{"id":2324938,"date":"2024-08-15T09:25:00","date_gmt":"2024-08-15T13:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/what-democratic-majorities-would-look-like-in-the-arizona-legislature-gun-control-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-08-15T09:31:00","modified_gmt":"2024-08-15T13:31:00","slug":"what-democratic-majorities-would-look-like-in-the-arizona-legislature-gun-control-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/what-democratic-majorities-would-look-like-in-the-arizona-legislature-gun-control-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"What Democratic majorities would look like in the Arizona legislature: Gun control &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">30<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwhat-democratic-majorities-would-look-like-in-the-arizona-legislature-gun-control-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2324938&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article discusses the potential\u200b impact of\u2063 a Democratic majority in the \u200cArizona legislature, particularly regarding \u2064gun control legislation. Arizona \u2064Democrats have \u2064been \u2063advocating for increased gun regulation, facing opposition \u2064from Republican\u200d legislators. With\u2062 upcoming elections that \u200bcould \u2062flip the legislative majority for the first time in 60 years,\u2062 Democrats are preparing a series\u2064 of proposed laws aimed at \u2063enhancing gun safety.<\/p>\n<p>One significant \u200cproposal is &#8220;Christian&#8217;s Law,&#8221; named after a teenager who was killed by an unsecured firearm. This law would <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-weighs-in-on-expulsion-of-tennessee-lawmakers-pushes-for-gun-control\/\" title=\"Biden Weighs In on Expulsion of Tennessee Lawmakers, Pushes for Gun Control\">mandate safe storage<\/a> of guns and ammunition\u2064 and impose fines for violations. Advocates are \u2063hopeful that with a \u2063Democratic majority \u200band support from Governor Katie Hobbs, the bill could finally \u2063pass. <\/p>\n<p>The \u200carticle also highlights concerns\u200b regarding guns in schools, with incidents \u200cof \u200bstudents \u2063found in possession of firearms\u2064 raising alarms among educators. Senator Flavio Bravo aims to\u200d address this issue through increased coordination\u200c between schools and local authorities.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, there are discussions about legislative \u200cmeasures targeting <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/missouri-governor-set-to-sign-bill-banning-state-police-from-enforcing-federal-gun-laws\/\" title=\"Missouri Governor Set To Sign Bill Banning State Police From Enforcing Federal Gun Laws\">domestic violence offenders<\/a>\u2062 to prohibit them from owning firearms, \u2064as well as initiatives to educate parents on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/watch-sutherland-springs-hero-stephen-willeford-testifies-about-his-greatest-regret-that-day\/\" title=\"WATCH: Sutherland Springs Hero Stephen Willeford Testifies About His \u2018Greatest Regret\u2019 That Day\">safe gun storage<\/a> through informational pamphlets provided in\u200c healthcare settings.<\/p>\n<p>the article presents \u2062a glimpse into how a Democratic majority in Arizona \u200dcould reshape gun control policies, with a focus on safety and prevention while recognizing the potential pushback from those advocating for \u2062gun rights.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">What Democratic majorities would look like in the Arizona legislature: Gun control<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1730913\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>(The Center Square) &ndash; Increased gun regulation is something that Arizona Democrats have long been fighting for, only to be shut down by Republican legislators. With a chance of winning the majority in November, policymakers are brainstorming gun control bills they would like to see on Gov. Katie Hobbs&rsquo; desk.<\/p>\n<p>Only two seats away from having a Democratic majority in Arizona&rsquo;s legislative chambers for the first time in six decades, the Democratic Caucus has established a plan they say would allow them to hit the ground running in 2025 should they take control of the Legislature. This story is part of a series of what a Democratic trifecta would look like for Arizona taxpayers.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;In the event that we flip, we want to be ready to govern,&rdquo; Sen. Christine Marsh, D-Phoenix, told The Center Square.<\/p>\n<p>A Democratic trifecta, however, would not be enough to change any of the protections listed in&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.azleg.gov\/const\/2\/26.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Article 26<\/strong><\/a>&nbsp;of the Arizona Constitution, which goes further than the 2nd Amendment in its explicit protection to own firearms.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Safe gun storage<\/h2>\n<p>Arizona resident Bruce Petillo had just texted his 15-year-old son goodnight, when he received a call 20 minutes later that his son had been shot in the chest at a friend&rsquo;s house.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Our son Christian spent the night at a friend&rsquo;s house September 5, 2021 and never came home,&rdquo; Petillo told The Center Square. &ldquo;There was an unsecured gun in the home, the friend brought it out and it went off and Christian was killed.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>In the months following that fateful day, Bruce and his wife Claire Petillo, worked with former Rep. Jennifer Longdon to create &ldquo;Christian&rsquo;s Law.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Christian&rsquo;s Law is a bill that would require the safe storage of firearms and ammunition in homes or equipping the firearm with a safety feature, making it impossible to fire without being disabled, with a civil penalty of at least $1,000 for those who violate the law. The bill has yet to make it to committee.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Christian&rsquo;s bill has sat in the basket for two years now, waiting to be pulled out by the judicial committee,&rdquo; Claire said.<\/p>\n<p>The Petillos have spoken at the Arizona Capitol and met with numerous policy-makers to try and get support for Christian&rsquo;s Law. They are hopeful with the possibility of a Democratic majority, 2025 might be the year this law gets passed.