'No Cruising' bill blocked by Arizona Senate. What's next for laws protecting lowriding?

Corrections & Clarifications: Car show organizer Nancy Perry's name was incorrect in a previous version of this article.

An Arizona House Bill that sought to protect car cruising from local municipal ordinances — known as “No Cruising” laws — was blocked at the Arizona Capitol during a Senate committee hearing.

The bill, HB 2332, would have taken away Arizona cities' and towns’ authority to enact laws targeting the car community's ability to participate in cruises, a long-standing Mexican American tradition.

The proposed legislation also included a provision restricting local authorities from limiting suspension or bumper height modifications. The lift created by hydraulics, which adjusts a car's bumper height, is a hallmark of lowrider cars.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Cesar Aguilar, D-Phoenix, passed the Arizona House of Representatives 38-22 in early March. It went before the Senate Committee on Transportation, Technology and Missing Children during a hearing Monday, where it received a 1-6 vote prohibiting it from moving forward.

The bill was opposed by the Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police and the city of Tolleson, along with several other groups that included the state’s League of Cities & Towns.

History of lowrider cruising in the Phoenix area

Pilar Sinawi, Tolleson’s chief government affairs officer, told the committee on Monday that the city does not ban cruising and is supportive of the tradition, but feared additional processes would be needed if the law passed.

“What we do want is for there to be a special events process to be followed,” Sinawi said, “to ensure the safety of those cruising and those in the surrounding areas.”

Tolleson’s police Chief Rudy Mendoza, on the other hand, told the committee the bill would increase disorderly conduct.

Various community members attended in support of the bill, including Intruders Car Club President James Arvizu and Nancy Perry, who has organized car shows across the Valley for more than 30 years. They shared with the committee the history of lowriding in the Valley, the impact on the culture and how current laws have stifled the community’s ability to convene.

Arvizu has been cruising in the Valley since 1976. He said that he was once a part of organizing efforts between Tolleson and the car clubs in the area to put on events. Arvizu spoke directly to the committee regarding concerns brought up by representatives of Tolleson.

A committee member, Sen. Eva Diaz, D-Tolleson, made a point of differentiating a car cruise from a city-sanctioned event, such as a parade. The senator asked Arvizu about the decision behind where to cruise.

“Have you ever thought about cruising on Scottsdale Road?” she asked. “We are all from the west side, from Tolleson, west Phoenix, Avondale, Goodyear. Most of the people come from (there). We do not live in Scottsdale.”

Bills that impact Latino community

In an interview with The Arizona Republic, Aguilar said he plans to continue working with his constituents to get this bill in the next legislative session.

The representative noted he had been meeting with cities and towns, but the amendments they were proposing would contradict the purpose of his bill.

“They want to put (language) where you have to go get a permit or you have to get permission,” Aguilar explained. “I tell them that's the complete opposite of what I'm trying to accomplish. Because then that would be putting in statute barriers against cruising when a lot of cities don't currently have any ordinances.”

Before the committee hearing, a variety of car sports clubs had organized a cruise to the state Capitol to demonstrate their support for the bill. Aguilar confirmed the cruise, set for April 24, would still happen.

Aguilar said gaining the trust of the lowrider community proved difficult. He recognized the state Legislature’s history of passing bills that target Latine people.

“This year, we have the youngest and largest numbers [of] Latino elected officials,” he said. ”We're starting to introduce legislation that does impact our community. It's important for our community to know that we are now being represented. We now have power. We should be having legislation that protects them and is looking out for them.”

Have a question you need answered? Reach the reporter at rromeroruiz@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter @raphaeldelag.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Senate blocks bill protecting lowrider car cruising