2024 Legislative Agenda

SALC Focus Areas outline policy priorities ratified by the Board. These “Policy Goals & Actions” serve as guiding principles and inform SALC’s legislative agenda.

2024 Legislative Agenda & Policy Goals

Education
  • Actively participate in the PEEPS program to support expanded access to Early Childhood Education in Pima County for low- and moderate-income children.
  • Partner with Tucson Values Teachers to help recognize and retain high quality teachers.
  • Engage with Education Forward Arizona to support education policy and programs across the P-20 continuum.
  • Partner with Pima JTED to amplify opportunities that align with students’ career interests and can help ameliorate workforce shortages in key sectors.
  • Support a Chancellor search process at Pima Community College that seeks highly qualified candidates, regionally and nationally.

 

 

 
Infrastructure
  • Lead business community effort for a coordinated effort to meet regional infrastructure needs, such as State General Fund appropriations for I-10 projects, Kino Parkway Interchange and SR 210 expansion.
  • Advocate for Arizona critical minerals mining to secure supply chains and a sustainable green energy economy.
  • Engage at the local, state, and federal level to address the digital divide and increase broadband access.
  • Support power providers in resilient grid modernization and the transition to low GHG emission production.
  • Engage in regional water policy efforts to ensure a sufficient water supply for sustained economic growth.
Healthcare
  • Support legislation, policies and initiatives that increase or further:
    • Access to mental health care/resources
    • Prevention and treatment of substance abuse including opioid and meth addiction
    • Stability and affordability of healthcare for individuals and employers, including Kids Care, AHCCCS, and prospective pharmaceutical pricing limitations
    • Creation of a database of adult flu and COVID-19 vaccines
    • Healthcare worker staffing through policies that include non-cumbersome financial support and pipeline development
  • Support efforts to curb expansion of healthcare unionization
  • Support efforts to improve the Health Information Exchange
Innovation Economy
  • Convene key partners as pertinent topics arise to grow the innovation ecosystem in the region/state.
  • Support regional entrepreneurial efforts to attract and grow the risk capital availability in Southern Arizona.
  • Support government streamline reforms to improve business attraction, expansion, and job creation.
  • Partner with our universities to protect the vital Technology & Research Innovation Fund (TRIF).
  • Support efforts to finance, encourage and enhance innovative tech transfer at Arizona’s universities.
Governance
  • Expand efforts to identify and cultivate local/statewide candidates
  • Lead an effort to promote more regional collaboration, especially transportation and courts
  • Organize and lead engagement opportunities between SALC members and local and state elected officials and administrators
  • Support legislation, policies, and initiatives that protect and modernize the citizens’ initiative process
  • Support efforts that seek to improve local and state election processes
  • Collaborate to support system reforms for high performing, fair and effective local and state governments
    • Ward-only elections in the City of Tucson
    • Amend the Voter Protection Act and the Supermajority requirement (in tandem)