Russell Keith Pearce

Biographical Information

The following is from ALIS for the 50th Arizona State Legislature, 1st Regular Session (2011):

Russell Pearce
President  
Republican  District 18
Senate
1700 W. Washington
Room 205
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Phone Number: (602) 926-5760
Fax Number: (602) 926-3429
Email Address: [email protected]
Home City: Mesa
Occupation: Legislator (District 18, Mesa)
Member Since: January 2001
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I am one of 13 children (a blended family), my wife LuAnne is one of 7 children and we are blessed with 14 grandchildren. I am a fifth generation Arizonan on both my Fathers and Mothers side of my family. My Great, Great Grandfather Harrison Pearce built Pearce Ferry on Lake Mead. My Great Grandfather James Pearce founded Taylor Arizona in the 1860's. My Great Uncle Joe Pearce was one of the original Arizona Rangers serving from 1901 to 1909 when they were disbanded; he was the last of the original Rangers to die. On my Mother's side my Great, Great Grandfather Lorenzo Hill Hatch, settled in Northern Arizona in the 1860’s.

Two of my sons are in law enforcement, Colten with Gilbert P.D. and Sean with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. On Dec. 16, 2004 Sean was shot in the line of duty by an illegal alien while serving a homicide warrant on an illegal alien. I was in Washington D.C. at the time testifying about our nations failed immigration policies when I was handed a note and told there was an emergency at home and to call immediately. I called home and was told Sean was critically wounded after being shot in the chest and stomach and was being transported to Maricopa County Medical Center.

 

Chief Deputy; Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office:

• I was with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office which is the fourth largest Sheriff’s Office in the nation for 23 years, achieving the rank of Chief Deputy
• I created the nationally known "Tent City”, which houses over a 1,000 inmates. Tent City saved taxpayers millions of dollars in construction costs
• I was shot in the chest and hand and critically wounded in the line of duty by gang members
• Awarded the Medal of Valor which is the highest award given in law enforcement for exceptional bravery
• Nominated Deputy of the Year five times and young law enforcement officer of the year by the JC’s
• Directed and operated the fourth largest jail system in U.S.
• Created the state wide Arizona Auto Theft Authority. It has become the most successful auto theft prevention task force in the nation
• Directed and managed law enforcement services for unincorporated Maricopa County with over 350,000 citizens
• Managed contract law enforcement services for seven municipalities
• Responsible for preparing and implementing community oriented policing throughout Maricopa County Sheriff’s office jurisdiction
• Established no smoking jails, removal of explicit magazines, and removal of PG-13 and R rated movies from the county jail.
• Created with the FBI the Fugitive Task Force, “Desert Hawk” which is a violent crimes fugitive task force
• Served on national and statewide criminal justice related committees. Built and enhanced partnerships with all law enforcement agencies, city and county governments, community colleges and universities

Director of Arizona’s Motor Vehicle Division:

• Eliminating more than 3 million annual transactions
• Reduced wait times from over two hours to less than 20 minutes
• Saved over $10 million annually in admin costs
• Implemented “Service Arizona” to renew vehicle registrations and other transactions 24/7 from your home computer to save you the taxpayers time and money
• E-Business award from IBM – the only government agency in the world to have ever received this award
• NASIRE – National Association of State Information Resource Executives - ’99 National 1st place for the premium award for e-commerce and innovation

University of Phoenix Outstanding Alumni, 1997
Judge: North Mesa Justice of the Peace
Pro Tem Judge: For Maricopa County Courts
Director: Governor’s Office of Highway Safety 

Educational background includes:

• BA in Management from the University of Phoenix
• Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government
• Motor Vehicle Legal and Law College
• Advanced Executive Development, Arizona State University
• Budget and Appropriations, University of Arizona
• Arizona Judicial College, Supreme Court of Arizona

Additional Information

LEGISLATIVE FAMILY:  brother of Sen. Lester Pearce

Continued from the ALIS biography:

State Senator for LD18, Mesa:

