NASCCD

National Association of State Catholic Conference Directors

Bill Filing Deadline Arrives

02/12/10 Filed in: Arizona

th of the following year.

The House Health and Human Services Committee, meanwhile, approved bills that would improve the reporting of abortion statistics (HB 2649) and extend the waiting period for divorces from 60 days to 180 days (HB 2650).

On a less positive note, the Senate tentatively approved SB 1070 on Thursday relating to local police enforcement of immigration laws and the creation of new trespass crimes. SB 1070 was amended, however, to slightly improve some of the problematic provisions so that police may not be required to report crime victims and witnesses who are undocumented immigrants. It is expected that the Senate will have a formal vote on this measure next week.

Next week is also slated to have much more action on a number of pro-life, pro-family, and pro- school choice bills in both the Senate and the House.

The filing deadline for bills in both the Senate and the House has now passed with a total of 1,382 measures being introduced. Even though new bills can no longer be introduced, various proposals can still come into being by virtue of strike-everything amendments and other tactics. In reality, these tactics mean that nothing is really over until the legislative session ends.

For its part, the Arizona Catholic Conference (ACC) will continue to monitor all of the bills and amendments for their potential impact on the interests of the Catholic Church throughout the entire session.

With regard to the highlights of legislative activity this week, the House Ways and Means Committee approved legislation (HB 2664) to provide more transparency and accountability to the individual tuition tax credit. Additionally, the Senate gave tentative approval to a bill (SB 1274) that would allow taxpayers to make contributions to school tuition organizations up until April 15