Values: By Mark R. Kerr

As of press time, Arizona’s Legislature has been in session for 108-days of a 100-day session and the Republican leadership of both chambers, Speaker Jim Weiers of Phoenix and Senator (and Congressional District 8 candidate) Tim Bee of Tucson have some much to be proud of for this second regular session of the 48th Legislature. During this, the following measures have progressed, dealing with such subjects (listing just a few of the many) as:

Allowing students to carry concealed weapons on school-grounds and campuses;

Teaching “Americanism” and capitalism as the only way for the world to succeed;

Making sure breast implants are not garnished with a state sales tax;

Increase penalities for horse tripping;

Just saying “yes” to abstinence programs by funding them, despite the studies, surveys and results, the state having one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates;

Ensuring that the future of the state, the children aren’t knowledgeable about sexually transmitted diseases;

Keeping identical twins together in classrooms, in the state school system;

Regulating cosmetic procedures such as injections;

Conduct codes, but no additional funding, for students and school district employees;

More license plate variations despite the fact people can’t afford cars or gas;

Legislation regulations for prearranged funeral agreements;

Increased the fighting ability in caged, mixed-martial arts matches;

Setting up a review committee to look at Arizona’s national rankings in every possible survey or report;

Even more sanctions and the resulting paperwork for the Republican’s primary supporters, business;

Limiting or restricting recess, physical education, music and art classes and,

Despite the state constitution that protect the religious freedom of Arizona's K-12 students, approving legislation to “ensure religious freedom” but with the measure, opening the possibility for a school's anti-harassment, anti-bullying or non-discrimination policies to be invalidated.

Even though no state budget for the next fiscal year has been agreed to by the Republican leadership in the Arizona Legislature and the economic storm clouds are gathering en mass, quickly, they will always have same-sex marriage, state law agreed to by the same body and court precedent notwithstanding!

Values indeed but hopefully for Arizona voters when they go to the polls to cast their ballots for the Legislature as well as the potential amendments (including same-sex marriage), referendums and initiatives, they were tell the legislators, as well as the innocuous measures, “no sale.”