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AZ Senate panel blocks bill limiting who local governments can enter contracts with

A Republican senator blocked the vote on a proposal that would limit who state and local governments have contracts with. If a company has rules against making deals with firearm manufacturers, the bill would stop public entities from having contracts with them. 

Sen. David Livingston stopped the measure, which is aimed at banks, as it didn’t have enough Republican support to pass.

The reason: The bill would go too far to step on business practices of private entities. 

"The country is based on the pursuit of happiness. And the banks are pursuing their happiness through the public sector and through the private sector. And I think that that is equal with the Second Amendment protection," Republican Sen. Vince Leach said. 

The move from Livingston did not kill the bill outright; however, and it could be revived if changes are made later. 

Bank of America made rules in 2018 to not make loans for companies that make military-style rifles for civilian use.

Greg Hahne started as a news intern at KJZZ in 2020 and returned as a field correspondent in 2021. He learned his love for radio by joining Arizona State University's Blaze Radio, where he worked on the production team.