Sen. Jack Harper's Record

Bills Passed—He is the least productive member of the senate.

2006 - None

2005 - One signed into law, one vetoed

2004 - One signed into law

2003 - One vetoed

Total - 2 are law, got 2 vetoed

EDUCATION FUNDING—Against teacher pay raises, against all-day kindergarten, and against financial aid to help in-state students afford our state universities.

2006:

SB 2876 Contained $100 million for teacher pay raises and $118 million for full-day kindergarten funding. Harper voted against the bill on Third Read (6/17/06)

SB 2870 Contained $5 million for student financial aid for students attending any of our 3 state universities (to help combat rising tuition hikes). He voted against the bill on Third Read (6/17/06)

HEALTHCARE—Against vaccines for children and against programs to bring needed doctors to Arizona

2006:

SB 2870 Contained $4.4 million for vaccines for underinsured children. He voted against the bill on Third Read (6/17/06).

SB 2371 Contained $4 million to increase the monies available for the Graduate Medical Education program (more doctors for Arizona – much needed in the current shortage). He voted against the bill on Third Read (6/17/06)

IMMIGRATION—Voted to undermine laws that would stop illegal immigration.

2006

HB2577 Allows businesses to knowingly hire illegal immigrants without fear of punishment. Under this bill, if employers do get caught, they have 10 days to fire the employee—and tap the next illegal in line for the job. And, if a fired employee sues the employer, then the state has to pay the company's legal fees, court costs and damage awards simply for trying to enforce the law. He voted for the bill.

SB 2870 Contained $5.2 million appropriation to AHCCCS (state's Medicaid program) so they can verify a person's citizenship before the state pays for their healthcare costs. If he's against illegal immigrants getting taxpayer-funded benefits, why did he vote no? He voted against the bill on Third Read (6/17/06).

PAY RAISES—Opposes pay raises for others but voted one for himself.

2006

Prop 302 Would raise legislator's salaries by 50 percent. Voted to put legislative pay raises on the ballot but opposes an increase in the minimum wage or pay raises for teachers.

CRIME—Against money for police & firefighters.

2006:

SB 1408 Phases out urban revenue sharing for cities with a population of over 100,000. Right now cities keep property taxes low through an agreement with the state called urban revenue sharing in which the state shares income tax money with the cities to pay for services. This is the money cities use to pay police and firefighter salaries. This bill would force cities to raise taxes on a local level to make up for the loss revenue. He voted for the bill in the Senate Finance Committee (2/2/06)

CRIME—Supports private prisons that take jobs and money out of Arizona .

2005:

HB 2709 Requires Arizona to contract with a private prison facility contractor for a private prison facility to be located in Mexico to house Mexican National prisoners (as if Mexico would let us do this). He voted for the bill on Third Read (4/18/05).

RURAL WATER SUPPLY —At the Clean Elections debate on August 9, 2006 against Bill Whalen, Harper opposed any move to monitor or regulate groundwater use. Right now cities across rural Arizona are calling on the state to allow them to monitor wells when they all draw from the same aquifer because our rural areas are exhausting their groundwater. Harper opposes allowing rural communities to protect their groundwater supplies.