Arizona state Republican lawmakers recently proposed new legislation that seeks lifetime prison sentences for individuals convicted of child sex trafficking crimes‚ the Epoch Times reported.Last week‚ state Rep. Selina Bliss (R) and Senator Shawnna Bolick (R) introduced mirror bills‚ HCR 2042 and SCR 1021‚ which "seek to to strengthen punishment for child sex traffickers‚" according to a news release from the Arizona House Republicans. If passed‚ those convicted of child sex trafficking crimes could face "natural life" sentences without the opportunity for early release‚ including no eligibility for parole or commuting sentences "under any circumstances.""The resolution proposes amending the Arizona State Constitution to mandate a natural life sentence for individuals convicted of paying for sex with a minor‚ receiving payment for placing a minor in another person's custody for sex with another person‚ or providing or obtaining a minor with intent that the minor engage in sex with another person‚ sending a clear message that such crimes will not be tolerated‚" the press release read.During a Thursday news conference at Arizona's Capitol in Phoenix‚ Majority Leader Rep. Leo Biasiucci (R) called the mirror legislation "a huge win for the state of Arizona.""It's important that we‚ as a state‚ take the lead on this because other states look at us. They try to follow us in many other categories. This one now has come to the forefront‚" Biasiucci explained. "We want to make it very clear to everybody in the state‚ across the country: Our children are not for sale.""If you are involved in these heinous crimes‚ we are putting you away for a very long time. Because‚ in this bill‚ we're throwing away the key‚" he added.The legislation would make Arizona the strictest state in the country for child sex crimes‚ Biasiucci explained. Bliss‚ the prime sponsor of the bill‚ said during Thursday's news conference‚ "Age 14‚ that's the average age in Arizona that these abused children are forced into these acts. And we're talking about boys and girls.""Our society must stand firmly against those who seek to harm the most vulnerable among us. Those who prey on the innocence of the young will face the full weight of the law‚" Bliss stated.Bolick blamed the "wide-open southern border and derelict government agencies" for an increase in child sex trafficking. From March to October 2020‚ there was a 29% increase in child sex trafficking victims in Maricopa compared to the same period in 2019‚ the Maricopa County Child Sex Trafficking Collaborative reported.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

It isn’t often a presidential administration does something wildly destructive and seemingly out of spite. Yet that appears to be what Joe Biden’s administration is doing with prescription drugs as it seeks to force price controls on pharmaceutical companies and a punitive excise tax on any that resist. “Better access to drugs‚ especially in poor countries‚ could save 10 million lives each year‚ four million of them in Africa and Southeast Asia‚” the United Nations estimated in 2007. Unmentioned in that assessment is how government policies hinder access to lifesaving drugs. We fund the billions in research and development to produce new drugs. We empower innovation. Or we used to‚ anyway. Governments in countries with “low” prescription drug costs impose those costs on the companies in several ways. First‚ they simply drag their feet on the drug approval process. A 2019 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association looked at the “difference in the availability of new drugs in Germany and the U.S.” and found that “compared with the U.S.‚ fewer new medicines are available in Germany‚ and they enter the market at a later time.” JAMA reported the “study comparing 599 medicine approvals in the U.S. and Germany between 2004 and 2018‚" and "92% of all new medicines approved in either country were available in the U.S.‚ and 80% were available in Germany. The median approval time in Germany was extended by 4 months.” In short‚ more drugs were available to Americans‚ and they were available sooner than in Germany. Germany is not unique. Governments in countries with socialized medicine schemes hinder new drugs entering their markets while the government “negotiates” the price they will pay. This process adds significant time to the approval process. While four months may not seem like a lot of time‚ it can be a lifetime for people afflicted with something for which the new or latest‚ most effective treatment is held up by bureaucrats as they set the price. It’s hardly a “negotiation” at all. Governments typically issue an ultimatum: Accept the price we’re demanding‚ or we’ll seize (i.e.‚ steal) your patent and have a domestic company make the drug. The Biden administration now claims that it‚ too‚ has the power to seize drug patents when companies that own them refuse to give in to the government’s price demands. When other countries force lower prices than the market would otherwise produce‚ the ensuing shortfall needs to be made up somewhere else. That somewhere else is usually the United States. We fund the billions in research and development to produce new drugs. We are the world’s leading innovators. It’s not an accident that the United States dominates the pharmaceutical market: We empower innovation. Or we used to‚ anyway. In addition to the ability to seize patents‚ the Biden administration also asserts the power to impose a 95% excise tax on any company that does not “negotiate” with Medicare to the satisfaction of the president. As part of the “Inflation Reduction Act‚” the president has the ability‚ for the first time ever‚ to negotiate the cost of a limited number of prescription drugs on behalf of the government. Should the government be unsatisfied with the drug company and not be able to come to terms‚ or the company simply refuses to accept what the federal government dictates‚ the administration can impose that 95% excise tax. Call it anything you like — coercion‚ extortion‚ theft — but don’t call it “negotiation.” For now‚ the administration’s power to “negotiate” drug prices is limited. But unless and until Congress steps in‚ the power will expand. It is the pathway to crippling the prescription drug market in the United States. This should scare the heck out of anyone with a loved one who needs prescription drugs to treat a chronic illness or is fighting any condition for which surgery is not an option. It will kill innovation and‚ ultimately‚ do the same to Americans who depend on medications to survive and thrive.

