Nguyen is running for the first time for a House seat in LD1.  He did not respond to our survey despite our repeated attempts to contact him.  In the ivoterguide, Nguyen responded to a statement asking if he supported the legalization of recreational marijuana.  Nguyen was in strong disagreement with the statement.  Given Nguyen’s lack of response for clarity in our survey, we’ll grade him on his strong opposition to legalization.

Burges first served in the Arizona House of Representatives in LD4 from 2005 to 2012.  In 2012, Burges won a Senate seat in LD22 and won the seat again in 2014 and 2016.  She returns this year with a bid for a House seat in LD1.  Burges did not respond to our survey despite numerous attempts to contact her.  In 2018, Burges was a co-sponsor for SB1420 which sought to provide testing for medical marijuana.  Burges also co-sponsored a bill that established the industrial hemp program.  In 2016, Burges penned an op-ed against recreational marijuana.  In the ivoterguide, Burges disagreed with a statement about her support for the legalization of recreational marijuana.  However, in a Prescott Talks Facebook interview on December 6, 2019, Burges was pressed on whether or not she supported recreational marijuana.  Burges stated that if people would like to do that on their own time and spend their money that way, then it is up to them.  Pressed again if she supported recreational marijuana, Burges simply stated if people wish to do that.  The interviewer reiterated that Burges did support recreational marijuana and Burges did not say anything to contradict the statement.  Perhaps, Burges is evolving on the issue.  We’ll give here credit for that!

Stahl is a business owner running for first time for a House seat in LD1.  She responded to our survey with strong support for the elimination of federal prohibition, the medical marijuana program, the legalization of adult-use in Arizona and the expungement of marijuana possession and use convictions.  Stahl also offered support for understanding the science behind medical marijuana, never having children removed from a parent due to cannabis use and working to end harsh penalties for non-violent marijuana offenses.  There’s a lot to like there with this newcomer.

McEwen has spent 32 years in criminal justice.  We were excited to see this newcomer respond to our survey indicating strong support.  McEwen accompanied her responses with the following statement:  “The legal regulation and criminal law statements are too vague to go into in a short statement survey such as this. More in-depth regulatory and criminal law discussion would need to take place for an understandable point of view. I do, however, feel strongly that state legislation is needed on this issue as opposed to a citizen’s initiative and am willing to discuss these options.”  Sadly, the legislature just isn’t up to this challenge and failed to get traction with a tax and regulate bill in the last session.  However, McEwen’s willingness to discuss options and her openness to the issue leaves us optimistic that she can be an ally.  

Hernandez first won his House seat in LD2 in 2016 and has held that seat until today.  He seeks reelection for that seat in LD2 this year.  Hernandez has also served on the Sunnyside Unified School District Governing Board.  Despite repeated attempts to reach Hernandez via phone and email, he did not respond to our survey.  However, Hernandez has been supportive in the legislature and has also been a prime and co-sponsor on cannabis-related bills.  In fact, he led on bills adding Autism Spectrum Disorder to the list of qualifying conditions for the medical marijuana program in 2018 and 2019.

Dalessandro was a career educator and CPA/tax accountant who served as the representative for LD2 in the House from 2012-2016.  She then served in the senate for LD-2 from 2016-2020.  She is now running for representative again in LD2.  Dalessandro responded to our survey with all 5’s indicating her full support of cannabis and cannabis-related issues.  Dalessandro has been a long-time advocate and was a co-sponsor of SB1284 in 2019 which sought to assess a civil penalty of $50 for possession of less than one ounce of marijuana.  Dalessandro responded to Arizona NORML’s survey in 2018 with the following sentiments:  “I am for recreational marijuana” and “very unfamiliar with cannabis personally – strongly opposes federal government policy – strongly supports Arizona’s MMJ program – will advocate for reducing Arizona criminal penalties if elected – strongly supports state and federal legalization/decriminalization”  

Cano was first elected to the House seat in LD3 in 2018.  He is seeking reelection to that seat this year.  Cano responded to our survey with strong support across the board for our seven statements.  This was not surprising to us given his support in the legislature and willingness to meet with us.  As a first time candidate in 2018, Cano was strong in his position then:  “I support legalization of medical and recreational marijuana.  I believe that legalization will not only bring in additional revenue for our schools-it will also lower rising costs that have contributed to an expensive, discriminatory criminal justice system.” 

Hernandez first won her House seat in LD3 in 2018.  She is seeking reelection this year for the same seat.  We reached out to Hernandez myriad times but never received a response to our survey.  Hernandez has been supportive in the legislature and did meet with us during our lobby day earlier this year.  On August 16, 2018, this quote appeared in the Tucson Weekly:  “Additionally, Hernandez opposes the incarceration of nonviolent drug offenders, especially marijuana users. She said the state is spending money on incarcerating people who smoke weed instead of funding education programs. She also opposes private prisons.”

John is a former teacher and family business owner who is running for a House seat in LD4 for the first time this year.  John spoke with us and said he would respond to our survey but never did.  Unfortunately, our research yielded nothing relative to John and cannabis-related issues.  We simply don’t have enough information to grade him.

Peten has a background in education.  She assumed a House seat in 2017 in LD4 and then won the House seat in LD4 in 2018.  She is seeking reelection for that same seat this year.  Despite attempts to contact her, Peten did not respond to our survey.  Peten has co-sponsored cannabis reform bills in each year of her tenure in the legislature.  In 2018, she co-sponsored HB2199 (makes medical marijuana cards 2 years with reduced fees) and SB1420 (an early testing bill).  In 2019, Peten co-sponsored HB2412 (another attempt at 2 year cards and reduced fees) and HB2435 (reduced fees for cards).  Finally, in 2020, Peten co-sponsored HB2838 (allows nurse practitioners and physician assistants to prescribe medical marijuana) and HB2840 (keep tangible medical marijuana cards).  We do not know definitively where Peten stands on adult-use legalization but we like what we’ve seen so far!

Fernandez has a storied history in Arizona politics.  She has worked with both Congressman Pastor and Congressman Grijalva and has served on the Governing Board of Yuma Union High School District #13.  She first won a House seat in LD4 in 2014 and has held the seat until today.  She is running this year for the same seat in LD4.  Despite calls and emails, Fernandez did not respond to our survey.  Here’s what Arizona NORML said about Fernandez in 2018:  “Emerging as a legislative voice for the medical cannabis industry, Fernandez has backed several key pieces of legislation.”  Fernandez continued that trend in 2019 and 2020 by co-sponsoring and supporting various cannabis reform bills.

Cobb first won a House seat in LD5 in 2014.  She has maintained that seat until today and is seeking reelection for the seat this year.  Despite phone calls and emails, Cobb did not respond to our survey.  In 2019 and 2020, Cobb refused to return myriad calls and emails relative to meeting with Arizona NORML during our annual lobby day at the capitol.  In 2018, Arizona NORML reported that Cobb claims to support medical marijuana but has not supported reform in any discernible way.  To belie this statement, Cobb was a co-sponsor of the reprehensible HCR2045 this year.  Co-sponsoring a bill that attempted to cap the THC level of medical marijuana at 2% does not indicate support of medical marijuana to us.  Here’s Cobb on legalization as told to the Today’s News-Herald Havasu News.com on July 20, 2018:  “I will never support and initiative to legalize marijuana for recreational use in our state.  We have continually tried to modify the shortfalls of the medical marijuana initiative and have failed.  The writing is on the wall when you look at Colorado.  The statistics are staggering with negative outcomes from their legalization.”

Biasiucci first ran for a House seat in LD5 as a Green Party candidate in 2016.  He returned as a Republican in 2018 and won a House seat in LD5.  He is seeking reelection to the same seat in the House in LD5 this year.  Despite repeated attempts to contact Biasiucci, he did not respond to our survey.  In 2018, Arizona NORML addressed Biasuicci’s conversion from Green party to the Republican Party and how it affected his views on cannabis:  “A former Green Party candidate, Biasiucci had claimed to support cannabis reform measures in 2016.  However, his dramatic party shift current billing as a “Trump Conservative” bring all his positions into question.  For example, as of 2018, Biasiucci now professes to CAP that he opposes legalization.”  Biasiucci told the Today’s News-Herald Havasu News.com on October 16, 2019 that he opposes Prop 207.  He also demonstrated his lack of support for the medical marijuana program and patients by co-sponsoring the awful HCR2045 which sought a 2% cap on THC in the medical marijuana program earlier this year.

