Arizona Senate
By Mary Jo Pitzl | Arizona Republic
Judith Simons has some things to say to Arizona lawmakers about education policy, but she’s not sure how she’ll do it.
She calls her representatives, and emails them as well, but when the time comes to testify at a committee hearing at the Capitol, she’s wrestling with the requirement that she must attend in person, given the state of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Unlike last year, when remote participation was possible for the public as well as lawmakers, this year is a quest to return to normal, even as the omicron variant of the virus runs roughshod over Arizona.
“We’re going back to pre-COVID, even though COVID is still around,” said Kim Quintero, communications director for the Arizona Senate.
Reaction to the policy cuts along partisan lines: Democrats are furious that COVID-19 protocols advertised on the Legislature’s website are optional and say GOP leaders are playing with people’s health.
Republicans say they’ve made accommodations for lawmakers with medical conditions and note the public has many tools to communicate with them, including the Legislature’s request-to-speak system, which lodges comments in the public record.
The split was no more apparent than on Jan. 10, opening day of the 55th Legislature’s second session. Almost to a person, Democrats were wearing masks and Republicans weren’t.
There were a few exceptions: Former Republican Gov. Jan Brewer was in attendance, sporting an ochre-colored mask that coordinated with her jacket. She took it off for photos, but marveled at how many people were attending the crowded event in the House chamber without masks.
First Lady Angela Ducey wore a mask as she watched her husband, GOP Gov. Doug Ducey, deliver his State of the State address. Supreme Court Justice Ann Timmer was masked.
