Speaker Toma believes he has the votes to pass border plan after Senate approval
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The border security and illegal immigration plan that legislative Republicans want to send to the November ballot overcame its last GOP opposition in the state Senate, and House Speaker Ben Toma believes it has enough votes for final passage in the House.
The big picture: The Secure the Border Act would make it a state crime to cross into Arizona from Mexico from anywhere except an official port of entry, require government entities to use a federal database to determine if people who apply for public benefits are in the country legally, and enhance penalties for selling fentanyl that leads to someone's death.
- If approved by voters, the provision making it a state crime to cross the border illegally wouldn't go into effect unless the courts uphold a similar Texas law.
State of play: Sen. Ken Bennett (R-Prescott) was a question mark after telling reporters last week that he wanted to remove language that would eliminate protections for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients if the program is canceled, among other changes.
- With only a one-vote majority, Senate Republicans can't afford to lose a single member on a party-line vote.
- The Senate on Wednesday removed the DACA language, added probable cause requirements for police to make an arrest, and included language specifying that the bill wouldn't be retroactive.
What's next: The House is expected to take its final vote on the measure June 4, and if it passes, it'll go to the general election ballot.
- Toma (R-Glendale) told Axios there won't be more amendments, so the version that passed the Senate will be what the House votes on.
In other Capitol news this week, Gov. Katie Hobbs signed bills:
Vacating convictions for people who committed prostitution as a result of being victims of child sex trafficking.
Allowing candidates who are impersonated by artificial intelligence-generated deepfakes to get court judgments declaring the likenesses to be false.
- Rep. Alex Kolodin (R-Scottsdale), the legislation's sponsor, said he used ChapGPT to help craft part of the bill.
Barring cities from prohibiting backyard chickens at single-family homes.
- That was in addition to bills requiring cities of 75,000 people or more to allow accessory dwelling units and "middle housing" like duplexes and triplexes.