• 2009 legislator of the year
• I was recognized as the top (#1) legislator by the Americans for Prosperity as Hero of the Taxpayer.
• I have been consistently rated in the top every year that I have been in the legislature
• I was recognized by the Goldwater Institute as the #1 legislator who "proved to be the strongest ally…against government encroachment on liberty"
• I was rated the #1 legislator by the Pachyderm's Coalition, a Reagan Republican Coalition
• I was one of only seven legislators in the nation and the only one in Arizona to receive the "Hero of the Taxpayer" award by the American Tax Reform Association
• Currently chairman of the Senate's Appropriations Committee; "I am the gate keeper not the gift giver, this money comes from labor of Dads and Moms who have a right to keep the fruits of their labor"
• One most outspoken advocates for stopping the illegal invasion, securing our borders and enforcing our laws
• In ’04 I was the architect of The Citizen’s Initiative known as Proposition 200, also known as Protect Arizona NOW (Arizona's Citizens and Taxpayers Protection Act), to require:

Proof of citizenship to register to vote. The U.S. Constitution established more than 200 years ago that only citizens may vote. The initiative requires everyone equally to prove that eligibility. The Help America Vote Act of 2002 requires states to strengthen the integrity of their voter rolls, as does Title 7, Section 12 of the Arizona Constitution.

Photo I.D. When voting. Photo I.D. Is required to cash a check, apply for welfare, sign a lease, or get a rental card at a video store. Gov. Napolitano vetoed the photo I.D. Bill, stating it was illegal. Yet 11 states already have laws requiring I.D. When voting. Some laws have been on the books for decades.

Proof of eligibility to receive non-federal mandated public benefits. This is already on the books. The initiative would require everyone to provide proof of eligibility equally. The Urban Institute studied this extensively in 1994, the University of Arizona in 2001, and estimated such costs to vary widely in the tens of millions of dollar

• I Authored: Arizona’s Fair and Legal Employment Act; Arizona’s Employer Sanctions legislation, the toughest worksite enforcement bill in the nation to stop illegal employers and to protect jobs for legal citizens of Arizona
• In ’06 I Authored Proposition 100, a Constitutional Amendment to refuse bond to any illegal alien who commits a serious crime in Arizona (passed by 78%)
• In ’06 I Authored Proposition 102 to require that any illegal alien who sues an American Citizen cannot receive ANY punitive damages (passed by 75%)
• In ’06 I Authored Prop. 103 making English the Official Language of Arizona (passed by 72%)
• I sponsored the toughest immigration enforcement legislation in the nation, SB1070 Arizona’s Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhood Act.

Eliminates all Sanctuary Policies in the state

Creates a Trespass provision for anyone who enters or remains in Arizona in violation of federal law

Makes it a misdemeanor for an illegal alien to solicit work and a crime for anyone to pick up a day-labor who they know is an illegal alien and a mandatory impound of their vehicle

• I Authored TABOR, Arizona's Taxpayers Bill of Rights
• I sponsored Proposition 102 the Marriage Amendment
• I sponsored legislation to honor, respect and protect life of the unborn
• I authored legislation to protect private property rights
• I authored legislation to protect 2nd Amendment rights (A+ by the NRA and top ranked by the Arizona Citizens Defense League
• I sponsored tax reduction legislation (largest tax relief package in state history)
• I sponsored regulatory protection measures for business from organized labor
• I sponsored SB1108 Freedom to Carry/Constitutional Carry which allows law abiding citizens their Constitutional right to carry, open or concealed
• I sponsored a Constitutional Amendment to eliminate Affirmative Action by government (All government discrimination) SCR 1031 which will be on the November 2010 ballot

Associated Press. "Pearce concedes defeat in Arizona recall election." Arizona Daily Sun, November 9, 2011:

...With thousands of ballots counted and results in from all 16 precincts, charter school executive Jerry Lewis led with 53 percent of the vote, compared with about 45 percent for Pearce, a margin of about 1,800 votes....

The recall election, forced by a petition drive, was the first for an Arizona legislator....

Employment

Arizona Legislative Service

Sources

Birth:  2008 Guide to the 48th Legislature (green book); Occupation(s): green book Death: "Russell Pearce, who sponsored Arizona's controversial Senate Bill 1070, dies at 75" by Andrew Oxford, Mary Jo Pitzl and Daniel Gonzalez. Published Jan 5, 2023. Accessed Jan 9, 2023. https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/arizona/2023/01/05/former-arizona-senate-president-sb-1070-sponsor-russell-pearce-dies/69782391007/