Here’s what Biasiucci had to tell the Today’s News-Herald Havasu News.com on July 20, 2018 relative to legalization:

“As far as I know, a test does not exist that can determine at what point someone consumed marijuana.  This concerns me because let’s say someone is involved in a workplace accident or traffic accident.  Usually, a drug/alcohol test is administered to determine if the individual was impaired.  The problem is, current test can’t show if the individual consumed the marijuana 3 hours ago or 23 days ago. So can you imagine the court cases and tax dollars wasted on dealing with this gray area?  So until that accurate tests exists that will help law enforcement, I can’t support any measure related to the legalization of marijuana.”  Sadly, until Biasiucci changes his perspective relative to cannabis, we can’t support giving him a worthy grade.

Blackman first won his House seat in LD6 in 2018.  He is back for another run at the same seat this November.  In 2018, Blackman told us that he wasn’t interested after repeated attempts to contact him for our survey.  We have come a long way since then because Blackman did respond to our survey in 2020.  Unfortunately, he had strong disagreement with six of the seven statements demonstrating that he is strongly against eliminating the federal prohibition of marijuana, strongly against supporting the medical marijuana program, strongly against the legalization of adult-use marijuana in Arizona, strongly against children never being removed from a parent due to the parent’s choice to consume marijuana, strongly against eliminating harsh penalties that Arizonans face for non-violent marijuana offenses and strongly against expungement for those who have records of marijuana possession.  For someone who fancies himself as a criminal justice reformer, Blackman’s responses with respect to cannabis certainly aren’t congruent with criminal justice reform.  Sadly, Blackman is also in public opposition to Prop 207 and even mentioned in an interview on the Jeff Orvatis Show on September 25, 2020 that heroin, cocaine and another substance are in the initiative.  Blackman did sponsor HB2638 in 2020 which created official policy for deflection programs and has had success with criminal justice bills in 2019.  While we support Blackman’s criminal justice efforts, we just can’t get behind his positions relative to cannabis.

Barton first won a House seat in LD5 in 2010.  She then won a House seat in LD6 in 2012 and maintained that seat through 2019.  Due to term limits, she could not seek election for the same seat in 2018.  She returns this year for a shot at the House seat again in LD6.  Barton has co-sponsored a couple a cannabis-reform bills in her tenure in the House.  She co-sponsored HB2597 which sought to decriminalize 3 ½ grams of marijuana to a misdemeanor 1 charge.  She also co-sponsored SB1420, a 2018 attempt at testing.  On the Jeff Orvatis Show on September 25, 2020, Barton was asked about Prop 207.  She stated that she was a no on Prop 207.  She exclaimed that the proposition is not smart and not safe.  She further opined that this issue should be addressed through the legislature and that Prop 207 is harmful to our kids.  Barton then wildly stated that medical marijuana is being given to our children. Lastly, Barton stated that Prop 207 is negative for our economy as well. 

Babbott has served 15 years in elected local and county government.  He has served on the Flagstaff City Council and is currently serving on the Coconino Board of Supervisors.  In an interview with the Jeff Orvatis Show on September 25, 2020, Babbott was asked about Prop 207.  Suffice it to say that we were impressed by his response.  Babbott stated that the criminalization of recreational marijuana use is not serving good criminal justice outcomes.  He said that putting people on probation and arresting them for recreational marijuana use is not serving the interests of our society nor the criminal justice system.  Lastly, Babbott said that this is the right decision and he supports the citizens in deciding it.

Evans served two terms on the Flagstaff City Council having been elected in 2008 and 2012. She was then elected to Mayor of Flagstaff in 2016 and 2018.  She is now seeking a House seat in LD6 in this year’s election.  Evans did not respond to our survey despite repeated calls and emails.  Even with an extensive effort to research Evans, we could not find anything relative to her and cannabis-related issues.  This is surprising given how long she has been politically active but we simply do not have enough information to grade her.

Parks is a family rancher and veteran who is running for a House seat in LD7 for the first time this year.  Sadly, Parks did not respond to our survey despite calls and emails to contact him.  In the ivoterguide, Parks was asked if he supported the legalization of marijuana.  Parks responded by stating that he strongly disagrees with legalization.  Without clarity from our survey and taking into account his strong opposition to legalization, we’ll grade Parks accordingly.

Peelman is a retired US Army and Coast Guard veteran.  Peelman responded to our survey and supports the medical marijuana program, supports reducing criminal penalties for non-violent marijuana offenses and supports expungement.  However, Peelman does not support the legalization of adult-use marijuana in Arizona and remains neutral relative to children being removed from a parent simply due to the parent’s use of marijuana.  Peelman addresses his lack of support for adult-use and his neutrality on children being removed from parents below:

“I cannot in good conscious support ‘legalization’ of marijuana in the same way alcohol is legal, until such time as detection devices, like breathalyzers for alcohol are developed and in wide-spread use. Having has (sic) some familiarity with marijuana, I know it does impact one’s thinking, responses, moods, etc. I do not want, nor will I support anything that would acquiesce to more impaired drivers on the road.”

“This is tough question that requires more fleshing out. I don’t believe children should be removed from parents, without due process and good cause. Simple use of marijuana could or could not be reason enough. Just as an alcoholic consuming quantities of alcohol in the open and long term presence of children to the detriment of the child’s development. I STRONGLY BELIEVE in PARENT’S RIGHTS, with the caveat of PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY of ensuring their children are raised without undue, and subliminal pressure to conform to unhealthy lifestyles.”

We appreciate the fact the Peelman was able to elaborate on his concerns.  If elected, we’ll work with Peelman to address them. 

Tsosie first won a House seat in LD7 in 2018 and is seeking reelection for that seat this year.  Tsosie also serves on the Chinle Unified School District School Board.  He did not respond to our survey despite repeated attempts at contact via email and phone.  Tsosie has not sponsored or co-sponsored any cannabis-related bills in his tenure in the House.  After a significant amount of research, we simply cannot find enough information on Tsosie to provide a grade for him. 

Teller ran as a write-in for a House seat in LD7 in 2014.  He returned in 2018 to win a House seat in LD7 and is up for reelection to that seat this year.  Teller responded to our survey and was neutral on six of our seven statements.  He did offer support for not having children removed from a parent due to cannabis use.  Even though his position seems to be predominantly neutral, Teller has co-sponsored a few bills in the legislature related to cannabis-reform.  We’ll reach out to him to see if we can move the needle on his neutrality.

Pratt served in the House in LD8 from 2009 to 2017.  Pratt was then elected to the Senate in 2016 and has served there until today.  He is now seeking a House seat in LD8 this year.  Despite attempts to contact Pratt, he did not respond to our survey.  Unfortunately, our research yielded nothing new on Pratt so we’ll rely on our assessment of him from 2018:  “An immaculate old- school politician, Pratt is good in meetings but little in action.”  We will admit that Pratt was quite pleasant to meet with during our 2020 lobby day confirming our assessment of him in 2018.

Cook first won a House seat in 2016 in LD8 and has maintained the seat to today.  He is seeking reelection for the seat this year.  Cook did not respond to our survey even though we contacted him by phone and emails.  Relative to a September 8, 2020 General Election LD8 Candidate Debate sponsored by the AZCCEC, the Pinal Central wrote this about Cook:  “Cook said he would not be voting for the initiative.  The situation should have been handled in the Legislature, he said.  There are also unanswered questions about what to do with all of the people who have been convicted for marijuana violations who are currently sitting in jail.  He suggest an ad hoc committee to research the situation and contact other states, such as Colorado, that have legalized marijuana.”

We like that Cook is willing to consider legalization through the legislature but that just didn’t work out real well in the last legislative session.  Lastly, we were not pleased to see Cook as a co-sponsor of the disastrous bill HCR2045 this year that sought a 2% THC cap for the medical marijuana program.  We’ll give Cook the benefit of the doubt relative to his grade because he has been supportive of hemp and testing in the past.

