Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed five bills on Tuesday. Intention to sell and another bill silencer removed From the state’s list of prohibited weapons.
nevertheless Senate Bill 1027
Positioned as a way to tighten penalties for those who manufacture fentanyl and similar drugs around children, the measures also include sweeping changes to laws that criminalize possession of fentanyl, heroin, and other opioids. It wasAmong other things, it would have created Long Mandatory Minimum Penalties for Drug Userssimilar to the laws already described in books on the possession and use of methamphetamine.
Last week, Hobbes signed into law a bill to continue the state’s “Good Samaritan” law. This allows people who call emergency services for a drug overdose to not be prosecuted or prosecuted. In her veto letter, she said her SB1027 violated that law.
Fentanyl in Arizona has been booming in recent years. Recently, Arizona Attorney General Chris Mays, along with members of the Tempe Police Department, 4.5 million counterfeit prescription pills laced with fentanyl It is mainly manufactured and distributed by the Sinaloa drug cartels.
medicine also Passed the heroine for the first time as the most trafficked drug across the US-Mexico border.In Pima County, health authorities distribute test strips Allow residents to determine if a drug contains fentanyl.
“I encourage Congress to send narrower legislation that focuses on fentanyl manufacturers,” Hobbes said in her letter of veto.
Hobbes also refused Senate Bill 1109, R-Flagstaff Sen. Wendy Rogers tried to preempt possible future federal legislation on gun laws. Silencers and muzzles His suppressors are considered Class 3 firearms, although they are legal in Arizona. special licenseRogers bill removed from existing State Law This complies with federal guidelines for equipment.
Silencers are available to U.S. gun owners, but must be registered with the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Administration and approved by the agency. registration silencer Held in Arizona in 2016, it has over one million registered nationwide. However, state law prohibits such devices.
“Gun silencers have long been banned in Arizona, along with fully automatic firearms and sawed-off shotguns,” Hobbs said in her letter of veto“Legalizing silencers, or any other weapon currently on the ‘prohibited weapons’ list, would make Arizona less safe.” ”
Hobbs also vetoed legislation intended to impose stiffer penalties on those who interfere with public utilities and hold them accountable for their costs.
The measures are House Bill 2212, allowed those who interfere with or prevent the functioning of utility infrastructure to be prosecuted for aggravated criminal damages. The bill comes on the heels of numerous attacks on substations across the country in Washington and North Carolina. This left many without power and caused millions of dollars in damage.
The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Gail Griffin (R-Hereford), cited attacks as the reason the bill was written to take a “positive stance” on national issues.
Deliberate attacks on substations are not a completely new phenomenon. In 2013, california substation Attacked by a team of gunmen – crime remain unresolvedfar-right extremists ever Talk about attacking more and more substations Since at least 2020, North Carolina attackthe Department of Homeland Security has issued a security bulletin addressing the threat. Reported by CNN.
CNN also reported that a 14-page document published in an online space favored by neo-Nazis seeking to accelerate the downfall of the US government contained a guide on how to attack a substation. Arizona Mirror obtained a copy of this document and another of his 200-page documents with detailed instructions on how to disrupt critical infrastructure.
That larger document specifically mentions the 2013 substation attack as inspiration in its opening paragraph.Neo-Nazis caught in conspiracy to commit crimes Attack on a substation in Baltimore
The man at the center of the conspiracy discussed the North Carolina attack with a confidential informant before he was arrested earlier this year.
in her letter of vetoHobbs said the bill “does little to deter threats to our critical facilities.”
“Additionally, the act is already covered by several state and federal laws, so this bill is unnecessary,” Hobbes said.
