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ARIZONA CATHOLIC CONFERENCE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

The Arizona Catholic Conference is the policy arm of the state’s three dioceses.

From Ron Johnson, executive director of the ACC

Despite the fact that the House Appropriations Committee approved some budget bills this week, it appears that a final budget is far from being completed.  Complicating the situation in Arizona is the fact that our approximately $3 billion deficit is the second largest in the country as a percentage of the base budget.

The Bishops of the Arizona Catholic Conference (ACC) continue to pray for all involved so that just decisions are made.  To read the complete letter from the Arizona Bishops on this topic, please visit www.azcatholicconference.org.

While the budget situation continues to go unresolved, the House has passed 16 bills.  Included among these bills are the Abortion Consent Act (HB 2564), the state ban on partial birth abortions (HB 2400), the streamlining of the charitable organization tax credit (HB 2286), and the elimination of the sunset provision on the scholarship (corporate) tuition tax credit (HB 2288) – all of which are either supported or initiated by the ACC.

The Senate, meanwhile, continues to refuse to hear any bills not related to the budget at this time.

Finally, on a slightly different topic, the ACC would like to thank Governor Jan Brewer and her staff for standing firm against Planned Parenthood’s insistence that they be a part of the Women’s Health Expo & Conference being organized by the Governor’s Office for Children, Youth, and Families next week.

According to sources, Planned Parenthood did not participate in last year’s conference when Janet Napolitano was Governor and it went just fine without them.  This year, however, Planned Parenthood is making a big deal over their exclusion.

There are a number of organizations able to provide quality information on women’s health.  Planned Parenthood’s assertion that their absence from this event “is alarming and dangerous” is itself absurd and rightfully being ignored.