comment I made in a committee six years ago.This was a comment taken out of context and with no connection to our state’s education system. And this was in a news article covering the chairmanship, not an opinion piece by the Editorial Board.

If this is a sign of how the Republic intends to cover education issues in the upcoming legislative session, it looks like readers are going to be seriously shortchanged.I am not surprised by attacks from this paper concerning my appointment as Senate education chairman. This has become the norm to attack, instead of debate issues and ideas. Why look at the positions I’ve taken while serving on the Education Committee, when you can launch a cheap personal attack?

For the rest of the piece, click here: http://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/2015/12/30/sylvia-allen-education/78066750/

Senate President Andy Biggs announced today that longtime education advocate Senator Sylvia Allen will serve as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education in the upcoming legislative session. Sen. Allen replaces Sen. Kelli Ward, who resigned from the Senate on December 15.

Sen. Allen is currently a member of the Committee, and has served on Education Committees for the majority of her time in the Senate. As Chair, Senator Allen wants to spotlight the tremendous success of Arizona schools.

“I want to highlight the incredible teachers who are the reason for our children’s success. I also want to focus on parents’ responsibility in their children’s education. They are a critical part of their children’s success. We need to encourage that involvement,” said Senator Allen.

“I am excited to name Senator Allen Chairman of the Education Committee,” said Senate President Andy Biggs. “She understands what Arizona students and parents need in our education system. She is a very experienced legislator and I know she will do a wonderful job.” Opening Day for the Arizona Legislature is January 11, 2016.

“Just a few weeks ago, Arizona’s Governor, Republican legislative leadership and the education community came together for a landmark agreement. The plan agreed upon would add $3.5 billion to our schools over the next ten years. Voters will decide the fate of what is now Proposition 123 in May.

Before the ink even dried on the Governor’s signature, the critics were already out sniping at the Legislature. Instead of celebrating an agreement that will put billions into K-12 education, they say we’re not doing enough for education. Seriously?

One advocacy group put out a press release last week slamming the legislature for funding education at a rate lower than 2008. The suggestion was that Arizona is falling behind all other states, now that the recession is over. What the group didn’t tell you is that per student funding is lower than 2008 in 25 states! Yes, half the country. And I wonder how many of those other states just passed a plan to increase education funding by $3.5 billion.

These legislative critics continue the false narrative that additional spending automatically leads to academic achievement. In the years when they are most vocal about education spending, our state made improvements on the National Assessment for Educational Progress, while other states remained flat or on a decline. More money is not the silver bullet. Common sense reforms and an increased focus on the individual student are helping Arizona climb up.

While we were working to put together the best proposal for Arizona’s schoolchildren, friends joked to me that critics would say billions and billions of new dollars going into K-12 with no tax increase just isn’t enough. That ‘joke’ has become the reality, and for that, I am disappointed.”

Senate President Andy Biggs, and Representatives Eddie Farnsworth and Warren Petersen (R-LD12) announced today that they will be introducing legislation in 2016 that will defund Planned Parenthood.

The Arizona Legislature previously passed a law that prohibited the funding of abortion with taxpayer dollars. Implementation of the law has been stalled due to litigation.

State funds have continued to be used for abortions and “family planning.” Pro-abortion advocates argue that funds for Planned Parenthood are being used for family services, not just abortion.

Biggs noted that, “There are hundreds of health care providers throughout the state. Planned Parenthood focuses on their profit-centers, the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas and neglecting rural Arizona. The state does not need to provide taxpayer dollars to support Planned Parenthood, when there are other service providers.”

“The Federal government provides more than $500 million a year to Planned Parenthood. It is an unfair burden on the Arizona taxpayer to require state subsidies for this huge money making operation,” said Farnsworth.

Petersen added that, “We need to send a strong message that harvesting the body parts of aborted babies will not be tolerated. This is a barbaric practice and any organization engaged in this pernicious practice should not receive one dime from the hard working taxpayers of Arizona.”

Arizona State Senator Sylvia Allen hosted a town hall in Joseph City last week to address concerns regarding restrictions being imposed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from power plants.

While the EPA has yet to respond to the latest regional haze proposal submitted from the state, the attack is now focusing on CO2 emissions produced by coal-fired power plants such as Cholla Power Plant in Joseph City, or other plants that use natural gas, petroleum, or any form of solid, liquid or gaseous fuel derived from fossil fuels. This latest endeavor comes after President Obama unveiled the final version of the Clean Power Plan in August.