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Gov. Hobbs has&hellip; said specifically that if Christian&rsquo;s Law comes across her desk, she would be happy to sign it, so I am hopeful this season,&rdquo; Claire said.<\/p>\n<p>Sen. Flavio Bravo, D-Phoenix, will be taking the point on gun regulation legislation this upcoming year.<\/p>\n<p>Bravo said that he may rethink Christian&rsquo;s Law using incentives instead of punishment. Instead of fining those who break the law, he would want to incentivise them with a tax credit when they purchase safe storage items for guns.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;If you actually buy safe storage that&rsquo;s been certified with the state, you can receive a state tax credit so you&rsquo;re not feeling that cost economically,&rdquo; Bravo said. &ldquo;I think people respond positively to incentives. I would really be compelled to try something like that.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Sen. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, said that he thinks these kinds of measures could impact an individual&rsquo;s ability to protect themselves.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;They [Democrats] may attempt to implement mandatory safety features on guns which could reduce their utility on self defense,&rdquo; Kavanagh said. &ldquo;I think everybody everywhere has the right to defend themselves.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The U.S. Supreme Court agrees. In&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/tile.loc.gov\/storage-services\/service\/ll\/usrep\/usrep554\/usrep554570\/usrep554570.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Washington D.C. v. Heller<\/strong><\/a>, justices questioned how a District of Columbia law keeping a gun unloaded and under lock and key negatively impacted a citizen&rsquo;s right to defend their home. The D.C. law did not limit itself to an incentive as Bravo proposes.<\/p>\n<p>A similar federal proposal called &ldquo;Ethan&rsquo;s Law,&rdquo; named after a Connecticut child killed in a firearms accident, has not been successful in multiple sessions of Congress.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Guns in schools<\/h2>\n<p>Bravo said that one of his district&rsquo;s major concerns is the presence of guns on school campuses. According to him, he said that he has been called multiple times by school superintendents telling him that a student was found in possession of a gun on school grounds.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We have had a series of events where we&rsquo;ve barely avoided tragedies on our high school campuses,&rdquo; Bravo said, recounting a time when an AR-15 rifle was confiscated from a student&rsquo;s backpack. &ldquo;If you think about it, they&rsquo;re really moments away from an immense tragedy.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Bravo said that he is not sure at this time what the best way to address this issue would be, but that there needs to be increased coordination between school districts, counties and the governor.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m open to any considerations when it comes to what sorts of policy would be effective,&rdquo; Bravo said.<\/p>\n<p>While gun control advocates point to gun violence incidents at public schools nationally, the most recent in Arizona was in 2016, when two teenage girls were found dead with a handgun and suicide note at a Glendale High School.<\/p>\n<p>Bravo said that Arizona has been &ldquo;fortunate&rdquo; to not have seen many school shootings in recent years, but that preventative measures should still be a priority.<\/p>\n<p>Kavanagh said that increased gun regulation is not the answer to the rise in school shootings.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;You need to have people in the school armed, who can stop the shooting quickly,&rdquo; Kavanagh said. &ldquo;Unless you have armed police officers, armed security or trained teachers with access to guns, you are not going to stop people from killing kids and that&rsquo;s just the reality.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Kavanagh, a former police officer, sponsored legislation to&nbsp;allow concealed permit holders to carry guns into most public buildings.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Domestic violence offenders<\/h2>\n<p>A bill formerly proposed by Longdon that was held in committee is set to be rerun by the Democrats &ndash; HB 2234. This bill would add a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doj-tells-missouri-they-cant-disregard-federal-gun-laws\/\" title=\"DOJ Tells Missouri They Can\u2019t Disregard Federal Gun Laws\">domestic violence offender<\/a> to the list of those prohibited from owning a firearm.<\/p>\n<p>Bravo said that they are looking to follow the lead of the Supreme Court case United States v. Rahimi which upheld a federal law that bars anyone subject to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bail-agent-arrested-for-killing-man-with-no-warrants-in-front-of-cops\/\" title=\"Bail Agent Arrested For Killing Man With No Warrants In Front Of Cops\">domestic violence restraining order<\/a> from possessing a gun.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;If there was any legislation we would consider immediately, it would be that one because it&rsquo;s common sense [and] it&rsquo;s sorely needed,&rdquo; Bravo said.<\/p>\n<p>Kavanagh said that this type of gun regulation may be too broad and taking a step too far.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Blanket descriptions like that are problematic,&rdquo; saying that some forms of domestic violence are not as serious as others and may not warrant such a restriction. Additionally, he said that sometimes one party in a domestic violence situation will take the blame when the other is at fault if the assaulter receives the primary household income.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t have a problem banning mentally ill people or criminals from owning guns, but law-abiding citizens should not have restrictions,&rdquo; Kavanagh said.<\/p>\n<p>Others have said &ldquo;red-flag laws&rdquo; similar to this could be used in a punitive manner.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Educational pamphlets<\/h2>\n<p>A bill previously proposed by Sen. Mitzi Epstein is also on the Democratic Caucus&rsquo; agenda. This bill would allow pediatricians and other healthcare providers to educate parents on how to safely store guns. The pamphlet would be created by the Department of Health to be put in medical offices.