2009 LEGISLATIVE SUMMARY

Familiy Issues Voting Record 2009 - Arizona Senate
Family Issues Voting Record 2009 - Arizona House
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Download the 2009 Legislative Summary Sheet to learn more about these important bills

• State Ban on Partial-Birth Abortion (HB 2400/SB 1138) - Prohibits partial-birth abortion in Arizona law. *Passed House by a vote of 37-19 on March 11. Passed Senate by a vote of 20-8 on June 23. Signed into law by the Governor on July 13.  

• Abortion Consent Act (HB 2564/SB 1206) - Resolves problems in Arizona’s abortion statutes regarding the rights of parents whose minor daughter faces an unplanned pregnancy, the informed consent rights of a woman considering an abortion, and the civil rights of health care professionals not to participate in abortion. *Passed House by a vote of 36-19 on March 11. Passed Senate by a vote of 16-12 on June 23. Signed into law by the Governor on July 13.

• Jesse's Law, Part 2 (HB 2616/SB 1448) - Protects a patient who is unable to communicate his wishes and who does not have a health care legal directive by modifying Arizona’s laws governing when food and fluid can be withheld from a patient. *Passed House by a vote of 52-1 on June 11. Passed Senate by a vote of 21-7 on June 22. Signed into law by the Governor on July 13.

• Charitable Tax Credit Simplification (HB 2286/SB 1019) - Simplifies the state tax credit for donations to qualifying charities serving the working poor. *Passed House by a vote of 55-1 on March 11. Failed in Senate 14-14 on June 23. Passed Senate on Reconsideration 16-13 on June 25. Signed into law by the Governor on July 13.  

• Scholarship Tax Credits (HB 2288/SB 1023) - Ensures that the corporate tax credit program that provides scholarships for children to attend private schools as chosen by their parents continues beyond 2011. *Passed House by a vote of 33-23 on March 11. Passed Senate by a vote of 16-12 on June 23. Signed into law by the Governor on July 13. 

• Withholding Tax Reduction (HB 2287) - Enables employees to have their withholding tax reduced and contributed to the scholarship, school activities, and charitable tax credit programs. *Passed House by a vote of 36-11 (13 not voting) on May 13. Passed Senate 18-9 on June 25. House accepted Senate amendments by a final vote of 33-20 on June 29. Signed into law by the Governor on July 13. 
   
• Students’ Religious Liberties Act (HB 2357/SB 1393) - Clarifies that students have constitutional rights to express their religious beliefs. *Passed House with a 37-23 vote on May 6. Passed Senate by a vote of 18-10 on June 22. Signed into law by the Governor on July 10.
   
• Ban on Non-Doctors Performing Abortions (SB 1175) - Clarifies that Arizona law does not permit an individual who is not a licensed physician to perform a surgical abortion. *Passed House 35-19. Passed Senate 16-11. Signed by the Governor on July 13.  

• Lexie's Law (HB 2001 from second special session 2009) - Creates a new corporate tax credit for donations to scholarship tuition organizations providing scholarships to disabled and displaced students. *Passed House 35-25. Passed Senate 17-11. Signed by the Governor on  May 29. 

• License Plate Bill (HB 2123) - Allows Arizonans to purchase Choose Life license plates through Service Arizona.com website. *Passed House 56-0. Passed Senate 28-0. Signed by the Governor on July 13.             

Three CAP-supported bills did not receive final passage due to the unusual budget dynamics that limited consideration of bills: Judicial Voter Information Act (SB 1434), Divorce Reform (SB 1206), and Child Prostitution Penalties (SB 1423).

No bills opposed by CAP were successful.