Stolen Valor Bill Hits Snag, Yet Striker Aims for Governor’s Desk

In a recent development, the Senate Judiciary and Elections committee convened to discuss House Bill 2030, aimed at criminalizing the impersonation of armed forces veterans. This meeting took place a week after tensions escalated, with bill sponsor Rep. Walt Blackman, R-Snowflake, accusing committee chairman Sen. Wendy Rogers, R-Flagstaff, of intentionally delaying the legislation.

Rogers announced the inclusion of HB 2030 on the agenda after Blackman and a coalition of bipartisan lawmakers and military veterans publicly criticized her and committee member Sen. Mark Finchem, R-Prescott, during a press conference. The focus of their concerns was alleged attempts to protect Steve Slaton, a political candidate accused of misrepresenting his military service.

During the committee hearing, Rogers mentioned requesting amendments to align the bill with federal laws, though she did not specify which laws or the nature of the required amendments. “My staff let his staff know that I was including it on today’s agenda, in case we had applicable discussions before committee,” Rogers stated. However, after failing to engage in such discussions, she decided to hold the bill.

Rep. Blackman, a U.S. Army veteran, voiced suspicion regarding Rogers’ motives, suggesting that her actions aimed to shield Slaton from scrutiny. Slaton had claimed to have served as a crew chief and co-pilot on a Cobra helicopter in both Vietnam and Korea, but his military record, the DD-214, contradicts these assertions, noting only service as a helicopter repairman in Korea.

Rogers faced backlash for aligning with Slaton during her campaign despite these allegations. However, the eventual fate of HB 2030 remains uncertain. There is a potential pathway for the legislation to bypass Rogers and reach the governor, as the House Rules committee recently approved a striker amendment to Senate Bill 1424. This bill shares similar provisions with Blackman’s original proposal and was endorsed by Sen. Shawnna Bolick, R-Phoenix, to continue advancing the measure.