Graffiti Legislation

Dear Block Watch member and any other citizen of Arizona concerned about the growing graffiti epidemic,

This year the state legislature developed three bills that would help curb graffiti in our state, here is a brief summary of each:

HB2819 - makes it illegal to posses any graffiti implement (aerosol cans, indelible markers, etc) without express permission of the property owner
HB2701 - Limits the display of potential graffiti tools in retail stores to one of the three options; in line of sight of cashier, behind locked doors, or an area that has electronic surveillance. (Currently some cities have laws like this, but it is not a statewide law)
HB2740 - If a juvenile is guilty for a second offense of graffiti, then the court will order the juvenile's parent or guardian to assist the juvenile in the performance of the community restitution.

These all sound like good sensible bills, right? Well, HB2819 and HB2701 didn’t go very far and now they are dead bills. There is a way for the legislature to bring them back though, but the deadline to do so is next week, so time is limited! We need a critical mass to demonstrate to our elected state officials that we support HB2740 and that we want HB2819 and HB2701 to be brought back.

If you want these bills to become law you need to e-mail, call, and or visit each of the pertinent state legislators listed below and tell them to;

a. “support HB2740”; this is an excellent way to get parental involvement where it is sorely needed. This will hold accountable those who have ultimate responsibility of these kids.

b. “bring back HB2819 and HB2701 as striker amendments”. The state needs a law that makes it a crime to carry graffiti implements when there is no good reason to do so. Think about it, who carries that kind of stuff around; professionals and workers who have a valid use for it, or kids and criminals who are up to no good. There is also a statewide need to make graffiti implements inaccessible to would-be graffiti criminals. We need to cut off these criminals at the source and we need our public safety officers to have more authority to take action against these criminals.

Tell them you are tired of gangs, graffiti artists, and taggers who deface your property, your schools, your buildings, and your highways. Tell them that you want statewide legislation written about this serious problem NOW!

Chad Campbell - HB2819, HB2701, HB2740 sponsor chcampbell@azleg.gov (602) 926-3026

Ben R. Miranda – Laveen area State Representative bmiranda@azleg.gov (602) 926-4893
Cloves C. Campbell, Jr. – Laveen area State Representative clcampbell@azleg.gov (602) 926-3042
Leah Landrum Taylor – Laveen area State Senator llandrumtaylor@azleg.gov (602) 926-3830
Tim Bee - Senate President tbee@azleg.gov (602) 926-5683
Thayer Verschoor - Senate Majority Leader tverschoor@azleg.gov (602) 926-4136
Marsha Arzberger - Senate Minority Leader marzberger@azleg.gov (602) 926-4321
Jim Weiers - Speaker Of The House jweiers@azleg.gov (602) 926-4173
Tom Boone – House Majority Leader tboone@azleg.gov (602) 926-3297
Phil Lopes – House Minority Leader plopes@azleg.gov (602) 926-3278

Please pass this e-mail to anyone else that wants to help eliminate graffiti.

Sincerely,

David King

Trailside Point Block Watch