Democrat Catherine H. Miranda
is a member of the Arizona State
Senate, representing District 11. She
assumed office on January 9, 2023. Her
current term ends on January 13, 2025.
Miranda ran for election to the Arizona
State Senate to represent District 11. She
won in the general election on November 8,
2022. Miranda previously
served in the Arizona Senate, representing
the 27th electoral district from 2015 to
2019. She was a member of the Arizona House
of Representatives from 2011 to 2015. In
2018, Miranda ran in the Democratic primary
for Arizona's 7th congressional district in
2018, challenging incumbent Democrat Ruben
Gallego, but lost the nomination. In 2020,
she was defeated in her attempt to return to
the Arizona House of Representatives by
challenging the incumbents, Reginald Bolding
and Diego Rodriguez, in the Democratic
primary. Miranda was first elected in the
16th district, the same seat that her late
husband, Ben Miranda, had held. She was then
redistricted to the 27th district. Miranda
served on the Roosevelt Elementary School
District #66 Governing Board from 2008 until
her election to the state House of
Representatives. Miranda is running for
re-election
to the
Arizona
State Senate
to represent
District 11.
She is on
the ballot
in the
Democratic
primary on
July 30,
2024.
"A
Democratic
state
senator has
asked the
Attorney
General to
investigate
whether a
Phoenix
ordinance to
force
contractors
on public
works
projects of
more than
$250,000 to
match the
wages of
union
workers in
the area is
lawful." [ .
. . ]
"Phoenix
Mayor Kate
Gallego was
displeased
with Sen. Catherine
Miranda intervening
in the issue
with what is
known as a
SB1487
complaint,
which
Gallego
called a
“bad tool”
that will
“always
preempt
cities.""
Apr. 20,
2023
While Catherine Miranda did not vote against this measure she instead decided to take the non-committal way out and did not vote.
"1 Catherine Miranda, who has been running as a Democrat throughout her career, has endorsed Republican Michele Reagan for secretary of state, shunning Democrat Terry Goddard and his proven record as an advocate for reproductive justice and LGBTQ rights. In the 1980s, as the mayor of Phoenix, Terry Goddard helped keep Planned Parenthood patients safe from disruptive protesters, whereas just this year Michele Reagan voted in favor of HB 2284, which was designed to harass patients at clinics that provide abortions.
2 In an even more baffling move, Catherine Miranda has endorsed Doug Ducey for governor. Ducey is an odd choice, given that he is opposed to marriage equality and is expected to sign a bill similar to SB 1062 into law if it comes across his desk. He opposes abortion unless the mother’s life is at stake, and is advised by the far-right Center for Arizona Policy. Why does Catherine Miranda support Doug Ducey’s candidacy?
3 Speaking of the Center for Arizona Policy, Catherine Miranda signed their “pro-life pledge,” which denounces Roe v. Wade as unconstitutional and demands full “personhood” rights for fetuses at any stage of development.
4 Earlier this year, Catherine Miranda voted in favor of HB 2284, which allows warrantless inspections of abortion clinics. Previously, the health department already had the ability to perform immediate, unannounced inspections after obtaining evidence of health and safety risks — but it needed an administrative warrant first. There was no evidence that the previous regulatory system was failing, and ADHS did not request this legislation. Rep. Miranda backed it anyway.
This change has the potential to violate the privacy of women seeking abortion care, and is part of a larger barrage of aggressive bills targeting women and reproductive health care that Arizona has seen ever since Rep. Miranda took office in 2011.
5 In 2012, Catherine Miranda was the only Democrat to vote in favor of HB 2036, the bill that banned abortion past 20 weeks — but that, infamously, defined pregnancy as starting two weeks before conception, effectively banning it at 18 weeks. The bill put other restrictions on abortion as well, including imposing ultrasounds 24 hours in advance and requiring abortion providers to have admitting privileges to local hospitals.
6 Also in 2012, Catherine Miranda voted in favor of HB 2800, which prohibited state funding for abortion providers. Make no mistake, there never was state funding for abortions — HB 2800 simply sought to deny state Medicaid patients the ability to go to Planned Parenthood Arizona for preventive health care, such as vaccinations; cancer screenings, such as Pap tests and breast exams; and family-planning services, such as contraception. Luckily, PPAZ fought the bill in court and won, ensuring Medicaid patients’ right to choose their own health care providers.
7 Back in 2011, Catherine Miranda voted in favor of HB 2384, a similar bill that targeted Planned Parenthood Arizona. The bill prohibits Arizona taxpayers from receiving the Working Poor Charitable Tax Credit if they contribute to an organization that provides abortions. Now that this tax credit can no longer be claimed by donors to Planned Parenthood Arizona, there is less incentive to support access to preventive care, such as gynecological exams, STD screenings, and Pap tests.
8 Also in 2011, Catherine Miranda voted in favor of HB 2443, which outlawed abortion based on sex or race — a classic solution in search of a problem, given that sex- or race-selective abortion has never been shown to be a problem in Arizona. The bill was actually just another attempt to stigmatize the procedure rather than do anything to address sexism or racism. Now, those seeking abortion services in Arizona must disclose their reason for choosing to terminate their pregnancy and sign an affidavit stating that the abortion is not for sex or race selection.
9 In 2011, Catherine Miranda voted in favor of HB 2416, which prohibited certain types of medical professionals from providing medication abortion — despite the fact that these health care providers had been facilitating medication abortions for more than a decade with exemplary health and safety records. Abortion access was disrupted in Flagstaff, where Planned Parenthood’s health center was forced to discontinue abortion services for its rural clientele until earlier this year (2014). The bill also banned the use of telemedicine in providing abortions, which also restricted access for rural Arizonans.
10 Catherine Miranda received a 50-percent rating from Stonewall Democrats of Arizona, is classified as “anti-choice” by NARAL Pro-Choice Arizona, and was endorsed by Arizona Right to Life in 2012. Her ratings with Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona haven’t been too hot, either. This year, she received a 67 percent rating from us — worse than most Democrats, better than most Republicans, but if we handed out letter grades that would still be a D. In 2011, she received only a 20 percent rating from PPAA, which would be an F!"
Social Issues
