President Donald Trump signs Arizona courts bill into law

PHOENIX – Arizona lawmakers from both sides of the aisle and President Donald Trump found something on which they can all agree.

Trump signed a bipartisan bill last week that improves access to the federal court system for Arizonans living outside major population centers.

The new law, which adds Flagstaff and Yuma to the list of Arizona cities permitted to hold United States District Court proceedings, was pushed by the state’s entire congressional delegation.

The House version of the bill, which was introduced by Democratic Rep. Tom O’Halleran, passed July 10. The Senate version introduced by Republican Sen. Martha McSally was approved and sent to the president’s desk July 25.

“I’m pleased President Trump has signed this important bill into law so that rural residents will no longer have to drive hundreds of miles to access their court system,” O’Halloran said in a press release Friday, after Trump made it official.

Today, President Trump signed into law my bill that expands the list of locations in which court may be held to include Flagstaff and Yuma, ensuring that rural #AZ01 residents will no longer have to drive hundreds of miles to access their court system. https://t.co/giHb0KvNBV

— Rep. Tom O'Halleran (@RepOHalleran) August 9, 2019

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema cosponsored McSally’s bill, while the remaining eight House members from Arizona cosponsored O’Halloran’s.

“I want to thank the Arizona delegation for their bipartisan efforts to help get this bill across the finish line and the president for signing this solution to assist the growing communities of Yuma and Flagstaff into law,” McSally said Monday in a press release.

BIG NEWS: @realDonaldTrump just signed my bill expanding access to federal courts in #Flagstaff and #Yuma into law!
https://t.co/6eJFqBudSg

— Martha McSally (@SenMcSallyAZ) August 9, 2019

With Trump’s signature, Title 28 of the U.S. code was amended with the two additional cities. Previously, only Globe, Phoenix, Prescott and Tucson were designated in the statue.

The statute hadn’t been amended since it was enacted in 1948, even though court hasn’t been held in Globe for at least 50 years

The mayors of Flagstaff and Yuma joined Arizona’s congressional delegation in backing the bills.

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