Warren Petersen

 

 
Far-right Republican extremist member of the Arizona Senate representing District 14 from January 9, 2023. He currently serves as President of the Arizona Senate. He formerly was a State Representative, also representing District 12. He was elected by his peers to serve as Majority Leader from 2018–2019.

Arizona Senate Panel Ignores Own Attorney, OKs Bills Attacking Trans Students And Drag Queens

Elias Weiss / Phoenix New Times

Mar. 1, 2023

 
Relentless Republicans advanced three anti-LGBTQ bills to the full Arizona Senate on Monday despite warnings that the bills might be unconstitutional.
 
Senate Rules Attorney Chris Kleminich warned the Senate Rules Committee that SB 1001, which targets transgender children in schools, and SB 1026 and SB 1698, two weapons in the GOP’s war on drag queens, weren’t likely to be upheld in a court of law.
 
SB 1001, sponsored by Republican Senator John Kavanagh, prohibits teachers and school officials from referring to students by pronouns that don't match their assigned gender at birth unless they have written parental permission. That bill moved forward in the Senate Education Committee in January.
 

[...]

 
Despite Kleminich’s admonition, Republicans advanced the bill to the full Senate with a 4-3 vote. Republican Senators Warren Petersen, Sonny Borrelli, Sine Kerr, and T.J. Shope voted to advance the bill. Democratic Senators Lela Alston, Catherine Miranda, and Raquel Terán voted against it.
 

[...]

 
Kavanagh, who has been attacking LGBTQ people in Arizona for the past decade and who has a habit of authoring unconstitutional bills, also sponsored SB 1026, which would prohibit public money from being used to pay for “drag shows targeting minors.”
 
The Fountain Hills Republican sponsored SB 1026 despite telling Phoenix New Times that he can’t think of an instance in which taxpayer dollars were used to put on a drag show for children in Arizona. The bill defines public money as “tax monies of this state, federal monies passing through the state treasury, or any other state monies." It was passed by the Senate Government Committee on February 9.
 

[...]

 
SB 1698, sponsored by first-term Republican Senator Justine Wadsack, would add drag shows to a state law about "dangerous crimes against children." The bill defines drag shows as adult-oriented performances and compares them to bestiality, child sex trafficking, second-degree murder, and sexual assault.

GOP Arizona Legislators, Including Leaders Of The House And Senate, Subpoenaed To Testify In Special Counsel Probe Of Trump
At least three Arizona Republican state legislators have been subpoenaed by the U.S. Justice Department’s special counsel, Jack Smith, as part of the criminal investigation into former President Donald Trump and his efforts to reverse his 2020 election loss. The federal grand jury subpoenas were issued to Senate President Warren Petersen, Sen. Sonny Borrelli and House Speaker Ben Toma. And at least one former state senator, Michelle Ugenti-Rita, who led the Senate’s Election Committee in 2021, received a subpoena. All four have been ordered to produce records and travel to Washington, D.C., to testify.
Feb. 17, 2023
Center for Arizona Policy
2022 Survey Questions For Arizona Candidates
Position Sought: State Senate District 114
Question 2: Adding “sexual orientation,” “gender identity,” or “gender expression” to the protected classes of race, religion, age, sex, and ancestry in nondiscrimination law.
Candidates' Position: Oppose.
Question 4: Allowing biological males that identify as transgender to play on female sports’ teams.
Candidates' Position: Oppose
Question 8: Allowing parents to seek professional counseling for their minor child with same-sex attraction or gender identity issues.*
Candidates' Position: Support
Question 9: Protecting individuals and businesses from being required to provide services or use their artistic expression in a manner that violates their moral or religious beliefs.**
Candidates' Position: Support.
This is in reference to the dangerous and disproven "Reparative Therapy".
**Discriminatory "Religious Freedom" laws.
Lawmaker Who Owns Short-Term Rental Home Looks To Block PV From Enforcing Regulations
Gilbert Republican Sen. Warren Petersen wants the attorney general to investigate an ordinance passed by Paradise Valley that regulates short-term home rentals, which he says violates state law, while the lawmaker himself owns a million-dollar luxury Airbnb listing in Gilbert. If Petersen’s complaint is successful in striking down the Paradise Valley ordinance, it would effectively block other cities and municipalities from pursuing other similar ordinances, including in Gilbert, where Petersen’s Airbnb is located. Petersen’s listing, discovered by Arizona Mirror, goes for $557 a night and can sleep up to nine people, according to the listing by “Warren” along with a photo of the senator. In a text message to the Mirror, Petersen said he doesn’t believe it’s a conflict of interest to own an Airbnb while also filing a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office regarding regulations of short-term rentals
Mar. 14, 2022
Shame On Every Republican Who Voted To Sabotage Arizona's Schools
It’s not surprising that our leaders finally broke down and agreed to allow the public schools to spend money that’s already sitting in their bank accounts – money the Legislature appropriated last June. What is stunning is that 20 Republicans – 14 in the House and six in the Senate – actually voted to stiff the schools and to heck with the impact on the one million Arizona children who attend them.
Feb. 22, 2022
GOP Lawmakers Ask Gov. Ducey To Withhold Funding From School Districts Mandating Masks
Several prominent Arizona Republicans issued a joint letter Wednesday afternoon asking Gov. Doug Ducey to withhold funding and begin legal action against school districts that are not following state laws.
Aug. 11, 2021
Is Sen. Warren Petersen An Insurrectionist?
Petersen is a driving force behind the Republican-backed push to audit the ballots from the 2020 election. He signed off on subpoenas ordering the ballots to be delivered for inspection. It’s still not clear who exactly will audit the results on behalf of the Senate and when it will occur.
Mar. 10, 2021

