Stolen valor bill faces tough road in Arizona Senate
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A key committee chair blocked "stolen valor" legislation that passed the Arizona House unanimously, and the Senate president wants to see a compromise before he puts it up for a final vote.
Catch up quick: The bill would make it a crime to impersonate a U.S. armed forces veteran or falsely claim to have served in combat, to have received military honors, or to have attended military academies or to falsify military documents or records if it leads to financial gain or to aid a political campaign.
- Bill sponsor Rep. Walt Blackman, R-Snowflake, an Army veteran, ran in the GOP primary last year against Steve Slaton, whose claim to have served in combat in Vietnam was contradicted by military records.
- The bill passed the House 58-0 last month.
State of play: Sen. Wendy Rogers, R-Flagstaff, an Air Force veteran, pulled the bill from Wednesday's agenda in the Senate Judiciary and Elections committee, which she chairs.
- Friday is the deadline for Senate committees to hear House bills.
- Rogers said she wanted the bill to comport with federal law and had staff contact Blackman's staff last week but was told he had "no interest" in doing so.
- Blackman said he hadn't heard from Rogers or any staff about proposed changes to the bill.
What's next: The House amended the stolen valor legislation onto another bill that already passed the Senate.
- If it passes the full House again, it'll go back to the Senate.
- Yes, but: Senate President Warren Petersen told Axios he won't put the bill up for a vote without a compromise between Blackman and Rogers.
- He said he's "optimistic."
The intrigue: Rogers and Blackman have a history of bad blood, and she backed Slaton in last year's primary.
What she's saying: Rogers did not respond to a message from Axios asking what changes she wants to the bill.
- She said in a statement Thursday it would "weaponize state government" against veterans who are already subject to the federal Stolen Valor Act of 2013, adding the state "does not have access to records, including off-the-books combat operations."
- The senator added she's concerned that Blackman "ran this legislation to hamstring political opponents."
- Slaton claimed last year his military records had been altered and that he was the victim of identity theft, providing a radio host with records that contradicted official documents, the Arizona Republic reported.
The other side: Blackman told Axios he's willing to sit down with Rogers to discuss a compromise but questioned whether she understands his legislation and said he wants the conversations to include "subject matter experts" who are familiar with federal stolen valor laws.
- "And if it doesn't fit the standard of the bill we are trying to pass to protect veterans and their valor, then it's a compromise that we probably will not meet," he said.
- If they can't reach an agreement, Blackman said, he hopes senators are able to force a vote without Petersen's approval.