A Republican Arizona state senator, Wendy Rogers, has raised eyebrows in the US state by introducing legislation to make BTC (Bitcoin) legal tender her state.
This is the latest move by a pro-crypto politician in the US to counter the negative anti-Bitcoin stance of US Federal Government agencies like the Fed (under chairman Jerome Powell), the SEC and the Treasury (under secretary Janet Yellen).
The move comes hot on the heels of the recent adoption of Bitcoin as a legal currency in El Salvador which made headlines around the world and resulted in a warning and a negative response from the IMF.
Arizona Sixth Legislative District Representative Wendy Rogers has introduced a flurry of crypto-related bills in the past few weeks, including one that would add BTC to the state’s list of things defined as legal tender.
Rogers also introduced a bill that would allow the state government, as well as the governments of any county, city, town and school district in Arizona, to pay employees in virtual currency if they request it.
A third Rogers bill would ban any governmental body in the state from prohibiting people from using mutually agreed on mediums of exchange, including digital currencies. A fourth would ban cities and towns from imposing taxes or fees on “the use of blockchain technology by any person or entity.” A fifth would exempt virtual currency from property taxes.
Rogers’ district encompasses parts of Coconino, Yavapai, Navajo and Gila counties in central and Northern Arizona.
In September of last year, El Salvador became the world’s first nation to recognize Bitcoin as an official currency.