Girard is a retired Physician’s Assistant who is running again for the House in LD8 after being defeated in the district in 2018.  Girard didn’t hesitate to answer our survey and nailed it with straight fives to our seven questions indicating full support of cannabis.  To solidify her position, Girard writes:  “As a former healthcare provider I agree with the recreational and medicinal use of marijuana. No one has ever overdosed on this drug and it is safe for adult use.”  Girard also stated that she would vote yes on Prop 207 in an LD8 debate on September 8, 2020 sponsored by the Pinal Partnership.

Lyons is running for a House seat in LD9 for the first time this year.  Unfortunately, Lyons did not respond to our survey despite several attempts to contact him.  In an AZCCEC Debate on September 15, 2020 for LD9, Lyons was asked if he would vote for Prop 207.  Lyons stated that he is a public safety advocate and that having someone being impaired behind the wheel is not something that he can get behind.  Lyons suggested that if the voters do approve Prop 207, then he wonders how we can leverage the revenue from Prop 207 for education and public safety.  Furthermore, Lyons said that he does not support recreational marijuana and that he will be voting no on Prop 207.

Friese, a trauma surgeon, has served in the House in LD9 since 2015.  He responded to our survey and was strongly supportive of four of our statements.  He was supportive of eliminating federal prohibition and legalizing for adult-use in Arizona.  Friese has sponsored and co-sponsored numerous cannabis-related bills including Representative Powers Hannley’s bill HB2840 which sought to allow patients to continue to use tangible registry cards.  However, Friese’s attempt at legalization (tax and regulate) in the last legislative failed miserably.  While Friese has worked on cannabis legislation for years with both the industry and activists, his bill to tax and regulate (HB2657) demonstrated no progress in his understanding of the plant nor the needs of its consumers.  Sadly, that effort lowers his grade. 

Powers Hannley was first elected to a House seat in LD9 in 2016 and has served in that capacity ever since. She is up for reelection this year in LD9.  Powers Hannley responded to our survey with straight fives to our seven statements.  We could have predicted her responses as Powers Hannley has been at the forefront of cannabis reform in the legislature.  She has sponsored myriad bills related to cannabis each year and is our strongest advocate and ally in the House.  Even in 2016, Powers Hannley’s position on cannabis was clear:  “I believe that Arizona should legalize, regulate, and tax marijuana.  Arresting and jailing people for using marijuana does nothing more than feed the private prison industry, add to our mass incarceration problem, waste taxpayer money on prisons, and ruin people’s lives.  Also, it has been shown that incarceration for marijuana is often discriminatory.  Blacks and whites illegally use marijuana at about the same rate, yet black people are far more likely to be jailed for the same crime.”  Powers Hannley was right then and she’s right now:  “Cannabis is a medicinal plant that has been used safely for centuries around the world. Legalization is long overdue.”

Hicks is no stranger to local politics.  He served eight years on the Tucson Unified School District #1 Governing Board ending his term as President of the Board.  Hicks also unsuccessfully ran for Ward 4 in 2019.  Hicks spoke with us on the phone and responded to our survey.  His responses were impressive with straight fives for our seven statements.  Hicks also stated:  “Between alcohol and marijuana, I have never seen any aggressive actions related to marijuana consumption.”  With strong support regarding cannabis and cannabis-related issues, we look to Hicks to be an ally if elected!

With a background in real estate, management and business ownership, Gummere responded to our survey by strongly supporting five of our statements and supporting children never being removed from a parent for marijuana use and working to reduce harsh penalties for non-violent marijuana offenses.  Gummere also provided us with this statement regarding cannabis:  “Although there are always exceptions to the rule, I support legalization in Arizona. Just as with the consumption of alcohol, we are assumed to be responsible adults. I also support federal legalization to allow Veterans to seek help, and discuss with their VA physicians the benefits of using marijuana as opposed to opioids. Society has changed, we are no longer living in 1964, it’s 2020.”  Lots to like in that statement…welcome to 2020!

Stahl Hamilton is an ordained minister running for the first time for House in LD10.  She responded to our survey in a resounding fashion with straight fives across the board on all seven questions.  With demonstrable strong support of cannabis and cannabis-related issues, Stahl Hamilton will clearly be an ally of our cause.

DeGrazia is a trial lawyer in Juvenile Court and was first elected to his House seat in LD10 in 2018.  DeGrazia responded to our survey with straight fours relative to our seven statements showing support but not strong support for cannabis-related issues.  While we certainly appreciate his support, we’d enjoy seeing DeGrazia gravitate to strong support with respect to cannabis reform.  We are pleased to report that DeGrazia has co-sponsored several cannabis-related bills in the House during his tenure.

Finchem first won a House seat in LD11 in 2014 and has maintained that seat in the chamber until today.  He is seeking reelection for the same seat this year.  Despite repeated attempts to contact Finchem, he did not respond to our survey.  In an ivoterguide candidate survey, Finchem stated that he disagrees with the legalization of marijuana.  Arizona NORML met with Finchem in 2019 at the capitol.  We were shocked at his condescension and sanctimony.  He wouldn’t let us talk and made two statements that were particularly troubling.  Finchem said that marijuana causes schizophrenia and that THC is responsible for the road rage on I-10.  We’ll let those statements sink in for a while.  Finchem was a co-sponsor of the ridiculous HCR2045 (the bill that sought a 2% THC cap in the medical marijuana program) in the last legislative session as well as a co-sponsor of HCR2044.  HCR2044 sought to raid money from the medical marijuana fund to be dispersed to the State Department of Corrections for mental health and substance abuse beds.  Finchem’s distaste for all things cannabis is painfully clear!

Roberts was first elected to a House seat in 2018 in LD11.  He returns this year to seek reelection for that same seat.  Despite repeated attempts to contact him, Roberts did not respond to our survey.  In 2019, Roberts told Arizona NORML outside of his office at the capitol that we better not be here to talk about legalization because he is against that.  The ivoterguide confirmed his opposition in stating that Roberts is strongly opposed to legalizing marijuana.  Roberts sponsored a bill with his prohibitionist seatmate Mark Finchem this year (HCR2044) that sought to divert money away from the medical marijuana fund and use it to fund substance abuse treatment beds and mental health beds in the State Department of Corrections.  Suffice it to say that Roberts is no friend to cannabis.

Perez is a family physician running for the first time for a House seat in LD11 this year.  Perez did not respond to our survey despite attempts to reach him.  In an AZCCEC sponsored debate for LD11 on September 30, 2020, Perez spoke about his thoughts relative to Prop 207.  Perez stated that the measure shows that our state leaders are not listening to citizens and that we need to decriminalize marijuana.  However, Perez admonished that this is a complicated process and he wished that the state had addressed it before we got to where we are now.  He felt that the legislature could address safety concerns with experts prior to creating a bill but still stressed the overall need to decriminalize.  Perez also commented that it is great for revenue.  We can work with that!

Grantham first ran unsuccessfully for US House in 2012 in District 9.  He returned in 2016 to win a House seat in LD12 and has continued in that seat until today.  He is seeking reelection for that seat this year.  Despite telling us that he would respond to our survey, Grantham never did even after repeated follow-ups via email.  Grantham was quoted in azmarijuana.com this year regarding legalization:  “Grantham believes a legislative approach for major laws, such as legalizing marijuana for adult use, makes more sense.”  In addition, Grantham told AZ Central in 2018:  “The recreational use of marijuana and the effects of those in close proximity to the product is problematic.  Additionally, I do believe that some steps towards decriminalization can and should be taken.”  At least Grantham is willing to have the conversation and consider legalization.

Hoffman has served on the Higley School Board and the Queen Creek Town Council.  This is his first bid for a House seat in LD12.  Sadly, Hoffman did not respond to our survey despite repeated phone calls and emails.  Even with extensive research, we could not find anything for Hoffman and cannabis-related issues. 

Dunn first won a House seat in LD13 in 2018 and is a back for another run at the same seat this year.  Dunn responded to our survey and proclaimed neutrality relative to understanding the science behind medical marijuana, having children never removed from a parent due to a parent’s cannabis use and support for the medical marijuana program.  Sadly, Dunn proceeded to state that he does not support expungement for marijuana possession or use and does not support working to reduce the severity of charges for non-violent marijuana offenses.  Lastly, Dunn strongly opposed the elimination of federal prohibition and the legalization of adult-use in Arizona.  As icing on his less than supportive cake, Dunn added:  “I do not believe we should legalize marijuana in az further than the medical that is current. This will create a problem in the work place with enforcement. Medical marijuana’s rules of obtaining prescriptions need to be tightened up.”

