AZ LD4 Democrats

Today is World Refugee Day around the world. Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego has proclaimed today as World Refugee Day right here in Phoenix! 💛

"Refugees are honored each year internationally for their courage, resilience, and enduring hope as they overcome some of the most harrowing circumstances and persevere in the face of adversity. Phoenix remains steadfast in its commitment to being a welcoming community for refugee arrivals who now call this city their home.

Phoenix celebrates the strength and spirit refugees bring, welcoming individuals and families from around the world as they join and enrich our community. Their traditions, cultures, and lived experiences strengthen our shared identity, and their contributions continue to enhance the vibrancy of our city. ...

Phoenix is proud to have supported thousands of refugees from countries across the globe. We commend both the remarkable courage of refugees and the commitment of public agencies, private organizations, employers, volunteers, and community partners in Phoenix who work tirelessly to overcome cultural, linguistic, and economic barriers—restoring hope, dignity, and opportunity."

Give a listen and get to know Caputi For Arizona!

From the DDD families our LD worked with so closely last year. Please follow the Raising Voices Coalition page to stay aware of ongoing issues.

The DOJ just published a memo saying states don’t have to follow Olmstead.

Olmstead v. L.C. is the 1999 Supreme Court decision that established unnecessary institutionalization as discrimination under the ADA. It has been the legal foundation for home and community-based services in this country for 26 years.

The Office of Legal Counsel, the office inside the Department of Justice that advises the President and federal agencies on how to interpret existing law, issued an opinion with two specific conclusions. First, that the Supreme Court’s Olmstead decision did not actually require states to serve disabled people in integrated settings. Second, that Congress never intended the ADA or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act to prohibit unnecessary institutionalization. Both conclusions contradict how courts have interpreted these laws for decades.

The OLC does not make law. But federal agencies that adopt this interpretation can use it to change how they enforce Olmstead compliance at the state level, and states that want to reduce home and community-based services now have a federal opinion they can point to.

The memo itself acknowledges that any federal agency adopting this interpretation will likely be sued.

This is why I do this work. My son is home with our family, laughing and playing with his brothers, reading his favorite books with his providers. That is not a given. It is the direct result of protections like this one existing and being enforced. State and federal advocacy is what keeps those protections standing.

Arizona’s program is one of the strongest in the country. We are watching this closely and will share specific action steps when there is something concrete to act on.

Click here for the full AAPD statement: https://www.aapd.com/aapd-horrified-by-doj-olmstead-memo/

Share this with someone in your circle who needs to understand what changed this week.

Proud to be endorsed by . What is a monopoly? Companies like APS are a monopoly because millions of Arizonans have no other choice for their electricity provider.

When monopolies are shielded from competition and customers are locked in, companies have huge power to raise prices.

The good news: The Arizona Corporation Commission was created to ensure monopoly utilities don't abuse their power. But current Corporation Commissioners are failing, letting Arizonans' energy bills surge.

I’m running to put teeth back into the ACC and stop monopolies from taking advantage of you and your family.

Learn more: https://fightcorporatemonopolies.org/our-endorsements/ :~:text=Arizona%20Corporation%20Commission-,Jonathon%20Hill,-has%20built%20his