 

HB 2706 - Vote to pass a bill that prohibits transgender female students from participating in school sports, from kindergarten through college, in private and public schools.
Center for Arizona Policy (Cathi Herrod)
2020 Survey Questions For Arizona Candidates
Position Sought: State Senate LD-12
Question 2: Adding “sexual orientation,” “gender identity,” or “gender expression” to the protected classes of race, religion, age, sex, and ancestry in nondiscrimination law.
Candidates' Position: Oppose.
Question 4: Allowing biological males that identify as transgender to play on female sports’ teams.
Candidates' Position: Oppose
Question 9: Protecting a parent's right to seek professional counseling for their minor child with same-sex attraction or gender identity issues to help them reach their desired outcome.*
Candidates' Position: Support
Question 11: Protecting individuals and businesses from being required to provide services or use their artistic expression in a manner that violates their moral or religious beliefs.**
Candidates' Position: Support.
This is in reference to the dangerous and disproven "Reparative Therapy".
**Discriminatory "Religious Freedom" laws.
Brownies’ Project Provokes GOP Leader Attack
An Ahwatukee Girl Scout Brownie Troop of third graders may one day learn the lesson in Arizona hardball politics that their environmental project triggered.
Apr. 24, 2019
Battle Lines Drawn In Arizona Gay Discrimination Case
Dec. 24, 2018
Center for Arizona Policy (Cathi Herrod)
2018 Candidate Questionnaire
Position Sought: State Representative LD-12
Question 4: Adding “sexual orientation,” “gender identity,” or “gender expression” to the protected classes of race, religion, age, sex, and ancestry in nondiscrimination law.
Candidates' Position: Oppose.
Question 9: Protecting a parent’s right to seek professional counseling for their minor child with same– sex attraction or gender identity issues to help them reach their desired outcome.*
Candidates' Position: Support.
This is in reference to the dangerous and disproven "Reparative Therapy".
Mesa Lawmaker Bullies Bisbee Over Plastic Bag Ban
State Sen. Warren Petersen, a Mesa Republican, filed a complaint with the Arizona attorney general Sept. 28 under a new state law that lets any individual legislator try to overturn local ordinances they say violate state law. He says that Bisbee’s ban on plastic bags for the purchases people make at stores goes against a law that he helped pass last year.
Oct. 3, 2017
Here Are The Koch Brothers' 5 Favorite (And 5 Least Favorite) Arizona Legislators
Aug. 20, 2017
AZ Lawmaker Supports Stripping Voters Of Right To Vote For U.S. Senators
For 113 years, Americans have been electing their U.S. senators. Now, one state lawmaker says that's long enough. Sen. Warren Petersen, a Republican from Gilbert, believes lawmakers like himself should pick U.S. Senators instead of the same voters who put him in office.
Mar. 14, 2017
Center for Arizona Policy (Cathi Herrod)
2016 Survey Questions For Arizona Candidates
Position Sought: State Senate LD-12
Question 4: Adding "sexual orientation," "gender identity," or "gender expression" to the protected classes of race, religion, age, sex, and ancestry in nondiscrimination law.
Candidates' Position: Oppose.
Question 6: Prohibiting government from discriminating against an individual, organization, or small business based on their beliefs about marriage.*
Candidates' Position: Support.
Question 10: Implementing policies to allow students and faculty to use the restroom, locker room, and shower room that aligns with their gender identity.
Candidates' Position: Oppose.
* Discriminatory "Religious Freedom" laws.
Nearly $500K In ‘Dark Money’ Spent On Legislative Primary So Far
Aug. 23, 2016
Save Saguaros, Sacrifice Self-Serving Politicians
Mar. 17, 2015
Republican Bills Aim To Ax Clean Elections
Petersen's bill and SCR 1001, authored by Sen. Steve Pierce, R-Prescott, would strip the commission of its funding [...] Petersen said Clean Elections undermines what he believes to be an important part of any election: going out and getting contributions.
Jan. 29, 2015
Center for Arizona Policy
2014 Candidate Questionnaire
Position Sought: State Representative LD-12
Question 9: Arizona’s voter-approved constitutional definition of marriage should be defended to the fullest extent legally possible.
Candidates' Position: Support
Question 11: Adding “sexual orientation,” “gender identity,” or “gender expression” to the protected classes of race, religion, age, sex, and ancestry in antidiscrimination law.
Candidates' Position: Oppose
Question 15: Protecting individuals and businesses from being required to provide services or use their artistic expression in a manner that violates their moral or religious beliefs.*
Candidates' Position: Support
* Discriminatory "Religious Freedom" laws.
Legislators Defend Support For SB 1062
Mar. 17, 2014

 

SB 1178 - Vote to concur with House amendments and pass a bill that authorizes an individual to use potential infringements of religious freedom as a claim or defense in a legal proceeding.
Highlights:
The proposed law would allow people to sue over an “impending violation” of religious liberty, (such as serving or treating a person perceived to be LGBTQ) as opposed to waiting until after the attack has occurred. It protects the practice or observance of all religions, including actions motivated by religious beliefs, against state and local laws or policies.

Center for Arizona Policy
2012 Candidate Questionnaire
Position Sought: State Representative LD-12
Question 9: Amending the United States Constitution to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman.
Candidates' Position: Support
Question 11: Adding “sexual orientation,” “gender identity,” or “gender expression” to the protected classes of race, religion, age, sex, and ancestry in nondiscrimination law.
Candidates' Position: Oppose
Question 15: Protecting professionals from being required to provide services that violate their moral or religious beliefs.*
Candidates' Position: Support
* Discriminatory "Religious Freedom" laws.

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