Ariz. Senate OKs Presidential Birth Certificate Bill
Thursday, 14 Apr 2011 11:59 AM
 
The  battle over presidential candidates' birth certificates took its first 
legislative turn when Arizona’s Senate approved a bill requiring all 
presidential candidates to provide documentation proving they were born in the 
United States before getting on the state ballot.

The bill, which passed 20 to 9 on a party-line vote Wednesday, still has to be 
approved by Arizona's House. A Democrat who voted against the measure claimed 
that if it becomes law, it is likely to be struck down by the courts, reports 
the Arizona Daily Star.

The original bill, which would have required presidential candidates to provide 
their long-form birth certificate, was amended to allow other documents such as 
baptism, circumcision or hospital birth records.

Article Two of the Constitution requires the president to be a “natural born 
citizen.” The Arizona bill did not specifically mention President Barack Obama, 
who has consistently refused to release his long-form certificate. Many 
Republicans, led by prospective presidential candidate Donald Trump, have cast 
doubt on Obama’s claim that he was born in Hawaii.

Phoenix Democrat Sen. Kyrsten Sinema claimed the measure would not pass legal 
muster, but GOP Senate President Russell Pearce disagreed, saying: ‘This is an 
obligation the state has.”

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