Osborne has served on the Goodyear Planning & Zoning Commission and on the Goodyear City Council.  She was first elected to a House seat in LD13 in 2018 and is seeking reelection for that same seat this year.  Osborne did not respond to our survey despite phone and email attempts at contact.  In the ivoterguide, Osborne was strongly opposed to the legalization of recreational marijuana.  This rivals what Arizona NORML said about Osborne in 2018:  “Another legalization oppose according to CAP, when asked by AZ Central about legalization, Osborne said, “Absolutely Not.””  Let’s go for the trifecta by stating that Osborne was also a co-sponsor this year of the loathsome HCR2045 (the bill that sought a 2% THC cap for the medical marijuana program) demonstrating her disdain for the medical marijuana program and patients.  That’s three strikes against Osborne. 

Sandoval is a paralegal who serves on the Agua Fria Union High School District Governing Board.  She is seeking a House seat in LD13 for the first time this year.  Sandoval did not respond to our survey despite our attempts at contacting her.  Unfortunately, we could not find anything in our research for Sandoval and cannabis-related issues so we simply cannot grade her.

Griffin has been involved in Arizona politics for many years.  She served in the House from 1997 to 2001.  Griffin then won a Senate seat in LD25 in 2010.  In 2012, she won a Senate seat in LD14 and maintained that seat until 2016.  Griffin then returned to the House in LD18 in 2018 and is seeking that same seat in 2020.  Despite numerous calls and emails, Griffin did not respond to our survey.  We really don’t need survey responses to grade Griffin.  She is a staunch opponent who doesn’t even support medical marijuana.  In 2018 caucus speeches, she equated cannabis with heroin and medical marijuana patients with junkies.  In 2016, she opposed legalization in an Arizona Trucking Association Candidate Survey.  She has opposed lower medical marijuana card costs and was a co-sponsor this year of the dreaded HCR2045 (the bill that sought a 2% cap on THC in the medical marijuana program).  Griffin gives new meaning to the words “term limits.”

Nutt first won a House seat in LD14 in 2016 and has held the seat until today.  She is seeking reelection for the seat this year.  Despite attempts to contact her, Nutt did not respond to our survey.  Nutt has worked hard against reforms in committees and on the floor in her tenure in the House.  In 2016, Nutt stated in an Arizona Trucking Association survey that she opposed Prop 205 (the legalization effort in 2016) and that she did not support the legalization of marijuana.  In an affront to medical marijuana and patients, Nutt was a co-sponsor to the inane bill HCR2045 (the bill that sought a 2% THC cap in the medical marijuana program).  With her support of HCR2045 and her lack of support for legalization, we’ll grade Nutt accordingly.

Maestas-Condos is a newcomer to politics and this is her first time running for a seat in the House in LD14.  Maestas-Condos responded to our survey and was honest that she is not familiar with the benefits of medicinal marijuana.  We will certainly do some outreach with her regarding education.  She was strongly supportive of our other statements.  We’ll let Maestas-Condos state her position:  “I am not familiar with the medical benefits of Marijuana, though I have heard personal testimonials to its effects. Mostly I feel Marijuana should be decriminalized, and regulated the same way alcohol consumption is. On the last question, expunging records would depend on other contributing offenses. If it is solely a marijuana violation I support expungement.”

Beach-Moschetti is an Army veteran and 22-year teacher who responded quickly to our survey.  Beach-Moschetti responses were in strong agreement with our statements demonstrating that she will be an ally if elected.  In fact, Beach Moschetti was exuberant in this Facebook post regarding ballot initiatives this year:  

“How wonderful! Some really great initiatives on the ballot!

Invest in Ed

Recreational Marijuana

Improved Health Care

Thank you to all that supported and signed.”

How wonderful indeed! 

Kaiser is a veteran and small business owner who is running for a House seat in LD15 for the first time this year.  One of our volunteers reports back relative to a phone call with Kaiser:  “Won’t be voting for prop 207, and won’t be filling out survey, then hung up on me.”  Had Kaiser taken the time to talk with us further, we might have been able to give him a better grade based on clarifying his position. Since our research yielded nothing on Kaiser, we’ll go with his statements to our volunteer and curve down due to his incivility.

Wilmeth is running for a House seat in LD15 for the first time this year.  Despite repeated contacts, Wilmeth did not respond to our survey.  Unfortunately, our research did not yield enough information for us to grade Wilmeth relative to cannabis-related issues.

Dybvig-Pawelko first ran unsuccessfully for the Senate seat in LD15 in 2018 and has now set her sights on a House seat in LD15 in this year’s election.  We reached out to Dybvig-Pawelko via phone and email but she did not respond to our survey.  On January 31, 2020 Dybvig-Pawelko told Blog for Arizona that:  “We need to stop prosecuting for marijuana offenses as there is a disproportionate share of minorities in jail.  We have to move away from private prison as having a profit motive in incarceration will only ensure that we incarcerate more of our population.”  In 2018, Blog for Arizona had Dybvig-Pawelko on record predicting eventual cannabis legalization and further that “people incarcerated for drug possession should be released when marijuana becomes universally legalized in the state.”  There’s a lot to like about Dybvig-Pawelko regarding cannabis reform!

Fillmore represented LD23 in the House in 2010 but then lost in an LD-16 Senate race in 2012.  He ran unsuccessfully for the House seat in LD16 in 2014 and 2016 before finally getting elected to the seat in 2018.  He is running for the same seat in LD16 this year.  Fillmore responded to our survey by stating his strong support for eliminating the federal prohibition of marijuana and expungement or marijuana possession and use charges.  He offered support for working to end harsh penalties for non-violent marijuana offenses and his understanding of the science behind medical marijuana.  Lamentably, Fillmore than veers off the rails in his strong opposition to the medical marijuana program, having children never removed from a parent due to marijuana and the legalization of adult-use in Arizona.  Fillmore is also publicly opposed to Prop 207.  Lastly, in 2018, Fillmore was quoted by AZ Central:  “I am NOT in support of legalizing recreational marijuana nor introducing any new intoxicating or impairment assistance of any kind into our society.  We already have enough crazies and an overabundance of BOTH LEGAL and ILLEGAL substances abused.”  With this type of sentiment, our grade is obvious.

Parker has practiced law in a private firm and has been a legal policy advisor.  This is her first run at a House seat in LD16 this year.  Parker did not respond to our survey despite attempts to reach her via phone and email.  In the ivoterguide, Parker was asked if she supported the legalization of recreational marijuana.  She strongly disagreed to legalization.  Without further information from our research and without clarity provided by our survey, we’ll grade Parker on her strong opposition to legalization.

Hunter is a newcomer who ran as a write-in for LD16 in the 2020 primary.  She garnered enough votes to participate in the general election.  Hunter was gracious in her response that she is not as informed as she would like to be to respond to our survey.  Our research on Hunter and cannabis-related issues yielded nothing.  While Hunter is running against an F rated prohibitionist, we just don’t have enough information to provide her with a grade.

Harris is a real estate broker/business owner and is running for the first time for a House seat in LD-17.  Despite repeated calls and emails, Harris did not respond to our survey.  In an ivoterguide survey, Harris did respond the following statement:  I support the legalization of recreational marijuana.  Harris’s response:  Disagree.  With her lack of support for legalization and her unwillingness to respond to us, we are left with little choice relative to Harris’s grade.

Weninger first won a House seat in LD17 in 2014 and has held the seat until today.  He is up for reelection for that seat this year in LD17.  He is also a two-term former Chandler City Council member.  Weninger did not respond to our survey even though we contacted him repeatedly.  In an ivoterguide survey statement, Weninger disagreed with supporting legalizing recreational marijuana.  In 2018, Arizona NORML stated this about Weninger:  “While this representative has taken meetings on cannabis reform, Weninger has yet to take any positive stance on the issue.  He told CAP that he opposes legalization.”

