Legislative Glance
Immigration
Setting the stage for a lawsuit, the state House voted late Thursday to forbid jail officials from releasing someone who immigration authorities want them to hold.
HB 2121 would make it illegal for any public official to refuse to comply with an “immigration detainer.’’ That is a formal request by the Department of Homeland Security that a state or local agency keep for up to 48 hours someone not in this country legally, giving time for federal agents to pick them up.
But the measure by Rep. Bob Thorpe, R-Flagstaff, goes even further than the directive to hold immigrants.
It allows any Arizona legal resident to file suit. If a judge finds there is a violation he or she has to impose a penalty of at least $500 a day — and up to $5,000 a day — for each day the policy of refusing to hold undocumented people has been in force.
HB 2121 also spells out that any person who is injured by someone who is released when there is a detainer request can sue the individual, agency or official responsible for the release.
Auto insurance
Motorists would have to buy more liability insurance than now required to drive on Arizona roads under the terms of legislation approved Thursday by the state Senate.
The current minimum coverage is $15,000 for injuries to any one person, $30,000 for all injuries in any incident, and $10,000 to cover property damage, usually to someone else’s vehicle. SB 1111 would raise the figures to $25,000 and $50,000 for injuries and $25,000 for property damage.
Sen. Kate Brophy McGee, R-Phoenix, pointed out the current limits have been in place since 1972. She said the minimum coverage fails to account for the fact that medical costs have risen and cars are more expensive to replace.
The 18-12 vote came over the objections of Sen. David Farnsworth, R-Mesa, who said the higher premiums will result in people dropping their insurance and driving without coverage, which is illegal.
“People will end up in jail because of this bill,’’ he said. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.’’
SB 1111 now goes to the House.
Industrial hemp
With no real debate the Senate voted Thursday to legalize the growing, processing and sale of the nonpsychoactive form of marijuana.
SB 1337 is based on arguments by Sen. Sonny Borrelli, R-Lake Havasu City, that industrial hemp would be a good cash crop for Arizona. He said its fibers and seeds have multiple uses, from rope to lotions.
The measure is crafted so that while marijuana remains illegal, the laws would not apply to plants that have a concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol of no more than three-tenths of a percent, an amount Borrelli said is so low that someone could smoke it all day and the only result would be a headache.
Sen. Sylvia Allen, R-Snowflake, said she understands concerns that the law might be used by those seeking to grow the more psychoactive version, something now limited to people licensed and regulated by the state to grow medical marijuana. But Allen said she’s convinced the state Department of Agriculture will be able to oversee the practice to prevent abuse. The 26-4 vote sends the measure to the House.