PHOENIX — State lawmakers voted Tuesday to make sure there’s someone left to run the government if the roof caves in — literally — during the next State of the State address.
The proposal by Sen. Judy Burges, R-Sun City West, would require that the secretary of state, attorney general or treasurer be taken somewhere else — at least 25 miles away — the next time there’s an event that normally would include all of them plus the governor. The absent official would be returned to the Capitol only after the event was over and the state’s chief executive safe.
Burges said there’s nothing unusual about SB 1156. She said it tracks the current practice during the annual State of the Union address.
At the federal level, after the president and vice president, the line of succession passes to the speaker of the House and president pro-tem of the Senate. That is then followed by members of the Cabinet, based on when each agency was created, starting with the secretary of state and ending with the Homeland Security secretary.
Historically, one member of the president’s Cabinet is purposely absent each year during the State of the Union address.
All this does, she said, is take the same precautions at the state level.
The measure was crafted by Lyle Rapacki of Sentinel Intelligence Service who said he has handled security services for corporate and other private officials.
Rapacki told members of the Senate Committee on Federalism, Mandates and Fiscal Responsibility he began thinking about the issue several years ago when there was a “credible threat” of a terrorist attack in Phoenix around the time of the State of the State message. That annual speech by the governor occurs in the House of Representatives chambers, with not just all 90 lawmakers but also other statewide elected officials in attendance.
“What in the world would happen if the roof caved in?” he asked.
“There’s no continuity of government in the state because all the leaders would be wiped out,” Rapacki continued. “That’s just absolutely appalling to me.”
SB 1156 would set up a rotation among the next three in line, with each in turn taken by the Department of Public Safety three hours ahead of any event to “a safe and secure location that is at least 25 miles away from the seat of government.”
Members of the committee seemed to like the concept. But they suggested there are flaws in the way it’s crafted.
Sen. Nancy Barto, R-Phoenix, said she sees no reason for rotation. Barto said it should automatically be the secretary of state, as first in line, who stays away.
Burges indicated the measure is likely to get some tweaking when it now goes to the full Senate.