Pawlik first ran for a House seat in LD17 in 2016 but lost in the general election.  She returned in 2018 to win a House seat in LD17 and is seeking the same seat for reelection this year.  Despite attempts at contacting her, Pawlik did not respond to our survey.  Here’s what Arizona NORML reported relative to Pawlik in 2018: “On cannabis, Pawlik told AZ Central that she does not back legalization:  “No, however, I am in favor of decriminalizing marijuana which would help to reduce our huge prison population.””  In 2016, Pawlik was asked if she supported legalization via Prop 205.  Pawlik stated that she did not support Prop 205 and wrote: “I oppose the marijuana ballot proposition. Because legalized marijuana is a relatively new idea, long-term studies to report on the impact of legalization have yet to be completed.  Short-terms studies in Washington State have shown an increase in traffic fatalities linked to marijuana usage and homeless rates and the need for social services have dramatically increased in Colorado.”  Pawlik has not led on any cannabis-reform bills nor co-sponsored any in two years in the legislature.  She did meet with us during our lobby day earlier this year.  Given her willingness to meet and her support for decriminalization, we’ll curve Pawlik’s grade.

Hawker, a retired computer programmer, ran unsuccessfully for a House seat in LD18 in 2018.  He then ran as write-in for the primary for House in LD-18 this year and made it to the general election.  Despite repeated attempts to reach Hawker, he did not respond to our survey.  In an LD-18 debate on August 26, 2020 sponsored by the AZCCEC, Hawker was asked if he supported Prop 207.  He responded by stating that he doesn’t support Prop 207.  He questioned what people are trying to escape from and pondered what we are going to legalize next.  He came back to why people aren’t happy and that Prop 207 is not going to help society.  Suffice it to say that we weren’t impressed by Hawkers comments.

Robson served in the Arizona House from 2001 to 2009.  He then won a House seat in LD20 in 2010.  In 2012 and 2014, Robson won a House seat in LD18.  He lost that seat in 2016.  In 2018, Robson was defeated in the race for Maricopa County Justice of the Peace Kyrene District.  He is back this year to challenge for a House seat in LD18.  Robson also served on the Chandler City Council from 1992-2000.  Despite repeated attempts to contact him, Robson did not respond to our survey.  In 2012, Robson didn’t seem to like the term medical marijuana.  In fact, he wanted to have the term medical marijuana removed from medical marijuana bills.  Here’s the quote from azcentral.com: “We’re already tacitly committing this body to recognizing something that doesn’t really exist,” Robson, R-Chandler, said, as he urged the term be struck from bills that reference (dare we say it?) medical marijuana. Robson argued that he’s seen no studies that codify marijuana as having medical properties.”  In a 2016 Arizona Trucking Association survey, Robson opposed the ballot initiative to legalize adult-use in Arizona.  Lastly, Robson was asked if he supported Prop 207 in an LD18 candidate debate held on August 26, 2020 by the AZCCEC.  Robson declined to answer the question by stating that he is not going to tell people how to vote.  He stated that as a legislator, he must take whatever the public gives him and uphold it.  We don’t really think a politician’s opinion or position equates to telling people how to vote.

Jermaine works in the non-profit sector and first won a House seat in LD18 in 2018.  She is seeking reelection for that same seat this year.  Jermaine did not respond to our survey despite repeated attempts to email her.  Jermaine did co-sponsor two cannabis reform bills in 2019:  HB2554 which sought to coalesce the definition of marijuana and cannabis in response to the Jones Case and HB2555 which sought to decriminalize up to one ounce of marijuana.  Jermaine was non-committal in her support of Prop 207 in an LD18 General Election Candidate Debate sponsored by the AZCCEC on August 26, 2020.  While she absolutely supports the voters’ ability to vote on the proposition, she stated that she hasn’t decided if she supports Prop 207.  Jermaine said that she likes the fact that the initiative funds enforcement for DUI and zoning.  Lastly, when asked if she has ever ingested marijuana, Jermaine said that she had over 20 years ago.

Epstein first ran unsuccessfully for a House seat in LD18 in 2014.  She returned to win the seat in LD18 in 2016 and has held that seat until today. She is seeking reelection for the same seat this year.  Despite repeated attempts to contact her, Epstein did not respond to our survey.  Here’s what we had to say about Epstein in our 2018 General Election Candidate Guide:  “While Epstein has spoken if favor of cannabis reform bills off the floor, she is less active than several of her allies in the House.  Note her ambiguous centrist answer to AZ Central:  “This decision is best left up to the voters.  If marijuana is ever legalized, we need to ensure it is strongly regulated and monitored so it is kept out of the hands of children and Arizonans are safe in their community, at work, and on our roadways.””

In an LD18 General Election Candidate debate sponsored by the AZCCEC, Epstein was asked if she supported Prop 207.  She stated that she hasn’t made a decision yet but that parts of the initiative make sense.  She felt that it would stop us from putting people in prison for relatively small amounts of marijuana possession.  Epstein then said that prison doesn’t solve perceived problems because of cannabis use.  She continued to say that large scale possession would still be a crime.  Epstein then offered a couple of things she would like to fix if Prop 207 passes.  She feels that the initiative creates an oligopoly but that they did some nice work in opening the market for some new entrepreneurs with support.  Furthermore, Epstein does not want to see advertising and she is worried about the initiative reining in advertising.  Epstein also stated that if the initiative passes, they will have to do their job to protect children.  Lastly, when asked if she has ever smoked or ingested weed, Epstein said no because she doesn’t like any kind of smoke.  Asked about ingestion, she said no as well.  There are some holes in her arguments but at least Epstein is willing to have the conversation.  We’ll look for more from her if she is reelected.

Sierra has served in the House in LD19 since 2016.  He responded to our survey and was strongly supportive of 5 or the 7 statements.  He was supportive of never having children removed from a parent over marijuana use and expungement.  He also voiced his support for expunging minor marijuana charges:  “For small time personal use, I support expungement.”  In 2018, Sierra told AZ Central that “I believe well-regulated, responsibly consumed marijuana should be legal.  Three main reasons are:  1. Decreased incarceration 2. Legally mandated safety and usage standards 3.  Revenue generation.”  In 2020, Sierra was the co-sponsor of HB2049 with his seatmate Representative Espinoza.  HB2049 sought to add autism spectrum disorder and opioid use disorder to the list of qualifying conditions for the medical marijuana program.  This issue was Arizona NORML’s flagship concern in the 2020 legislative session and we were truly appreciative of Sierra’s support.

Espinoza was first elected to a House seat in LD19 in 2014 and has served three terms in the chamber since then.  He is up for reelection for the same seat this year.  While Espinoza did not respond to our survey, he is incredibly supportive in the legislature. Espinoza has led on and co-sponsored many cannabis-related reform bills.  In the legislative session this year, Espinoza led by sponsoring HB2049 with his seatmate Lorenzo Sierra which sought to add autism spectrum disorder to the list of qualifying conditions relative to the medical marijuana program.  This bill represented Arizona NORML’s flagship issue with regard to our 2020 legislative agenda.  The West Valley News reported on Espinoza’s bill on February 5, 2020 and printed these comments:  In addition, Espinoza is wanting to pass a legislation adding autism to the list of medical conditions doctors can prescribe medical marijuana for. “I think it adds another tool in the toolbox for our medical professionals to ensure they can address the situation,” Espinoza said. He said there have been many parents of children who are diagnosed with autism and believe their children would benefit from medical marijuana. “Some of these children are taking a variety of pills, sometimes up to a dozen,” Espinoza said. “I have concerns with what their future health will look like by taking so many pills and what damage can be done. “Espinoza said using medical marijuana as treatment has shown to be beneficial in other states. “There has been significant improvements in other states, especially in Colorado,” Espinoza said. “We allow medical professionals to make that decision and it shouldn’t be legislators denying that opportunity for a better life for the child.””

Bolick unsuccessfully ran for a House seat in LD11 in 2010.  She then lost in an election for a House seat in LD28 in 2014.  Bolick returned in 2018 to win a House seat in LD20 and is seeking reelection for that same seat this year.  Despite repeated attempts to contact her, Bolick did not respond to our survey.  In 2018, Bolick told CAP that she opposes legalization.  When asked by the ivoterguide if she supports the legalization of recreational marijuana, Bolick was in strong disagreement of legalization.  Lastly, Bolick demonstrated her lack of support for the medical marijuana program and patients in Arizona by co-sponsoring the repulsive HCR2045 (the bill that sought a 2% THC cap in the medical marijuana program) earlier this year in the legislature.

