‘I’m not sure why this bill is being singled out. It might have something to do with partisan politics.’ — Rep. Kyrsten Sinema

As was certainly the case in the writing and enactment of the Bill of Rights, politics appears to be playing a role in legislation to establish a monument at the Capitol to the first ten amendments to the U.S Constitution.
Although the House bill, H2682, to authorize building the monument in Wesley Bolin Plaza calls for private funding, Senate President Ken Bennett folded the measure into a budget bill passed by the Senate — drawing sharp criticism from legislators and the president of a non-profit organization who would like to see such monuments in every state and want a separate vote on the bill.
The bill, sponsored by liberal Democrat Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, is cosponsored by the 89 other legislators. Mr. Bennett only smiled when asked if he put the monument in the budget so Ms. Sinema would not get credit.
It was added to the budget, he said, “so it would be part of the overall budget that people supported.”
The House was expected to take up Senate changes to its budget package the week of June 12, and even if the two chambers can reach agreement and send the budget to Governor Napolitano, there remains the possibility of vetoes to the spending plan.
“Obviously a monument to the Bill of Rights is appropriate, and we’d love to have the first in the United States and we’ll either get it done in the budget or as a separate bill,” Mr. Bennett said. “If there are any problems with the budget that includes that, then we’ll bring it up in the bill.”
Ms. Sinema said she was surprised by Mr. Bennett’s response that everyone could get credit for the monument by having the measure in the budget.
“That’s not really a question when other bills are moving through the process,” she said. “I’m not sure why this bill is being singled out. It might have something to do with partisan politics.”
Senate president gets calls, e-mails
Mr. Bennett said he has received numerous e-mails and phone calls urging him to bring the bill, which passed the House 57-0 on March 2, to the floor for a vote. One of the e-mails was from Chris Bliss, president, mybillofrights.org.
“I am fully aware… that this is not about passing H2682, but either about killing it, or taking it away from its original sponsor should this budget by some miracle not be vetoed,” wrote Mr. Bliss, a Phoenix political activist and entertainer.
“If the latter were to happen, them my organization would be forced to go through a potentially hostile legislative liaison in all our dealing with the Mall Commission on the design and location of the monument,” he wrote.
Libertarian candidate for governor Barry Hess attacked Mr. Bennett’s “choice of tactics.”
“Tying the Bill of Rights Monument bill to the Republican budget… so Janet… will veto it just do you can say, ‘She vetoed the Bill of Rights’ was not a good choice of tactics. Janet does not need your help in proving the incompetence of her administration.”
Sen. Karen Johnson, R- 18 said she urged Senate leaders to allow a vote on the monument bill.
“I’m one of the legislators where it’s the issue not the sponsor,” she said. “It’s worthy of a vote in this body.”
Ms. Sinema says that when Mr. Bliss came to her with monument idea, she suggested he work with Rep. Russell Pearce, R-18, to ensure Republican backing, but Mr. Pearce rejected the idea, saying it is a nonpartisan matter, and she should sponsor the bill because she helped research what is required to create a monument.
Mr. Pearce says the politics being played with the bill doesn’t make sense and the monument deserves its own stand-alone bill.
“The Bill of Rights is virtually our constitutional Ten Commandments,” he said.
The bill would authorize the Department of Administration to provide for placement of the monument and prohibits the state from all fundraising, contracts or depositing any funds associated with the project.
House reporter Jim Small contributed to this article.