In 2006, Arizona adopted a law that allowed the Department of Agriculture to implement a mandatory NAIS. On May 1, Governor Janet Napolitano signed SB1428, which bars the agency from making NAIS mandatory in Arizona! The bill did not include all of the provisions we wanted, but it’s a good start. The sponsor, Senator Johnson, has invited Arizona residents to let her know if the Department is pressuring people into NAIS, and is willing to work on future bills to strengthen the protections. Senator Johnson learned about NAIS at the Freedom 21 Conference, when Judith McGeary and Karin Bergener (of the Liberty Ark Steering Committee) spoke about it. Among other things, she used our Top 10 Myths to help educate members of the House Committee about the truth about NAIS.

Action Alert:

UPDATE: SB 1428 passes the Arizona House
April 23, 2007

CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE ASAP
April 10, 2007

Contact the members of the House Water and Agriculture Committee!
March 26, 2007

Contact the Chair of the Water and Agriculture Committee!
March 21, 2007

Call your Senator NOW!
February 28, 2007

Call your Senator today!
February 20, 2007

From Senator Karen Johnson - hearing on SB1428 will be Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Summary as of 2/22/07:

SB1428, as introduced, would have barred all participation in NAIS or any national program of premises registration. At the hearing on February 14, the bill was amended to bar a mandatory program, and it was approved by the committee by a vote of 6-1! This was the first anti-NAIS bill to make it out of committee!! The sponsor, Senator Johnson, will be introducing a "non-discrimination" amendment on the floor, to prevent coercive measures from being used to force people into the program.

Status:

Section 3-1207 of the Arizona Revised Statutes authorizes the Director of the Arizona Department of Agriculture to cooperate with USDA in implementing NAIS.
www.azleg.state.az.us/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/ars/3/01207.htm &Title=3&DocType=ARS

Grassroots activity:

Individuals have been writing letters and calling their elected officials

Political activity:

An Arizona Senator has committed to introducing a bill that would amend §3-1207 to bar participation in NAIS.

Coalition of Arizona/New Mexico Counties for Stable Economic Growth:
Resolution opposing the proposed National Animal Identification System