Arizona Gov. Ducey signs bills on embryos, substitute teachers, driver's licenses and more

Gov. Doug Ducey on Tuesday signed 19 bills into law, including measures that deal with the rights to human embryos, the limits of restricted driver's licenses and changes to landlord and tenant rights in the case of eviction.

So far this session, the Legislature has passed 170 bills; Ducey has signed 110 and vetoed three so far. Most bills become law 90 days after the legislative session ends.

Here are six noteworthy bills that are now law in Arizona:

1. Deciding who gets frozen embryos in a divorce

The governor signed Senate Bill 1393, which dictates which party in a divorce will have rights to frozen embryos. The parent who would "allow the in vitro embryos to develop to birth" would be awarded the rights; the other parent would not have to pay child support for a resulting child.

The bill was sponsored Sen. Nancy Barto, R-Deer Valley, and supported by the Center for Arizona Policy, a conservative political advocacy group. After the signing, Cathi Herrod, the group's president, said the new law, "properly balances the interest of both spouses."

But opponents like Rep. Kristen Engel, D-Tucson, said although embryos may be property, the parents and the courts should be responsible for that decision, not the Legislature.

"They decide who will get these embryos in the case of divorce, and often that is key to their decision as to whether to go through with the treatment or not," Engel said in March.

2. Substitute teachers and teaching certificates

Ducey also signed House Bill 2036, whichdr allows substitute teachers to apply time spent in the classroom toward the capstone experience requirements needed for a teaching certificate.

Rep. Heather Carter, R-Cave Creek, said the bill would aid help state find new teachers, as some teachers begin their careers as substitutes. Some substitutes who transition to long-term teaching positions, Carter said, are still classified as substitutes.

This bill is tailored to help long-term substitutes, not those who hop from class to class. HB 2036 received minimal opposition and passed with a majority vote from both chambers.

3. Changes to restricted driver's licenses

House Bill 2169, which allows courts to offer a restricted license to someone who commits a minor traffic offense, also gained Ducey's approval.

The bill's sponsor, Rep. Paul Boyer, R-Phoenix, said the measure was inspired by a man who got in a crash that wasn't his fault while on a suspended license. The man claimed he didn't know the license was suspended.

Because his license was suspended, the man, who owned a pool business, had to pay to travel using ride-sharing apps. HB 2169 would give a restricted license to people in similar situations, allowing them to drive to and from home, work or school. It also allows them to be the driver for a dependent living in their home.

The bill received unanimous support from the House and Senate.

4. More rights for landlords

Senate Bill 1376 was also among the bills signed into law. The bill allows landlords to bring an evicted tenant's abandoned pet to a shelter and shortens the time they can retrieve their property before it is removed.

The bill's sponsor, Sen. Gail Griffin, R-Hereford, said it is needed to speed up the process of removing property after evictions and is a "common-sense approach."

Critics like Ellen Katz of the William E. Morris Institute for Justice said the bill would strip renters of rights. It shortens the time people can retrieve their belongings from 21 to 14 days, which could result in fewer tenants being able to retrieve their property in time, Katz said.

"Evictions happen so quickly that it is not unusual that a tenant may leave some property," she said. "...Most of them come back and get it once they get their next paycheck."

5. Reviewing photo radar evidence

Senate Bill 1110 requires a review of photo radar evidence by law enforcement before issuing a citation. It will be a Class 1 misdemeanor for a photo enforcement company to determine whether a violation occurred.

The bill's sponsor, Sen. Sonny Borrelli, R-Lake Havasu City, said the change will make sure officers and law enforcement agencies, not photo radar companies, are issuing citations.

Borrelli said he is not targeting specific cities with an abundance of photo radar cameras, like Paradise Valley, but that he just wants to "get cities in compliance with the law."

The bill received unanimous support from both the House and Senate.

6. Establishing a State Seal of Civics Literacy

HB 2561 allows the Superintendent of Public Instruction to create a State Seal of Civics literacy program and award certificates to students who earn a high level of proficiency.

School districts and charter schools can choose to participate in the program, which would be a collaboration between ASU's School of Civic Engagement and Economic Thought and Leadership and other civics experts in the state.

The ASU school received a grant from the Charles Koch Foundation in 2014, which state Sen. Martin Quezada, D-Glendale, took issue with. Quezada said the bill is, "allowing the influence of a great source dark money" in schools.

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