Jan Brewer
22nd Governor of Arizona
Assumed office
January 21, 2009
Born-September 26, 1944 (age 65)
Hollywood, California
Political party- Republican
Spouse John Brewer
Residence Glendale, Arizona
Alma mater Glendale Community College
Religion Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod
Janice Kay "Jan" Brewer (born September 26, 1944) is the 22nd and current Governor of the U.S. state of Arizona and is a Republican. Jan Brewer automatically became governor of Arizona as part of the line of succession as determined by the Arizona constitution, replacing former governor Janet Napolitano. Jan Brewer became governor at a time of extreme economic upheaval for the state, and issues such as a dwindling tax base, record foreclosures, public education funding, illegal immigration and healthcare have all been
Brewer was born Janice Kay Drinkwine in Hollywood, California to Perry and Edna Drinkwine. Her father died of lung disease when she was eleven years old. She married John Brewer and worked in Glendale, California before moving to his hometown of Phoenix, Arizona in 1970. They later moved to Glendale, Arizona where he became a successful chiropractor and found success in real estate as well.
Brewer served as a Republican in the Arizona House of Representatives from 1983 to 1986. She was then a state senator from 1987 to 1996. She represented the city of Glendale and parts of Maricopa County.
In 1996, Brewer ran for chairman of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors defeating incumbent Ed King and served six years. She inherited a debt of $165 million, and by the end of Brewer’s tenure in 2002, she left Maricopa County in one of the strongest financial positions of any county in the nation. The Governing Magazine proclaimed the County as “one of the two best managed large counties in the nation.” She was elected Secretary of State of Arizona in 2002 and served until 2009.
Brewer, as Arizona Secretary of State, was the first in line to succeed Democratic Governor Janet Napolitano when Napolitano resigned to become United States Secretary of Homeland Security on January 21, 2009. Brewer is Arizona's fourth female governor and its third consecutive female governor.
Brewer is running for re-election for a full term in the 2010 gubernatorial election.
Governor Brewer signed Arizona SB1070 into law, making it "a state crime for illegal immigrants to not have an alien registration document", and requiring police "to question people about their immigration status if there is reason to suspect they are illegal immigrants." It also makes it illegal for people to hire illegal immigrants for day labor or to knowingly transport them. In addition, it provides provisions to allow citizens to file lawsuits against government agencies that hinder enforcement of immigration laws.
The bill passed was signed into law on April 23, 2010. A follow-on bill, said to address certain "racial profiling" issues with the original bill, was passed by the Arizona legislature just before ending their 2010 session, and was signed by Governor Brewer on April 30, 2010.
Jan Brewer also signed legislation that entitled persons in Arizona to carry guns into bars, unless the bar has specifically stated that guns are not to be permitted. She also signed a bill that allows Arizona citizens to conceal weapons without having to get a permit. The new law has proved to be controversial in the state with passionate views and opinions on both sides of the debate.
Arizona is essentially in a state of budget crisis. The governor has repeatedly called on the state legislature to work together to find solutions and to work across party lines to reach a solution. In addition, the governor has called for a state sales tax hike, an issue which state Republicans in the legislature wish to avoid.
Jan Brewer signed a bill repealing legislation put into place by the former governor Janet Napolitano, which had granted domestic partners of state employees the ability to be considered as "dependents," similar to the way married spouses are handled.
Brewer has responded to the recent passing of health care bill in the US Congress by calling upon a special state legislative session to join in the class-action lawsuit by 21 state Attorneys Generals to challenge the constitutionality of the federal mandate to purchase health insurance.
(here's a shot of her accepting a Native American blessing on stage just prior to officially taking the reins. after the blessing he was asked for his papers)
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