The plan calls for Arizona to reduce CO2 emissions from in-state power plants by 34 percent by 2030, putting it in the moderate range compared to states throughout the country. The period for mandatory reductions begins in 2020 with what’s being called a “glide path” from that time until 2030. The glide path is a gradual step down in emissions to meet the overall goal in 2030.

Approximately 100 people attended the town hall. Speakers included Allen, District 5 State Representatives Brenda Barton and Bob Thorpe, and Eric Massey, Air Quality Division director with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.

For the complete story, click here:

http://www.azjournal.com/2015/11/28/epa-focuses-on-carbon-dioxide-as-latest-power-plant-pollutant/

“Governor Doug Ducey has issued a statement calling for an immediate halt in the settlement of refugees in Arizona until the federal government consults the state and takes into account our grave concerns and recommendations before proceeding any further. The Governor properly cited existing federal law that gives Arizona this right. The Republican leadership of the State Senate strongly supports this approach to deal with this developing crisis, in an effort to keep all the residents of Arizona safe from the kind of despicable violence perpetrated by radical Islamists as we have seen here in the United States and most recently in Paris. We applaud the Governor’s leadership and stand with him to protect our homeland.”

The Legislative Joint Border Security Advisory Committee voted today to recommend that the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office be the first recipient of funds from the Border Security Trust Fund. The sheriff’s office will receive approximately $219,000 to enhance border security.

In 2011, SB 1406, sponsored by Senator Steve Smith and signed by the Governor, established a website for the purpose of raising private money to improve security along the Arizona-Mexico border. All the funds raised at www.buildtheborderfence.com are held in a trust fund account in the Arizona State Treasurer’s Office. The Joint Border Security Advisory Committee oversees the project and determines disbursement of monies. On the first day of existence, 1,265 individual donors from all fifty states donated to www.buildtheborderfence.com.

In today’s committee meeting, members heard from Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels, a member of law enforcement for three decades and a recognized national leader in fighting crime along the border. Sheriff Dannels requested the money from the fund to purchase equipment to combat human and drug smuggling and all illegal border activity, as a result of the unsecured border. His plan is for a virtual fence, including the purchase of Global Positioning Systems, binoculars, handheld thermal imaging cameras and a thermal binocular, all synced with the sheriff’s office and its elite Border Security Task Force. Subsequent disbursements from the committee could include funding for a physical fence.

“The Federal Government continues to avoid addressing the crisis of drug cartels, illegal aliens and violent crimes along our border. The people have responded through this website that they demand a response. Today’s disbursement announcement is a good first step for this effort, and I expect the public to continue to respond to this mission, to hopefully shame the Federal Government into doing its job“, said Senator Smith.

Senator Steve Smith has been named Legislator of the Year by the Arizona Police Association (APA), an organization representing nearly 9,000 federal, state and local law enforcement officers in Arizona.

Senator Smith is Chair of the Senate Public Safety, Military & Technology Committee and is a lifelong supporter of all levels of law enforcement.

He earned the Legislator of the Year honor for his commitment to line officers and how they can safely do their difficult jobs. He was acknowledged for his work on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and funding for training and better technology for officers.

“Every year Senator Smith displays passion for these issues, and he consistently goes to bat for officers and their families,” said APA lobbyist Mike Williams.

Smith is only the third legislator to receive this honor from APA.

“Today the Arizona Legislature passed a plan to increase K-12 funding by $3.5 billion over the next ten years. This proposal is the result of months of discussions between the Governor’s office, Republican legislative leaders and school groups. I am proud to be one of the prime sponsors of this bill.

The agreement is well-thought out, and voters will have a chance to support the plan this spring. We have seen great leadership during these negotiations, to make sure these dollars get to the classroom.

Unfortunately, we’ve also seen political hypocrisy. The agreement is drafted in three bills. We’ve seen House and Senate members vote ‘yes’ on one and ‘no’ on the others. That means they don’t support the settlement reached or the benefits to our schools. This isn’t an a la carte approach.

But watch, later on these members will say they supported the plan, when they really didn’t. I voted for the plan without hesitation. I think it is the best we can do to resolve the inflation funding issue and move forward in a positive way.”