PHOENIX — The Senate on Monday gave final approval to legislation declaring lemonade to be the official state drink despite objections the action sends the wrong message to teens who want to affect state policy.
Proponents of HB 2692 pointed out the measure was crafted by a Gilbert high school student who complained that Arizona lacks an official beverage. So he took his case to House Majority Leader Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, who agreed to be the bill’s champion.
With that backing plus testimony from Garrett Glover, the Gilbert teen, the measure is now headed to Gov. Doug Ducey.
But Sen. Juan Mendez, D-Tempe, said that’s precisely why lawmakers should not go along.
“This is the most ridiculous standard to be used as an example of civic education,” he said.
Mendez said there was a march last year of about 15,000 high schoolers on the Capitol to advocate for gun safety legislation.
Legislation to deal with access to firearms went nowhere.
“These students were not afforded the same privileges to help shape their legislation and learn about civics as some other people’s constituents are given that privilege,” Mendez said. “Yet this bill was shepherded through this process,” Mendez said, with House Majority Leader Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, taking up the cause for the student from his district.
But he did agree with colleagues on one thing: The fact that this bill got all the way through the process and gun safety legislation did not is truly a “teaching moment.”
“I’m definitely going to take this to students all around the state,” Mendez said.
