in the country. Mofford fought for higher bonding limits and increased funding for mental health programs in Arizona. She strongly opposed English-only instruction in Arizona schools and considered herself an advocate for civil liberties. Known for her fondness for athletics, Mofford created a funding mechanism to keep Major League Baseball's Cactus League in the state. She created the Governor's Alliance Against Drugs, the Governor's Youth Commission Against Drugs, and managed the formation of the state's first Drug Prevention Resource Center. The governor formed a task force to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic statewide, as a response to its rising national concern; during this time, the HIV/AIDS crisis was an issue thought to be ignored by politicians throughout the country. Mofford tried to increase political leadership opportunities for women in the state, appointing more minorities and women to commissions, boards, and courts than any other past Arizona governor. Mofford advocated for the re-establishment of Martin Luther King Day as a paid state holiday; this holiday had been rescinded under her predecessor. The holiday was eventually reinstated by popular vote in 1992 after she had left office. In 1988, Mofford stated her opposition to a bill banning abortions in the state (except in extreme cases), claiming it was unconstitutional. The proposed legislation was rejected by the state legislature by one vote. Mofford enjoyed a high level of popularity in the state, but her popularity decreased when she commuted two murder sentences in 1989; convicted murderers James Hamm and Carl Kummerlowe were able to attain early parole under her commutations, which she later tried to rescind. In early 1990, Mofford announced that she had decided not to run for election to a full four-year term. She was succeeded by Fife Symington. Mofford told reporters in 1990 that she hoped to be remembered "as a caring governor, because I cared about everybody in Arizona". Awards Mofford received the Distinguished Public Servant and Dedicated Humanitarian Award from St. Jude's Research Hospital. In 1988, she won Valley Leadership's Outstanding Woman of the Year Award. She was a recipient of the Arizona Heritage Award in 2004. She was honored as an Arizona Historymaker from The Historical League in 1999. Former Phoenix mayor Skip Rimsza established June 10 as "Rose Mofford Day". She was a member of the Arizona Softball Hall of Fame, and municipal softball fields are named in her honor in both Butler and Phoenix. Later life