The Arizona State Legislature has found itself amidst a political skirmish as Republican State Senator Wendy Rogers is accused of stalling a bill aimed at penalizing those who falsely impersonate military veterans. Known as HB 2030, the "Stolen Valor Act" received unanimous support in the State House, a rare moment of bipartisan agreement in these divided times, as reported by Arizona Capitol Times. However, when the bill was sent to the Senate Judiciary and Elections Committee, which Rogers chairs, it mysteriously hit a wall. Veterans and other lawmakers are up in arms, claiming Rogers has personal motives for halting the progress of the bill.
Despite the urgency and the support from lawmakers across the aisle, Rogers has kept the bill in limbo, reportedly prompting outrage from the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Walt Blackman. "Silence in this is compliance in this," Blackman said at a press conference, where surrounded by veterans, he complained about those not speaking up against the block. Their presence in the committee was over a bill that aims to champion their service and honor, according to a statement obtained by FOX 10 Phoenix.
Blackman, himself a U.S. Army veteran, suggests that the block stems from a tangle of political endorsements gone sour. In a previous election cycle, Rogers supported Blackman’s primary opponent Steve Slaton, who faced accusations of exaggerating his military service record. Rogers’ continued support for Slaton, even after these allegations surfaced, appears to have cast a long shadow over the current legislative process.
Utilizing a procedural maneuver, Blackman and others have sought alternative routes to reviving the stalled legislation. A striker amendment was passed on SB1424 with the same language as the "Stolen Valor Act," which, if passed out of the House, would return to the Senate for a final vote, potentially bypassing the need for approval by Rogers’ committee. This move, an attempt to keep the momentum of the bill and its message alive, was championed by Sen. Shawnna Bolick, who underscored the importance of not putting "personalities over good policy," as told to Arizona Capitol Times.
Meanwhile, Senate President Warren Petersen has been reticent to override his committee chairs, stating in a text to the Arizona Capitol Times, "As President, I have empowered my chairmen. If they hold a bill, it is dead, even if I like the bill. I think it is good for the institution when leadership respects their chairmen and does not go around them."
