Legislative briefs (excerpt) ...Sex Laws
Arizona Daily Sun, March 21, 2001
Box 1849, Flagstaff, AZ, 86002
Fax: 520-773-1934
The House voted Wednesday to repeal the state’s laws on unmarried
cohabitation and other consensual sex crimes as opponents warned against
sending a harmful message to children.
The House defeated, 31-22, an attempt by conservatives to delete the
repeals from a tax bill (HB2016) now ready for a final House vote. Passage
would send the bill to the Senate.
Laws that would be repealed if the bill becomes law now make it a
misdemeanor punishable by 30 days in jail and a $500 fine to engage in
unmarried cohabitation, lewd and lascivious acts and "the crime against
nature or any similar offense."
Supporters of the repeal argued that the so-called "archaic sex
laws" are unconstitutionally vague, while opponents said the Legislature
needed to take a moral stand.
"It is irresponsible to erode and take away moral law that gives
direction to proper conduct," said Rep. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa. "We
owe that to our children."
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