One state representative from the town of Hereford, Arizona, is blocking national and local efforts to honor the six who died in Tucson during an attempted assassination on Congresswoman Gabriel Giffords in 2011.
Republican Sen. Gail Griffin chairs the committee blocking House Bill 2436, legislation which would to raise $2.5 million for the monument honoring the six who were killed. Griffin is also is the sponsor of a bill barring background checks on any personal property including guns.
The HB 2436’s sponsor, Rep. Todd Clodfelter, is also a Republican, but said his GOP counterpart has not returned his calls.
"I don't know if it's a partisan thing. I don't know," Clodfelter said. "I think [the memorial] would be good for our community."
He’s not the only Republican who thinks so — the bill passed the full House with bi-partisan support.
Giffords and husband, Mark Kelley, are spearheading efforts to get Arizona and other states to require background checks any time a weapon is sold. That would include person-to-person sales, including those at gun shows, which are not regulated under federal firearms laws.
By contrast, Griffin is sponsoring Senate Bill 1122 which specifically bars state and local governments from requiring background checks for the sale of any personal property, including guns. That measure was approved by the Senate on a 16-14 margin and now awaits House floor action.
Griffin did not immediately return requests seeking comment.
U.S. Congresswoman Martha McSally has drafted a bill designating the memorial site a national monument, which would designate federal money to promote the site.
There are no scheduled hearings but Gov. Ducey could bypass the committee and fold the memorial's funding into the state budget negotiations. He has not committed to it at this point.