Arizona 'birther' bill on governor's desk

PHOENIX, April 15 (UPI) -- Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer has five days to sign a bill that would require presidential candidates to prove they are U.S. citizens.

Arizona's "birther" bill is the first of its kind to make it to a governor's desk although lawmakers in 10 states have introduced similar legislation, Politico reported Friday.

If Brewer doesn't sign the bill it becomes law after five days. The Arizona House Thursday voted 40-16 in favor of the legislation requiring presidential candidates to provide proof they were born in the United States.

Brewer hasn't indicated her position on the bill. She could sign it, veto it or do nothing and let it become law. The bill passed despite opposition from several editorial boards and moderate and left-leaning opinion leaders in Arizona.

"Spare us," an Arizona Republic editorial said Thursday. "We shouldn't be the punch line in the next round of national jokes."

The birther issue has been simmering since critics of President Barack Obama began circulating rumors he was not born in the United States because his father was Kenyan. The president was born in Hawaii.