Texas is refusing to back down and hand over control of Shelby Park in Eagle Pass‚ Texas‚ to federal authorities. President Biden then banned all new liquid natural gas export approvals‚ claiming this was a climate-related decision — not a way to retaliate and hurt Texas’ economy. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton tells Glenn Beck that he has “no doubt” that this was meant to hurt Texas‚ not help the climate. “There’s no doubt in my mind they were probably enjoying the fact that it would hurt the Texas economy‚ but I also think that’s what the border is about‚” Paxton says. While Paxton believes the long-term goal is to allow immigrants into Texas in order to change the way the red state votes‚ the rest of what the administration is doing is hurting the Texas economy anyway. “What they’re doing is bringing people into our state so that we have higher costs. We have law enforcement costs‚ health care costs‚ we have education costs‚ and they know that‚” he explains. “I think they’re doing their best to damage and harm in any way possible‚ even if it means high crime in the Republican states‚” he continues‚ adding that while it “sounds so conspiratorial‚” he can see what they’re doing. “It’s not like a secret; it’s all out in the open‚” he adds. Glenn is in agreement with Paxton‚ adding‚ “This is what a constitutional crisis looks like.” Want more from Glenn Beck?To enjoy more of Glenn’s masterful storytelling‚ thought-provoking analysis‚ and uncanny ability to make sense of the chaos‚ subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America‚ defend the Constitution‚ and live the American dream.

A man attempted to stop a robbery of an expensive watch after making arrangements online to meet up with the suspect to make a sale in person.The unnamed man reportedly made a deal online to sell his Rolex. After a man came to meet him in Massapequa‚ New York‚ the alleged thief decided to take off without paying.As reported by WABC-TV‚ the victim was seemingly already missing a shoe when the suspect started backing up in an attempt to flee the scene with the watch. The man was reportedly hit by the thief's vehicle‚ causing him to stumble to the ground and lose another shoe‚ along with other items.As the driver began moving forward to drive away‚ the victim jumped onto the hood of the vehicle and held on near the windshield wipers. The video footage cut out as the driver sped away with the man still on all fours grasping the hood of the car.The victim reportedly suffered multiple cuts‚ but no serious injuries.Massapequa is a town in the western portion of Long Island‚ New York‚ with a population of about 20‚000.According to FBI crime statistics‚ there were approximately 198‚000 robberies in the United States in 2022. Nearly 50‚000 of those robberies took place on a highway‚ street‚ sidewalk‚ or in an alley. An additional 32‚000 took place in the home. The vast majority were committed with some type of weapon‚ with just over 19‚000 (9.6%) committed without a weapon of any kind.The average value of property stolen in 2019 was $1‚797‚ with banks experiencing an average loss of $4‚213 per offense. Overall‚ the rate of robberies per 100‚000 people has dropped significantly since 2012‚ when it was 113‚ down to 66 in 2022.At the same time‚ police have routinely issued warnings to citizens about the dangers of meeting in person to sell items after organizing the sale online.This included police in Philadelphia issuing a warning in May 2023‚ along with Chicago police putting out an alert after a string of 19 robberies related to Facebook Marketplace in 2022.In the latter‚ a group of men had been stealing ATVs and motorbikes by approaching the victims in ski masks while wielding a handgun before taking the victim's property.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

‘We know it’s not true‚’ Husain said of the reports that Hamas terrorists raped women and beheaded babies in Israel on October 7.

An FEC complaint filed last year asked the DOJ to investigate whether Bush used campaign funds to pay her husband $60‚000 for security services.

Community Notes Breaks Out Puppets and Crayons to SCHOOL Ilhan Omar and Her LAME 'Clapback' at the Right

STRAIGHT Into Our VEINS: House Dem Under Investigation CONFIRMED as Squad Member Cori Bush

Don't You KNOW Who She Is? Cori Bush's Reaction When Asked About Being Under Investigation VERY Telling

Iranian National Indicted for Colluding With Hells Angels in Assassination Plot