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Reagan holiday proposal among bills facing Legislature


(Editor's note: State legislators will introduce many bills in this spring's session, and the following is a wrap-up of several issues affecting ASU including: the state's official language, expanding cell phone laws and creating a day to commemorate a former president.)

Honoring Reagan

One Senate bill would make Feb. 6 Ronald Reagan Day in Arizona.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 1007 would create a commemorative holiday honoring the former president, meaning students wouldn't get the day off. Sens. Jack W. Harper, R-Glendale and Dean Martin, R-Phoenix introduced the bill.

Martin said Reagan was the most influential politician in recent times. He wants the public to appreciate Reagan as much as he does.

"He was the president when I was a kid," he said. "He's a modern political hero."

English only in Arizona

One bill that is generating public debate is the Republican-sponsored bill that, if passed, would make English the official language of Arizona.

House Concurrent Resolution 2030 would require all government laws, proceedings and programs to be published in English. Legislators would still be able to communicate unofficially in another language.

International trade, education and documents that deal with public health or safety would be excluded from the law.

Rep. Meg Burton Cahill, D-Tempe, said she hopes the bill won't pass.

"I think diversity is a good thing, and this is not a positive thing," she said.

The representative said support of the bill has been lukewarm because of Arizona's large Hispanic and Native American communities.

Sen. Harry Mitchell, D-Tempe, said he is "very opposed" to the bill.

"That's a House bill, but it won't get through the Senate if it makes it over," he said.

Sponsors of the bill could not be reached for comment.

No cell phones in cars

House bill 2159 would allow police to charge motorists with a non-moving violation if they are involved in an accident while using cell phones that aren't "hands free."

The maximum fine would be $200.

Drivers would not be charged if they were using a phone to contact a law enforcement agency, the fire department or a hospital.

Rep. Tom Prezelski, D-Tucson, is sponsoring the bill. He said he doesn't think it will get a hearing at the Legislature because the bill has failed in the past, but he hopes it will evoke public interest.

"We go after people who drive drunk, but we don't go after people who drive stupid," he said.

Prezelski said cell phones would eventually become socially unacceptable in cars. ASU journalism freshman Doug Rowan agreed.

"I'm from New York and we have [a similar] law out there. It's a good law," he said. "I hate the stupid cell phones out here."

Reach the reporter at michael.famiglietti@asu.edu.


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