STATE
CAPITOL, PHOENIX –
Rep. Lela Alston,
D-Phoenix (District 24), voted no on a last-minute amendment to SB 1339 in the
House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday, saying that the bill will punish
people for civic engagement. A bill with the same language faced bipartisan
opposition and failed last week.
“This
reckless process to pass legislation is leading to bad policies that are going
to negatively impact our vulnerable populations,” said Alston. “It will
criminalize teachers for working in their communities to improve schools, and
make it more difficult for the elderly, disabled, poor and disadvantaged to
vote.”
Opponents
argue that this bill offers a solution in search of a problem and that there is
no evidence that the voter fraud the legislation claims to prevent even exists.
Alston added that the legislation is also unnecessary because current law makes
tampering with a ballot illegal. Republicans passed SB 1339.
“This bill
goes way too far, making felons of those trying to improve their community based
on speculation of voter fraud when there is no evidence it exists,” said
Alston.
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