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The legislature finds that in the United States the leading cause of death among children and adolescents is unintentional injury, that firearms are a leading cause of those injuries and that over half of those children and adolescents killed by firearms are killed in their own home,&rdquo; reads SB 1512. &ldquo;The legislature further finds it necessary to educate parents about the unintended deadly consequences of having a gun in their home that could be accessible to children and adolescents.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, Longdon had formerly proposed a mirrored bill that is included in the Democrats&rsquo; 2025 plan &ndash; HB 2225. This bill would appropriate $250,000 from the state general fund to the Department of Health Services to create the pamphlet.<\/p>\n<p>Kavanagh said that he does not think it is the responsibility of pediatricians and healthcare providers to educate parents on gun safety.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;That&rsquo;s not the business of doctors,&rdquo; Kavanagh said. &ldquo;Where would it end? Let&rsquo;s have every doctor spend 40 hours with every patient and go through an entire litany of safety measures.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Bravo said that he supports giving medical professionals the ability to educate parents, but that he would not support using taxpayer money to create the pamphlets.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It will take at least two or three more legislative sessions to fix the budget deficit that we were in,&rdquo; Bravo said. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think I would support anything like that if we are in a deficit.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1730913\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1730913\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What a Democratic majority in the Arizona legislature might entail: Gun control (The Center Square) \u2013 Arizona Democrats have been advocating for stricter gun regulations for years, but their efforts have consistently faced opposition from Republican lawmakers. As they approach a potential majority win in November, these policymakers are developing gun control proposals they hope to present to Governor Katie Hobbs. The Democratic Caucus is just two seats away from achieving a legislative majority for the first time in sixty years and has outlined a strategy to swiftly implement their agenda if they gain control in 2025. \u201cIf we succeed, we want to be prepared to govern,\u201d stated Sen. Christine Marsh, D-Phoenix, during an interview with The Center Square.<\/p>\n<p>However, even with a Democratic trifecta, altering the protections outlined in Article 26 of the Arizona Constitution\u2014which offers broader rights than the Second Amendment regarding firearm ownership\u2014would remain unlikely. <\/p>\n<p>Safe gun storage is highlighted by Bruce Petillo&#8217;s tragic experience; after texting his son goodnight on September 5, 2021, he received news that his son had been fatally shot at a friend&#8217;s house due to an unsecured firearm. In response to this tragedy, Bruce and his wife Claire collaborated with former Rep. Jennifer Longdon on \u201cChristian\u2019s Law,\u201d which mandates safe storage of firearms and ammunition or requires guns to be equipped with safety features that prevent them from being fired unless disabled; violators would face civil penalties starting at $1,000. Unfortunately, this bill has yet to reach committee review after two years of waiting.<\/p>\n<p>The Petillos have actively sought support for Christian\u2019s Law by speaking at the Arizona Capitol and meeting various policymakers. They are optimistic that if Democrats gain power in 2025, there may finally be progress on this legislation since Gov. Hobbs has expressed her willingness to sign it into law.<\/p>\n<p>Senator Flavio Bravo will spearhead gun regulation initiatives next year and is considering revising Christian\u2019s Law by introducing incentives rather than penalties\u2014offering tax credits for purchasing certified safe storage solutions instead of imposing fines on violators.<\/p>\n<p>In contrast, Sen. John Kavanagh believes such measures could hinder individuals&#8217; self-defense capabilities: \u201cThey [Democrats] might try enforcing mandatory safety features on firearms which could limit their effectiveness for self-defense.\u201d He emphasizes everyone\u2019s right to protect themselves.<\/p>\n<p>Bravo also raised concerns about guns being present on school campuses after hearing reports from superintendents about students possessing firearms at school\u2014a situation he described as dangerously close to tragedy when recounting an incident involving an AR-15 rifle found in a student\u2019s backpack.<\/p>\n<p>While advocates point out national incidents of gun violence within schools\u2014with Arizona&#8217;s last notable case occurring back in 2016\u2014Kavanagh argues against increased regulations as solutions; instead advocating for armed personnel within schools as necessary deterrents against shootings.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, Democrats plan reintroducing HB 2234\u2014a bill aimed at prohibiting domestic violence offenders from owning firearms\u2014following Supreme Court precedent set by United States v. Rahimi which upheld similar federal restrictions based on restraining orders related domestic violence cases.<\/p>\n<p>Another proposal includes educational pamphlets aimed at informing parents about safe firearm storage practices through healthcare providers like pediatricians\u2014a measure some legislators question regarding its appropriateness within medical practice while others express concern over funding amidst budget deficits<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2324939,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Guns-scaled-1024x683.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[4472,37744,4199],"class_list":["post-2324938","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-arizona","tag-democratic-majorities","tag-legislature"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Guns-scaled-1024x683.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2324938","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2324938"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2324938\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2324939"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2324938"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2324938"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2324938"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}