Kern was first elected to a House seat in LD20 in 2014 and has held the seat until today.  He is seeking reelection for the seat this year.  Kern did not respond to our survey despite efforts to contact him.  Kern has been hostile to cannabis and has been known to make disparaging remarks relative to cannabis in committee hearings.  In fact, here’s what Arizona NORML had to say about him in our 2018 General Election Candidate Guide:  “During HR1820 (the testing bill) Kern used his speeches to belittle and insult cannabis medical patients.  His votes on the testing bill aside, Kern needs educating.”  In the ivoterguide, Kern strongly disagreed with supporting the legalization of marijuana.  As chairman of the House Rules Committee, Kern has the capacity to stymie cannabis-related bills by not allowing them to pass through the committee.  In 2019, the legislature tried to fix the statute discrepancies between the definitions of marijuana and cannabis in response to the Jones Case.  That effort resulted in HB2149.  Kern was opposed to HB2149 and was quoted in Filter as to why:  “I went to go get my haircut and they’re right next to one of these dispensaries, said Republican Representative Anthony Kern, when justifying his vote.  The people cutting my hair were talking about the clientele outside the dispensary, the fact that they’re getting more and more crimes being committed in that parking lot.  They’re afraid to come out of their job.  Tweaking the definition does a disservice to public safety, and a disservice to our constituents.”  Wow…that’s some good ‘ol prohibitionist fear-mongering there!

Schwiebert is a former teacher who is running for a House seat for the first time in LD20 this year. Schwiebert did not respond to our survey despite repeated contacts.  Sadly, our research did not yield any results with respect to Schwiebert and cannabis-related issues so we simply cannot give her a grade.

Payne first won a House seat in LD21 in 2016 and has held that seat until today.  He is running for reelection this year for the same seat in LD21.  Payne did not respond to our survey despite our attempts to reach him.  Payne has been a strong advocate in the House and has met regularly with Arizona NORML.  In fact, here’s what we had to say about him in 2018:  “The real deal, Payne was the driving force in the House behind testing bill HR1820 and plans an aggressive reform agenda for the 2019 legislative session.”  We were right.  Payne was the prime sponsor of one cannabis reform bill and co-sponsored three more in 2019.  This year, Payne was the prime sponsor of HB2784 which sought to establish a medical marijuana research committee to oversee and provide grants for marijuana research studies on the safety and efficacy of using marijuana for medical purposes.

Pingerelli currently serves on the Peoria Unified School District’s Governing Board having first been elected to the board in 2014.  She is seeking a House seat in LD21 this year.  Despite repeated phone calls and emails, Pingerelli did not respond to our survey.  In the ivoterguide, Pingerelli strongly disagreed with a statement asking if she supported the legalization of recreational marijuana.  Without further information on Pingerelli and her unwillingness to respond to our survey for clarity on her positions, we’ll grade Pingerelli on her strong opposition to legalization.

Knecht was elected to the Peoria Unified School District Governing Board in 2006, 2010 and 2014.  She then unsuccessfully ran as an Independent for the Senate seat in LD21 in 2018.  She returns this year with another run at the Senate seat as a Democrat.  Despite repeated contacts, Knecht did not respond to our survey.  Unfortunately, our research did not produce anything on Knecht and cannabis-related issues so we simply don’t have enough information to grade her.

Carroll first won a House seat in LD22 in 2018 and is seeking reelection for that seat this year.  Despite repeated attempts at contact, Carroll did not respond to our survey.  In 2018, Carroll told CAP that he is a no on legalization.  Carroll showed his true colors in the 2020 legislative session by co-sponsoring the repugnant HCR2045 (the bill that sought a 2% THC cap in the medical marijuana program) and HCR2044.  HCR2044 sought to raid money from the medical marijuana fund and use it to fund mental health and substance abuse treatment beds in the State Department of Corrections.

Toma has worked as a real estate broker and served on the Peoria City Council.  He won a House seat in LD22 in 2018 and is seeking reelection for the same seat this year.  Despite repeated contacts, Toma did not respond to our survey.  Toma has done some good work in the legislature during his tenure with respect to cannabis.  He sponsored HB2362 (an expungement bill) in 2019.  He was co-sponsor of HB2554 (which sought to redefine cannabis by statute in response to the Jones Case) and HB2404 (which decriminalized up to 2 ½ ounces of marijuana).  Toma also sponsored a bill (HB2359) in 2020 that sought to prevent applicants from being denied licenses due to drug or cannabis charges.  Oddly, Toma was also co-sponsor of Representative Bower’s horrendous bill, HCR2045 (the bill that sought a 2% THC cap on the medical marijuana program).  Despite the latter misgiving, we’ll give Toma the benefit of the doubt.

Garcia unsuccessfully ran for Senate in LD22 in 2018.  She’s back this year seeking a House seat in LD22.  Garcia is a lifelong cannabis advocate at the state and federal level.  She responded to our survey with a showing of all fives indicating strong support for cannabis and cannabis-related issues.  As a concomitant to that strong support, Garcia offers this insight:  “Lets add another “C” to Arizona’s five “C” economy- cattle, copper, cotton, citrus, climate and CANNABIS!”  We love Garcia’s enthusiasm so we’ll be adding an A to her cannabis grade!

Honne worked in education for over 20 years prior to her foray into politics.  Honne responded to our survey with overwhelming support for cannabis and cannabis-related issues.  We’ll let Sarah Tyree describe Honne:  “I have been an advocate for legalization for a while now and have even been able to convert my running mate Kathleen Honne! We had Mikel Weisser on one of our Donuts and Dish Sessions and she was able to really educate herself on the pros to the initiative.”  Relative to children and parental rights, Honne wrote:  “I need more information about what is meant by children being removed from parents for marijuana use. I do believe this is a major area for reform immediately in Arizona to improve equity and justice!” Honne’s willingness to educate herself on the initiative and her responses to our survey clearly demonstrate that she’ll be an ally to our cause.

Chaplik runs a real estate business and is running for a House seat in LD23 for the first time this year.  Chaplik did not respond to our survey despite being contacted by phone and email.  When asked if he supported the legalization of marijuana in ivoterguide, Chaplik responded that he disagreed with legalization.  Since Chaplik did not elucidate his position relative to cannabis by responding to our survey, we’ll have to grade him on his opposition to legalization.

Kavanagh previously served in the House in LD23 from 2007 to 2015.  He was then elected to the Senate in LD23 in 2014 through 2016.  He then won the House seat in LD23 in 2018 and is seeking reelection for that position this year.  When contacted by our volunteer, here’s what Kavanagh said:  “You don’t want to hear what I have to say!”  Yeah…Kavanagh’s probably right, we really don’t want to hear what he has to say.  In fact, here’s what Arizona NORML had to say about Kavanagh in our 2018 General Election Candidate Guide:  “Kavanagh is another GOP legislator aiming to cycle between the House and Senate until well into next century.  “His antics would be easy to tolerate if this guy wasn’t also AZ’s most colorful and most dogged prohibitionist.””  Kavanagh’s cruelty knows no bounds as he attempted to create a bill in 2013 to rescind the entire medical marijuana program in Arizona.  In 2018, he voted no on SB1420 (an early testing bill) because the bill lowered patient card costs.  In 2020, Kavanagh has taken a public stance against Prop 207.  We’ve seen enough and don’t appreciate his treatment of our volunteer.

Kurland is a teacher who ran unsuccessfully for this same seat in 2018.  In responding to our survey, Kurland was neutral on eliminating federal prohibition and the legalization of adult-use in Arizona.  He was supportive of working to eliminate harsh sentences for non-violent marijuana offenses, expungement and understanding the science behind medical marijuana.  Lastly, Kurland was strongly supportive of the medical marijuana program and not having children removed from a parent over marijuana use.  We spoke with Kurland on September 28th and he gave us the following quote:  “I believe adults in our country should be free to make decisions for themselves that do not harm others.  While I would not be lighting up if it became legal, I do not believe our government should infringe on individual liberties.  I would need to see legislation before committing to any unconditional support.”  We can certainly work with that!

