Time-To-Ask: Is Mesa Republican Rusty Bowers Growing Crooked?

It's true we don't know what we don't know, but judging by actions taken for whatever stated reasons, who knows why, and considering the fact that water is the most precious commodity here in the desert, it is more than suspicious and certainly deserving more scrutiny - Once again any reasonable person might ask why is the long time Speaker of The Arizona State House R-Mesa, now introducing a bill to "immunize" and to provide legal protection for those who didn't know they were breaking the law: those who drill into underground streams to tap into water they aren't entitled to. 

Hard-to-believe it not? . . . Governor Ducey signed the bill into law on Thursday. That news is from Howie Fischer published in the credible and reliable Arizona Capitol Times.  It removed criminal penalties from previously existing laws - why now? Any reasonable person might ask . . .   that is if the public knows about it. And, once again, we witness more crazy politics here in Arizona.

". . . The legislation was pushed by House Speaker Rusty Bowers, R-Mesa. He argued that those who drill wells don’t – and can’t – know whether they’ve actually tapped into a subsurface flow. And that water, like surface water, is allocated not based on who owns the land but on different laws about who has the right to use it.
Bowers said the state is still trying to determine who has the rights to certain surface and subsurface waters.
He said some of the water rights at issue actually could turn out to belong to tribes. Bowers said there’s no reason to subject well drillers to criminal liability if it turns out that what they’re pumping “contains one molecule of subflow.”

That includes Bowers himself who said he drilled a new well two years ago. . . "
Legislation to immunize well owners becomes law
by Howie Fischer 07 June 2019
A new law signed Thursday by Gov. Doug Ducey is designed to provide legal protections to those who drill wells into underground streams they are not legally entitled to tap.
The measure repeals existing laws that make it a crime when a well owner “uses water to which another is entitled.” That law, until now, has subjected violators to up to four months in jail and a $750 fine.
Now, that criminal penalty will be available only when someone knew they were breaking the law. . . Read more > https://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2019/06/07/legislation-to-immunize-well-owners-becomes-law/