# State Senator Proposes Bill to Recognize Bitcoin as Legal Tender in Arizona
Wendy Rogers, a state senator from Arizona, has put forward legislation related to cryptocurrency, including a bill that seeks to establish Bitcoin (BTC) as a legally accepted form of payment in Arizona.
Rogers recently shared on Twitter information from investment company Goldman Sachs, highlighting that BTC has been the top-performing asset globally. She announced that she has introduced a series of cryptocurrency bills.
One of the bills she presented focuses on granting legal tender status to BTC within the state. If this bill becomes law, Bitcoin will hold the same status as the U.S. dollar, allowing it to be used for settling debts, government fees, taxes, and other obligations in Arizona.
Although a similar bill put forth by Rogers in 2022 did not succeed, she remains committed to advancing the recognition of Bitcoin in the state. In April 2022, she expressed opposition to centralized digital currencies controlled by central banks and expressed her endorsement of Bitcoin on social media.
In addition to this initiative, Rogers has sponsored a bill proposing that cryptocurrencies be considered tax-exempt property. If this bill is accepted, voters will have the opportunity in 2024 to decide whether tokens not linked to foreign currencies or the U.S. dollar should be exempted from taxes.
In a significant move on September 7, 2021, El Salvador officially declared Bitcoin as legal tender in the country. Over a year later, this decision has proven to be advantageous, with El Salvador observing a growth in tourism in 2022, welcoming 1.1 million visitors in the first half of the year.
Furthermore, on January 22, Brazil and Argentina disclosed plans to introduce a joint currency alongside their respective national currencies. Responding to this development, Brian Armstrong, the CEO of Coinbase, recommended that transitioning to Bitcoin could be a wise long-term strategy for both nations.
**Image Source:** Lukas Gojda / Shutterstock