Cushman ran as a write-in candidate for a House seat in LD24 in the primary and advanced to the general election.  Despite repeated phone calls and emails, Cushman did not respond to our survey.  Unfortunately, our research failed to find anything concrete on Cushman and cannabis-related issues.  Therefore, we are unable to provide a grade for Cushman.

Alger ran unsuccessfully for a House seat in LD24 in 2018.  He returned in 2020 as a primary write-in candidate and advanced to the general election this year.  Despite repeated attempts to contact him, Alger did not respond to our survey.  Sadly, we were unable to find any information on him relative to cannabis-related issues in our research.  Therefore, we cannot provide a grade for Alger.

Longdon first won her House seat in LD24 in 2018 and is seeking reelection for that seat this year.  Longdon did not respond to our survey despite repeated attempts at contacting her.  Longdon has been a long-time advocate, a supporter in the legislature and actually worked in the early days of the industry.  Here’s what Longdon told us in 2018:  “I was involved in the MMJ movement in its early days in Arizona as a caregiver.  I briefly worked for the first collective in the state.  I also helped write several dispensary applications for the first lottery and my pro-MMJ article appeared in the Phoenix New Times.  Further, I support legalization of cannabis for recreational use.  I would like to see cannabis treated and taxed like alcohol.”

Shah first won a House seat in LD24 in 2018.  He is back this year seeking reelection for the same seat.  Despite repeated attempts to contact Shah, he did not respond to our survey.  Shah did co-sponsor HB2533 in 2020 which attempted to change the language for the class 6 felony possession of marijuana from a speck to 2 pounds relative to fines.  The bill changed the language that a judge MAY fine you $750 as opposed to current language of SHALL fine you $750.  That’s a step in the right direction but we’ll need more from Shah if reelected.

Udall first ran for a House seat in LD25 in 2014 but lost in the primary.  She came back in 2016 and won the House seat that she continues to occupy today.  Udall is up for reelection this year for the same House seat.  Sadly, Udall did not respond to our survey despite repeated attempts to contact her.  Udall was a co-sponsor of the horrific HCR2045 (the bill that sought a 2% THC cap in the medical marijuana program) in the 2020 session.  In addition, Udall responded to the following ivoterguide survey statement:  I support the legalization of recreational marijuana.  Udall’s response:  Disagree.  We disagree with Udall.

Bowers was first elected to a House seat in LD21 in 1996 and was reelected to serve in that same seat in 1998 and 2000.  He returned in 2014 to win a House seat in LD25 and has maintained that same seat until today.  Bowers began serving as the Speaker of the House in 2019.  Despite repeated attempts to contact him, Bowers did not respond to our survey.  Bowers was the prime sponsor of the dreaded and loathsome HCR2045 (the bill that sought a 2% THC cap to the medical marijuana program) earlier this year.  We’ll let Tucson.com tell you more about what Bowers had to say about HCR2045 in an article from March 12, 2020:

“House Speaker Russell Bowers, R-Mesa, acknowledged he was only interested in studying the relationship between use of this drug and violence and schizophrenia.  He said there already is evidence of some links.  “Not everybody’s going to be paranoid schizophrenic,” Bowers said.  “But a lot of people are.” Bowers, who is 67, spoke of growing up and hanging around with marijuana users who were “seen as the cool guys in school.”  “We were told that it was basically harmless,” he said.  (We should note that Bowers riffed on the cool guys in school comment in a committee hearing on HCR2045. After talking about the “cool guys,” Bowers rhetorically asked, “do you know where they are all at now?”  “They’re DEAD!”).  But he said there is now evidence that is not the case.  And Bowers said he sees medical marijuana as “a gateway to full-blown recreational marijuana.”  What’s driving his call, Bowers said, is the book “Tell Your Children” by former New York Times reporter Alex Berenson, which cites various studies that the author says links marijuana to psychosis.  There have been criticisms of the book, including an open letter from a group of scholars and clinicians, including from Harvard Medical School and Columbia University, saying that Berenson’s methodology is flawed and that he cherry-picks the data used.  Bowers said the book cites long-term effects “where we see spiking in horrendous crimes, murders, child abuse, traffic accidents in our surrounding states that have now a history of open recreational use but also have the medical use.””  We should note that Bowers riffed on the cool guys in school comment in a committee hearing on HCR2045 earlier this year.  After talking about the “cool guys,” Bowers rhetorically asked, “do you know where they are now?”  “They’re DEAD!” 

As Speaker of the House, Bowers has even refused to consider his own party’s cannabis bills, saying he won’t “sit down with dopers.”

Well…that’s enough Reefer Madness for right now.  We’ll stop and grade Bowers accordingly.

Hugg is a family business owner who is running for the first time for a seat in the House of LD25.  She responded to our survey and remained neutral on children never being removed from parents due to cannabis use.  She shifted gears and was supportive of understanding the science of medical marijuana, working to reduce harsh penalties for non-violent marijuana offenses and the expungement of records relative to charges of marijuana possession or use.  Hugg then voiced her strong support for the medical marijuana program, ending federal prohibition and the legalization for adult-use in Arizona.  In an LD25 debate sponsored by the AZCCEC on August 20, 2020, Hugg mentioned that she knows people who use marijuana for medical purposes and has seen the benefits.  Hugg also stated that marijuana can be used as alternative to opioids and supports it as a legal alternative. 

Sifuentes is a Navy veteran, helicopter mechanic and Naval reservist.  This is his first run at one of the House seats in LD26.  Sifuentes responded to our survey and was in strong support of four of our seven statements.  He remained neutral relative to the science behind medical marijuana, the legalization of adult-use in Arizona and expungement.  Sifuentes also provided us with the following statement:  “I am a Republican with libertarian leanings.  The science for the therapeutic uses of marijuana is becoming sounder.  We should end the outright prohibition of marijuana and maintain social responsibility by treating marijuana the way we treat alcohol.  The time for Reefer Madness is behind us.  Government regulation of marijuana will reduce cartel influence in the market making our streets safer and create tax revenue to be used for the public interest.”  We can certainly work with that!

Loughrige served 35 years in law enforcement prior to retiring.  This is his first run for a House seat in LD26.  Sadly, Loughrige told our volunteer that he would not answer our survey and then hung up on him.  Thankfully, the ivoterguide revealed how Loughrige views the legalization of marijuana.  Loughrige was in strong disagreement relative to his support of legalization.  Given his incivility to our volunteer, his strong opposition to legalization and his unwillingness to respond to our survey to clarify his views, Loughrige leaves us no choice but to grade him harshly.

Hernandez is a paramedic running for the first time for a House seat in LD26.  Although Hernandez did not respond to our survey, she did text with one of our volunteers and has had myriad conversations regarding our survey topics with that volunteer where she has expressed her full support of cannabis reform.  Hernandez is running with both Representative Athena Salman and Senator Juan Mendez as the 2020 Millennial Clean Elections Team.  Hernandez’s alignment with these two powerful cannabis reformers in the legislature gives us great hope for LD26!

Salman won her LD26 House seat in 2016 and has served in the district for two terms.  She is back seeking a third term for House in LD-26 this year.  Salman responded to our survey and was in strong support of all seven of our statements.  This is not surprising due to the fact that Salman has been a vocal supporter for cannabis reform and has been an ally in the legislature.

Peña is an educator and musician who is running for the first time for a House seat in LD27.  Despite attempts to contact her, Peña did not respond to our survey.  Unfortunately, our research yielded nothing relative to Peña and cannabis-related issues.  Therefore, we simply don’t have enough information to grade her.

Bolding first won a House seat in LD27 in 2014 and has remained in that seat until today.  He is seeking reelection for the same seat this year.  Despite repeated attempts at contacting him, Bolding did not respond to our survey.  Bolding has not been very bold during his tenure in the House relative to cannabis.  In 2019, Bolding did co-sponsor HB2537 which sought to add testing to the medical marijuana program.  Bolding was also supportive of Prop 205 (the initiative to legalize) in 2016.  We look for Bolding to provide more leadership on cannabis-related reform moving forward.

Rodriguez is a lawyer who first ran unsuccessfully for Maricopa County Attorney in 2016.  In that race, he challenged the notorious Bill Montgomery.  He returned in 2018 to win a House seat in LD27 and seeks reelection for that seat this year.  Although he didn’t respond to our survey, Rodriguez has consistently advocated for cannabis reform and has been an ally in the legislature by lending his name to myriad cannabis-related bills.  In 2018, he spoke on two different occasions at an Arizona NORML meeting.  In his 2016 county attorney race, Rodriguez was discussed by CannabisRadio.com:  “Rodriguez mentions that justice is not being served, which is why his campaign is geared towards legalization.  He agrees with Prop 205 and believes that it will be passed.  Therefore, legalization will be enforced with the new rights the citizens will be given. Rodriguez wants to work with law enforcement from the day the act goes into effect.  Rodriguez believes that money is being wasted by incarceration people in Arizona, which is why the Prop will help to modify sentences and help people get back their lives. Post-conviction relief will be the main focus since Rodriguez is pro-legalization and anti mass incarceration.  A vote for Diego he says is a vote for the cannabis industry.”  Rodriguez had it right in 2016 and continues to have it right today!

Bowers is a veteran and retired Department of Corrections employee.  He first unsuccessfully ran for a House seat in LD28 in 2016.  He then ran unsuccessfully for the Senate seat in LD28 in 2018.  Bowers returns this year to compete for a House seat in LD28.  Bowers did not respond to our survey despite repeated attempts to contact him.  Unfortunately, our research did not uncover any information relative to Bowers and cannabis-related issues.  Therefore, we simply do not have enough data to grade Bowers at this time.

Jackson is running for a House seat in LD28 for the first time this year.  We spoke with Jackson on the phone but could not get her to respond to our survey despite repeated emails.  While we couldn’t find much on Jackson through our research, we were able to find a response to this ivoterguide survey question:  I support the legalization of recreational marijuana.  Jackson’s response:  Strongly Disagree.  With her unwillingness to respond to our survey for clarification and her clear opposition to legalization, we will err on the side of caution with Jackson’s grade.

Butler first ran unsuccessfully for a Senate seat in LD28 in 2014.  She returned in 2016 to run for a House seat in LD28.  She won that seat and has maintained it until today. Butler is seeking reelection for that same seat this year.  Butler did not respond to our survey despite repeated attempts to contact her. Butler was quoted in an Arizona Capitol Times article on February 15, 2018 about HB2067 (a bill that sought to impose prison terms on medical professionals who fail to conduct full medical exams before issuing a state certification for medical marijuana.  Prohibitionist Sheila Polk provided the impetus for this bill).  In the article, Butler said that she’s not a fan of recreational use of marijuana.  She continued, “But I do think there is a serious medical need for it,” she said, saying she does not want to “criminalize physicians who are doing their job.”” Butler did co-sponsor HB2554 in 2019 which was a bill that sought to coalesce the definitions of cannabis and marijuana in state statute in response to the Jones Case. 

Lieberman first won a House seat in LD28 in 2018 and is seeking the same seat for reelection this year.  Despite phone calls and emails, Lieberman did not respond to our survey.  Oddly, Lieberman was the only Democrat to co-sponsor the dreaded HCR2045 but then voted against it on the floor.  Lieberman impressed us in 2018 with our General Election Candidate Guide:  “Presenting himself as a cannabis moderate, Lieberman aims for the middle ground in his statement to AZ Central:  “Ultimately, this issue should be left up to the voters to decide.  If the voters do decide to legalize marijuana, the state legislature should ensure there is robust infrastructure in place to ensure its safe development to use.  I do support medical marijuana and feel strongly the state should be more proactive in ensuring effective regulation of this fast-growing portion of our state economy.””  We look to Lieberman to take more of a leadership role in sponsoring cannabis-related bills if reelected this year.

Fokszanskyj-Conti is running for the House seat in LD29 for the first time in 2020.  She responded to our survey and was only strongly supportive of having children never removed from a home where a parent consumes marijuana and was supportive relative to working to reduce harsh penalties for non-violent marijuana offenders.  However, Fokszanskyj-Conti then veers away from support into disagreement and opposition.  She does not support expungement for marijuana possession and use.  She is strongly opposed to the legalization of adult-use in Arizona and to the elimination of the federal prohibition while remaining neutral on the medical marijuana program and her understanding of the science behind medical marijuana.  In addition, Fokszanskyj-Conti strongly disagreed with the legalization of recreational marijuana in an ivoterguide candidate profile.

Bragg is a retired Air Force veteran running for the House seat LD29 for the first time this year.  Bragg responded to our survey and was incredibly supportive of the medical marijuana program, never having children separated from their parents due to cannabis use, working to reduce the severity of non-violent marijuana offenses and expungement.  However, Bragg veers away from reform when stating his opinion regarding the elimination of federal prohibition and the legalization of cannabis for adult-use in Arizona.  Bragg does not support either of these issues and is strongly opposed to legalization in Arizona.  Here’s is Bragg’s explanation:  “I don’t think it should be used for recreational use because of its potency. It is much stronger than it was in the 60s and 70s.”  This statement troubles us. 

Andrade was first elected to his House seat in LD29 in 2014.  He is seeking the same seat this year.  He responded to our survey and left no question as to his support of cannabis and cannabis-related issues.  Andrade was in strong support of each of our seven statements.  This is not surprising given Andrade’s continued support in the legislature.  In 2018, Andrade told us:  “very familiar with cannabis personally.  Strongly opposes federal government policy. Strongly supports Arizona’s mmj program.  Will advocate for reducing AZ criminal penalties if elected.  Strongly supports state and federal legalization/decriminalization.”  Lastly, Andrade stated:  “We must ensure the Cannabis industry is protected and able to expand without undue regulations.”

Chávez first won a House seat in LD29 in 2016 and was reelected in 2018.  He seeks his third term in the House in LD29 this year.  While he didn’t respond to our survey, Chávez has been an ally and supporter in the legislature of cannabis reform.  He is publicly supporting Prop 207 and recently participated in a MITA (Marijuana Industry Trade Association) webinar about social equity and Prop 207.  In 2018, Chavez told Arizona NORML that he:  “is very familiar with cannabis personally – strongly opposes federal government policy – strongly supports Arizona’s MMJ program – will advocate for reducing AZ criminal penalties if elected – strongly supports state and federal legalization/decriminalization.”  Chavez was enlightened then and is enlightened now!

Meza was first elected to a House seat in LD14 in 2002.  He served in that seat until getting elected for a Senate seat in LD14 in 2010.  Meza was then elected to a Senate seat in LD30 in 2012 and maintained that position until 2018 when he was elected to a House seat in LD30.  He held that house seat until today and is seeking reelection for the same House seat this year.  Meza did not respond to our survey despite email and phone contacts.  Meza has co-sponsored a few cannabis-related bills in the last couple of legislative sessions.  Here’s what Arizona NORML had to say about Meza in our General Election Guide in 2018:  “While sending positive signs on the issue, former Senator Meza interacted very little with reformers while in the Senate.  However, his strong statement to AZ Central in favor of legalization is very encouraging:  “In my legislative district 55% of my constituents voted in favor of legalization. Given numbers like that and the opportunity to fund education with taxes derived from the sale of legalized and highly regulated marijuana it will not only lower crime rates and render much of the illicit drug community without revenue but it will also enable us to further fund our students.  Marijuana has been proven to be an effective treatment for many people.  Legalization will enable those with medical conditions but without insurance access to this often time’s life-saving treatment.  Additionally, no one has ever died from the use of marijuana which cannot be said of many legal substances such as opiates and even alcohol.””

Terán unsuccessfully ran for the Senate seat in LD30 in 2012.  She returned in 2018 to win the House seat in LD30 and is seeking reelection to that seat this November.  Terán responded to our survey with strongly supportive statements of cannabis and cannabis-related issues.  Terán also provided us with the following sentiment:  “I think we need to regulate and tax and make sure we are not penalizing people for consumption of marijuana.”  Just for good measure, here’s Terán to AZ Central in 2018:  “Yes, we must regulate and tax Marijuana.  It has the potential to create a large commercial sector that could grow the economy and provide jobs for the people in Arizona.  Secondly it will provide a large flow of tax revenue that may help with the much needed revenue that is critical to fund social services and transportation.  Third, for far too long people have been criminalized for using cannabis, thus creating a large pool of people with criminal records which makes it harder for them to find jobs, homes, and basically causing them to become second class citizens.”  There’s a lot to like here!